How Does Fantasy Baseball Betting Work?
Gambling on fantasy baseball is simple once you learn the basics. Let’s go over the most important points in bullet form to make it as clear as possible:
- You must select your own team of MLB players.
- Your team has a salary cap and each player has a value. You can only spend a certain amount to buy your players.
- The player pool is dictated by which MLB stars are expected to play on a given day, with line-up changes added as and when they are announced.
- Your roster must include two pitchers, one catcher, a first, second and third base, one short stop and three outfield players.
- Selected players then score and lose points based on a number of actions which are specific to their stated position.
- Hitters, for example, will earn points for singles, doubles, triples and home runs (among other things) and will lose points when they get caught stealing, while pitchers will gain points for innings, strike outs, wins and complete games, while losing points for being hit against.
All the scoring is done automatically and can be tracked in-play on the fantasy sports betting website you’re using. Lots of sites even offer online gambling apps or mobile device-friendly website versions that can be accessed from your iPhone, iPad, or Android tablet.
How to Join a Fantasy League
Joining a great fantasy baseball site is a cinch. Just follow these simple steps to get started. We’ll use our top-rated site FanDuel as an example but signing up to most sites follows a similar process.
Select the site of your choice from our reviews to guarantee the best bonus. Register a new account by providing your basic personal information. Make a deposit and claim a juicy, bankroll-enhancing welcome bonus.
Sites like FanDuel.com offer tons of different sports. Choose baseball from the list across the top of the lobby.
Next you have to choose the kind of contest you want to play. There are huge tournaments with thousands of players all the way down to head-to-head matches. There are also different formats including 9-player teams, 5-player teams and home run contests.
Select the players for your roster from the MLB teams that are playing. Depending on the kind of contest, you’ll be prompted to choose certain positions. The goal is to make the highest-performing team while staying within the salary cap.
Watch the game(s) and track your players’ points in real time using your DFS website or app. If your players perform well, hopefully you’ll make a profit on your bets.
Baseball Fantasy Events
Just like most fantasy sports, you can play fantasy baseball in lots of different formats. The top online fantasy sports betting sites offer everything from huge-field guaranteed prize pool contests to head-to-head and double-up events.
Your potential profit from MLB fantasy baseball hinges on the games you choose to play and how much money you’re willing to bet. The more players you’re up against and the bigger the bet, the more you stand to win.
The best event really depends on you and your specific goals. Do you want to take a long-shot at big money by competing against hundreds or thousands of people or would you prefer trying to beat just one opponent for a more modest prize? Whatever your priorities, our top-rated sites will have a contest to match.
Mobile Fantasy Baseball Betting
If you love the idea of competing in fantasy baseball for real money but hate being chained to your computer, we’ve got good news. Nowadays fantasy baseball betting sites are also easy to access on your mobile smartphone and tablet.
It doesn’t matter whether you use Android or iOS, you can play at the top fantasy sports sites either in-browser or using a dedicated sports betting app. A big part of the fun is tracking your points in real time as you watch the game so using your phone or tablet is a no-brainer.
Free Fantasy Baseball Betting
If you’re new to betting on fantasy baseball there’s a great way for you to test the waters before risking any real money.
Our top-rated fantasy baseball sites all offer free contests and even award real cash prizes. You might kick start your bankroll without investing a cent.
Usually sites offer a free weekly game in each of the major sports, including baseball. FanDuel.com, for example, offers a free Home Run Challenge each week. Once you’re ready to graduate to real money, sites have beginner contests from between $1 and $5.
To see which site is offering the best free fantasy baseball bonuses right now, check out our reviews.
As we mentioned earlier, different fantasy baseball sites have different scoring systems. Make sure to research the values for your specific site and choose players that excel in high-point actions.
To give you an example of what we mean, check out the scoring table for FanDuel.com.
| Pitchers |
Hitters |
| W (Win): 6pts |
1B (Single): 3pts |
| QS (Quality Starts): 4pts |
2B (Double): 6pts |
| ER (Earned Run): -3pts |
3B (Triple): 9pts |
| SO (Strike Out): 3pts |
HR (Home Run): 12pts |
| IP (Innings Pitched): 3pts |
R (Runs): 3.5 pts |
|
BB (Base on Balls): 3pts |
|
SB (Stolen Base): 6pts |
|
HBP (Hit by Pitch): 3pts |
Top Fantasy Baseball Betting Sites
If you’re a baseball fan and you like digging into the game’s numbers and stats, fantasy baseball is perfect for you. It’s a great way to make something you love even better and you actually might win some money doing it.
Our experts have done the hard work for you and lined up the best sites and the best deals. Check out our reviews to find a trusted and secure place to start playing fantasy baseball for real money right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How does fantasy baseball betting work?
It’s really easy. You draft a team of real-life pro baseball players and score points based on how well they play. Your team competes against other fantasy teams in contests that range from head-to-head battles to huge fields of thousands of teams.
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Are fantasy baseball betting sites trustworthy?
All the sites we recommend are guaranteed to be safe, secure and trustworthy. We can’t vouch for other sites out there that aren’t on our list.
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Can I play fantasy baseball on my mobile or tablet?
Absolutely. All the best sites are available on smartphones and tablets either using your internet browser or by installing a dedicated app.
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What type of fantasy baseball bets can I place?
There are lots of different contests you can play. Some last for only one day while others play out over a longer period of time. In some contests you only have one opponent while in others you could be up against thousands of players. Finally, some games ask you to pick nine players, others five and there are even special home run challenges where you only pick hitters.
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What are the best fantasy baseball sites?
The best sites can all be found in our reviews. Our gambling experts have ranked them all according to a strict set of criteria in order to bring you the very best.
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Do fantasy baseball sites offer bonuses?
Yes. Similar to online casinos and sportsbooks, fantasy baseball sites offer a generous welcome bonus when you make your first deposit plus lots of other ongoing promotions.
