Listing pitchers can protect you from downside risk. One of the most unique advantages that sports bettors have when it comes to wagering on baseball is that they can state that the listed pitchers for a game must state for the bet to be valid.
Imagine a hockey game where sports bettors would be able to lock in a bet which guaranteed the starting goalies in order for their wager to be valid. In both cases, goalies and pitchers are crucial to their team's success. You can understand how important this tool can be. The last thing you want is to place your bet thinking one key player will be out there only to find out another is in their stead.
The majority of casual bettors still don’t take advantage of the opportunity to list pitchers to start for the bet to be void and that is a major mistake. Here is a look at why it is so important to list pitchers when it comes to betting on baseball.
The Importance Of Listing Pitchers
The starting pitchers for a baseball game have a tremendous impact on the outcome of the game. That impact is quantified by the sportsbooks when they determine the betting odds for the individual games. For example, if the Los Angeles Dodgers were playing on the road against the New York Mets.
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Let's say they are listed at +120 while New York would be -130 without considering the starting pitchers. And let's say the Mets had their ace on the mound and the Dodgers had an average starter. If Mets had some kind of issue with their ace and they couldn't pitch, the line would change a lot. You bet the the Mets thinking they would have an edge. Now the situation is very different. Had you know that originally, you might have bet less or not bet it at all.
When you list pitchers, it means that the pitchers you specify must start. If they don't, your bet is void. Listing pitchers is important to do because it gives you protection in case your pitcher can't start.
Totals & Runlines
For baseball totals and run line wagers most sportsbooks have the “listed pitchers must start” rule in effect. This is interesting because they are establishing the total for a game based on the starting pitchers and protecting themselves in the even of a late change. If the sportsbooks have rules in place to protect themselves from late pitching changes on the run line then it only makes sense to follow suit and make sure you are covering yourself as well when betting on baseball.
Know The Sportsbook Rules
The majority of sportsbooks like BetOnline, Bovada, MyBookie (see MyBookie review) will let you state the starting pitcher. However, not all books do it. For that reason, it makes sense to research and find a site that allows it. If a late pitching change is made, the bet will be voided and then you won’t be on the hook. If the bet now looks a lot different than when you took the starters into account, you shouldn't want it. The replacement starter is almost always a lot worse than the pitcher scheduled to start. The MLB odds will be undoubtedly be impacted. Anybody that wouldn’t be able to void the bet would suddenly be at a major disadvantage.
