Get ready to bet on baseball in Massachusetts. Legal sports betting is now live at physical locations, and online at sportsbooks including FanDuel beginning March 10, 2023. Find tips and tricks to maximize your winnings.
Get ready to step up to the plate, Boston! Legal retail sports betting went live in Massachusetts on January 31, 2023 at locations, including BetMGM at MGM Springfield, WynnBET at Encore Boston Harbor, and Barstool at Plainridge Park Casino. But why leave the comfort of your own home when you can bet online?
Opening an account is a walk in the park, and once registered, choose your game, check the odds, and place your bets. But legal online sports betting comes to the state on March 10, 2023.
Look out for the best FanDuel Massachusetts promos and bonus codes to maximize your winnings. FanDuel has a Massachusetts pre-launch promotion code for $100 in bonus bets.
Before You Could Bet on Baseball Legally, You Could Bet Your Sofa
In 2007, long before fans could bet on games, Jordan’s Furniture rolled out one of the most creative and exciting promotions in the history of retail, the Monster Deal promotion. Customers who bought furniture between March 7 and April 16 would receive full rebates on their purchase if the Boston Red Sox won the World Series that year. The promotion was a gamble for the company, as they took out an insurance policy worth about $20 million to cover the potential losses in case the Red Sox won the championship.
On October 28, 2007, the Red Sox emerged victorious in the World Series, and Jordan’s Furniture was faced with a hefty payout to its customers. To the delight of an estimated 24,000 qualified customers, Jordan’s Furniture kept its word and issued full rebates on all eligible purchases, including sofas, beds, mattresses, and dining-room tables.
Despite the high cost of the Monster Deal promotion, Jordan’s Furniture continued to use creative marketing campaigns in the following years. However, none of these promotions matched the excitement and publicity generated by the Monster Deal.
Thankfully today, fans of baseball and sports betting in Massachusetts can legally place bets on their favorite teams without having to bet on furniture – including me, one of the lucky winners! Due to my luck years ago, I can now bet on real games from the comfort of my couch.
How Does Online Sports Betting Work in Massachusetts Now?
For those new to the world of sports betting, it’s important to note that the game has changed since the days of Pete Rose. You won’t be banned for playing or placing your bets. Instead, settle in for an exciting season of online sports betting in Massachusetts where you can legally place your bets on the Boston Red Sox or any other team.
Currently, there are nine sportsbooks approved for temporary online sports betting licenses in Massachusetts, including big names like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Barstool. While there are many options to choose from, FanDuel is a recommended choice for its user-friendly interface and competitive odds.
Once you’ve registered with an online sportsbook, you can dive into the world of Moneyline bets, Point Spreads, Parlays, and Futures. With a little knowledge and some luck, you could be hitting it out of the park in no time.
How Do I Read Betting Lines?
If you’re new to sports betting, don’t let the betting lines scare you off. In fact, they are the key to unlocking the excitement and potential payouts that online sports betting in Massachusetts has to offer.
Think of it as a thrilling game of numbers. And who knows, you might just hit it big like some of the most legendary bettors in history. And the best part? It’s all legal, so you can bet with confidence and without fear of repercussions. Gone are the days of needing to find a bookie, or driving to New Hampshire to place your bets.
When it comes to reading betting lines, it’s important to remember that all Massachusetts sports betting sites will use American odds. It’s simple once you get the hang of it – just look for the plus or minus sign in front of the odds. A minus sign indicates the favored team, while a plus sign denotes the underdog.
For instance, if you see that the Boston Red Sox are favored to win their next game with odds of -180, that means you’d need to bet $180 to win $100. On the other hand, if the Red Sox are the underdogs with odds of +120, that means you’d win $120 for every $100 you bet. So, with a little bit of understanding and luck on your side, you could be well on your way to a thrilling season of online sports betting.
Farewell New Hampshire: It’s Been Nice Knowing You
Jono Gallagher of Medford, MA is a frequent recreational bettor and an amateur baseball player. He often takes the 40-minute drive over the New Hampshire border so he can place his sports bets – whether on his mobile device, or at many of the nearby sportsbooks. Those days are behind him.
“In all seriousness, is there ever a reason to drive to New Hampshire again?
For the last couple of years, my teammate and I have been taking turns driving up to New Hampshire to place bets during the baseball season. Last year, we hit a $20 4-pick parlay that paid out about $2,500. That was a good night! Thank you Mike Trout for that late-game HR!
Now that sports betting is legal in Massachusetts we can take that gas money and spend it placing bets. I know my first bet will be for the Sox to win it all this year! LFG!!”
