MLB’s Thoughts On Legal Sports Betting

The MLB thoughts on sports betting are generally positive. Along the journey of sports betting becoming legalized in the US, the MLB has been a strong supporter. Now that states with legal sports betting are more common than not, US players can bet on the MLB at secure and trusted sites. The MLB has supported legal sports betting for many years and has continued to do so. There are many teams that have partnerships with sportsbooks and the number is continuously growing. The stadiums with partnerships will advertise the various sportsbooks by hanging banners, displaying their logo on the big screen, or even opening up a sportsbook lounge at the physical location.

Best Legal Sportsbooks

MLB Now Supports Legal Sports Betting

Rob Manfred once said that society “has changed its presence” over the issue and that he felt it important to have a discussion with the team owners “about what [MLB’s] institutional policy will be.” Clearly, Manfred saw the writing on the wall and decided that it was in baseball’s best interest to get behind the movement. Since PASPA’s repeal in 2018, Manfred has led the MLB’s full embrace of legal sports betting. The league has formalized multi-year data and sponsorship deals with major sportsbook operators, opened retail sportsbooks inside MLB stadiums, and integrated betting content into broadcasts.

What Made the MLB Embrace Legal Sports Betting Again?

There is no consensus on any single catalyst that drove Major League Baseball back into the loving arms of sports betting, but it probably has something to do with getting paid. Manfred, in the same 2015 interview cited above, cryptically stated that the MLB will “take a look at its relationships with legalized gambling, whether it’s a sponsorship or whatever…”

Ironically enough, ever since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, the MLB has been eager to pursue sports betting partnerships in a number of different ways. The MLB now has multi-year deals with MGM Resorts, DraftKings, and FanDuel with more deals in the near future. Those deals give those sportsbooks the ability to use MLB trademarks as well as official league data for their live betting features. The MLB has also partnered with Sportradar in order for them to collect and distribute data to legal sportsbooks as well. The MLB stands to make money selling its own data and stands to get higher ratings with its trademarks being used to advertise to sports bettors. It’s a win win for the league so it’s no wonder why they’ve begun to embrace real money sports betting.

That sponsorship bit is the key. See, the MLB has some of the most outrageous contracts in all of pro sports, and the game’s popularity (in terms of TV ratings and live attendance tallies) isn’t keeping pace with those inflated payrolls or the stadium leases on which most teams still owe a lot of money. A sponsorship system between Major League Baseball and US casinos/international sportsbooks could be a financial boon for America’s favorite pastime. And it’d be really good for baseball, too.

What Kinds of Legal Sports Betting Does Major League Baseball support?

Manfred and the rest of the MLB’s leadership have been quiet about the specifics they think will benefit baseball most, but it’s clear that the league is in favor of legislation that gives individual states the option to license legal sports betting businesses. From there, you can keep expecting the MLB to push for corporate sponsorships and against whatever laws may exist on the books potentially barring such relationships under various “conflict of interest” mandates and the like.

As for what specific bet types the game will want to promote, that remains to be seen. It is not out of the realm of possibility that, in order to preempt certain kinds of sportsbook fraud, the kinds of bets offered could diverge somewhat from what we’re used to with the overseas books. Maybe certain types of prop bets or futures would be disallowed, especially ones that could tarnish the public image of the league. Ironically, prop bets are said to have originated with wagers on pitchers’ balls/strikes game totals. This might be something the MLB will want to avoid going forward, as the potential for easy corruption by the primary individual party is quite high. Needless to say, it would be interesting to see a professional sports league have an active say in the types of bets that bookmakers can legally offer.

Other Leagues Thoughts

NBA’s Thoughts On Sports Betting

NFL’s Thoughts On Sports Betting

NHL’s Thoughts On Sports Betting

MLB Thoughts On Sports Betting Partnerships

Team	Sportsbook Partnerships
Arizona Diamondbacks	Caesars Sportsbook
Boston Red Sox	BetMGM, DraftKings Sportsbook
Chicago Cubs	DraftKings Sportsbook
Chicago White Sox	Caesars Sportsbook
Cincinnati Reds	WynnBET
Colorado Rockies	Betfred, DraftKings Sportsbook, WynnBET
Detroit Tigers	BetMGM, FanDuel, PointsBet
Houston Astros	BetMGM
New York Mets	Caesars Sportsbook
New York Yankees	FanDuel
San Diego Padres	Circa Sports
Washington Nationals	BetMGM

Betting Inside MLB Stadiums

The first brick-and-mortar sportsbook that opened up at an MLB Stadium was Nationals Park in January of 2022. Since then, many other stadiums have followed the Nationals’ lead and implemented sportsbooks of their own. Betting in MLB stadiums has become more and more commonplace, as MLB betting partnerships grow. The retail sportsbooks are more for show, as they provide an atmosphere to hang out, grab a few drinks, and talk to fellow gamblers while engaging in legal MLB sports betting.

Are Online MLB Betting Sites Legal?

Yes, all of the betting sites that you’ll find on this page are legal for you to use regardless of the regulation status in the state you are living in. That comes as there are no laws in place y the federal government in the United States that would prohibit you from using them. That being said, you are free to use these betting sites for all of your MLB betting needs as you please.

Are The Online Sportsbooks With MLB Odds Safe?

All of the betting sites that offer MLB odds are extremely safe for you to use as they have many different safety measures in place to secure your accounts. That includes different backend links that protect the servers of the sportsbooks as well as your web browsers. Taking it even a step further, they have great customer service to help answer any safety questions that you might have.

MLB’s Thoughts On Legal Sports Betting FAQs

Will The MLB Allow Individual Teams To Partner With Sportsbooks?

Yes, and in some cases, they really don’t have a choice. For example, the sports betting laws in Washington D.C. allow sportsbooks to be open in the District’s professional sports stadium. That means if Nationals park wanted to open up a legal sportsbook then they can. In March of 2019, MGM Resorts became the official sponsor of the Boston Red Sox. MGM is a sports betting operator and has signs promoting their business at Fenway Park.

Will The MLB Stop Player Prop Bets?

While there is no guarantee that they won’t, it is unlikely that they will stop these types of bets. State’s like Iowa prohibits player prop bets on their own collegiate athletes, but all is fair game when it comes to professional athletes. MLB players are paid handsomely, so the possibility for corruption is lower with their players than college players. The MLB hasn’t given any indication that they will pursue this issue at all.

Will The MLB Try And Lobby In States That Don’t Have An MLB Team?

More than likely yes. Tennessee was one of the only states that mandated a fee to pro sports leagues and Tennessee doesn’t even have a pro baseball team. Just because a state doesn’t have a home MLB team doesn’t mean there isn’t a great deal of MLB betting going on. The MLB recognizes that and will try to pursue extra money in any way possible. 

How Much Money is Bet on the MLB Every Year?

The MLB is a major draw for sports betting. In 2019, it was reported that the total amount of money that was wagered on the MLB season was around $1.1 billion. In 2026, we estimate that number to be closer to $30 billion. This number only includes traceable betting handles from regulated sites and does not include the potential from international betting sites.