What is a run line in baseball betting?
Written by Short answer
Run line = baseball's spread, almost always 1.5.-1.5 needs a 2-run win.+1.5 cashes on a win or a 1-run loss.The price moves instead of the line.
Baseball has a spread too. It's called the run line, and it's almost always 1.5 runs.
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Why the price moves instead of the line
In football the spread moves from game to game. In baseball the run line stays at 1.5 and the odds change. A big favorite on the moneyline at -200 might be around even money on the run line, because winning by 2 is a lot harder than just winning.
The home team quirk
If the home team is leading after the top of the 9th, it doesn't bat again. And if it takes the lead in the bottom of the 9th or later, the game ends right there. So home favorites often win by exactly 1 run, which is a loss at -1.5.
My take
Don't take a favorite on the run line just because the moneyline is too expensive. You're betting on a different, harder outcome. Price it on its own.