When Gallagher was asked about where he places his bets:
“I’ve used both the DraftKings and FanDuel apps and FanDuel definitely has the better user experience. When you have an almost unlimited number of betting options on these apps, the app experience is critical.”
Types of Massachusetts Sports Bets
One of the most important things to learn when you want to know how to bet on sports is the various bet types available. The most popular options are as follows:
Moneyline
If you’re new to sports betting, you may want to start with moneyline odds, which are the simplest way to place a wager. To bet on the moneyline, you simply pick the team you think will win the game. Let’s say the Boston Red Sox are playing their next MLB game and are the favorites according to the moneyline odds. In this case, their odds will have a minus sign in front of them. If their odds are -140, that means you would need to bet $140 to win $100 if they win the game. On the other hand, if they are the underdogs with a moneyline of +130, you would win $130 for every $100 you wagered if they win the game.
Point Spreads
Let’s say the Yankees are playing the Boston Red Sox and are the favorites with a point spread of -1.5. This means that the Yankees need to win the game by at least 2 runs for anyone who bet on them to win the point spread bet. If the final score is Yankees 4 – Red Sox 2, anyone who bet on the Yankees to win the point spread would be a winner. However, if the final score is Yankees 3 – Red Sox 2, anyone who bet on the Red Sox to win the point spread (+1.5) would be a winner because the Red Sox lost by only 1 run.
Parlays
Parlays can also be a popular way to bet on multiple baseball games at once. For example, you may believe that the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Houston Astros will all win on the same day. If you place a parlay bet on all three teams, and each one wins, your initial stake will roll over onto the next pick, and so on. The payout for a winning parlay bet can be significant, but it’s important to remember that if even one of your picks loses, you lose the entire bet. So while the potential payout can be enticing, parlay bets can be risky and require a bit of luck to win.
Over/Under Totals Bets
Not every sports bet or betting line is related to the final score or which team wins a game outright. Over/under bets, also known as totals, are exactly what they sound like – a wager on the total number of runs, hits, or errors that occur during a baseball game. You may see a quote, for example, of a total of 8.5 runs in the Boston Red Sox’s next MLB game. If you think both teams will score fewer combined runs than that, you go with the Under; the alternative is to opt for the Over. If the final total in question is exactly the same amount as the sportsbook’s number – which most books avoid by using half-points – all bets on the market are refunded.
Futures
Are you ready to bet on the long game? Futures betting is your ticket to excitement that lasts all season long. Get in on the action early by placing a wager on a market that won’t be decided for months. Think the Boston Red Sox have what it takes to win the World Series? Place a futures bet and cheer them on all season long. This is the ultimate way to ensure you have a vested interest in the outcome of the entire season.
Prop Bets
Looking for a way to bet on the nitty-gritty details of a game? Prop bets are where it’s at! These wagers offer a vast selection of markets within a single game, from the first-half score to individual player performances. Betting on props can make any game more exciting and give you an edge when it comes to understanding the sport. With so many options available, you can truly tailor your betting experience to your own interests.
Live Betting
Why limit your betting options to pre-game wagers when you can get in on the action as it unfolds? Live betting is the hottest trend in online sports betting, offering the chance to place bets after the game has already begun. With real-time odds updates, you can adjust your strategy on the fly and capitalize on opportunities that may arise during the game. And with the option to watch live streams of the action you’ve bet on, you can feel like you’re in the stadium cheering on your team. Plus, the ability to cash out early lets you lock in profits or minimize losses, adding even more excitement to the experience.
Prepare Your Lineup for an Exciting Year of Sports Betting
Get ready to enjoy an exciting season of online sports betting in Massachusetts as the state legalizes retail sports betting and online sports betting on January 31, 2023, and March 10, 2023, respectively.
With the comfort of your own home, you can bet online or visit the physical locations. Whether you’re a fan of the Boston Red Sox or rooting for their opponent, it’s an exciting year for sports betting in Massachusetts.
Brett Rudy is a trailblazer in the world of baseball. As the founder of Baseball Is My Life and co-founder of Charity Hop Sports Marketing, he’s dedicated to elevating the sport and supporting the athletes who play it. With a passion for making a difference, Brett has created successful philanthropic initiatives like Charity Wines and 100 Innings of Baseball for ALS. He’s also the mastermind behind the Corked Bat Collection, Cooperstown Classic at the Baseball Hall of Fame, and Winterball for Toys for Tots. When he’s not working to improve the game, Brett can be found playing outfield in the Boston Metro Baseball League, living and breathing the sport he loves.