College baseball may not be as popular as college football or basketball, but it has passionate fanbases and bettors, particularly in the southeast. The NCAA baseball season begins in February but doesn't typically enter the public eye until May. That's when Conference Tournaments begin, and we transition into the College World Series in early June.
College baseball betting is offered in every legal sports betting state, though there are some restrictions around props and wagering on in-state teams in some states.
Which States Offer Legal NCAA Baseball Betting?
The rules for college sports betting are much different than wagering on professional sports. Most state laws have some restrictions that apply to college baseball.
Check out the list below to see where you can bet on NCAA baseball.
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware (Retail Only)
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Lousiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi (Retail Only)
- Montana (Retail Only)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico (Retail Only)
- New York
- North Carolina (Retail Only)
- North Dakota (Retail Only)
- Ohio
- Oklahoma (Online Only)
- Oregon (Retail only)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota (Retail Only)
- Tennessee (Online Only)
- Virginia
- Washington (Retail Only)
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (Retail Only)
- Wyoming (Online Only)
The following states ban player props for college sports: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island don't allow bettors to wager on player props on in-state college teams.
Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia have limitations for betting on in-state college teams.
In Oregon, you can't bet on any college sports online — you can only bet in person.
How to Bet on NCAA Baseball
If you bet on the MLB, you'll find that the NCAA baseball betting options are very similar. Take a look at the most popular betting options for college baseball.
College Baseball Spread
People often use the spread to describe the point differential between two teams. However, it's called the runline in baseball because there are no points. For a pregame wager, one team will be favored by 1.5 runs. Typically, the underdog is favored to cover the spread.
The spread serves the same purpose as any other sport. The team favored at -1.5 must win by two runs to cover. The underdog of +1.5 needs to win or lose by one run to cover the spread. Therefore, it's possible to cover the runline without winning the game.
NCAA Baseball Moneyline
There's nothing simpler in sports betting than the moneyline. Bettors are picking the team they believe will win the matchup. The only thing that can be confusing is the odds associated with each team. The team with the (-) symbol is the favorite, and the (+) represents the underdog.
Let's use an example of a matchup between Virginia Tech (-190) and Georgia Tech (+135). Bettors must wager $190 on Virginia Tech to earn $100 in winnings. Conversely, a $100 bet on Georgia Tech yields $135 in winnings.
NCAA Baseball Over/Under
If you don't want to bet on the winner of a college baseball matchup, the best alternative is the over/under. Sportsbooks preset a runline, and the bettor has to predict if the game will go over or under that mark. Typically, college baseball games are higher scoring, but it's not uncommon to see a pitcher's duel.
For the most part, you'll see close odds for each side. It won't always be (-110) for over and (-110) for under, but the pregame line rarely goes farther apart than -125/+105.
College Baseball Props
Prop betting revolves around things that don't affect the game's outcome. Player props may feature a player recording a hit or home run. Game props may feature the number of runs scored by one team or if a run will be scored in the first inning.
NCAA baseball betting doesn't typically offer prop betting for regular season games. Bettors likely won't find this option until college baseball moves into the postseason and College World Series.
College Baseball Futures
Betting on college baseball isn't exclusive to a single game. Bettors can wager on any team to win the College World Series. Odds are on the board throughout the season, but you'll find more value if you bet earlier in the year. The favorite has less value as we get closer to the postseason.
NCAA baseball betting is available for the College World Series from February to June. It can be tough to have your money tied into a bet for months, but the value can give you a big return.
College Baseball World Series
The College Baseball World Series is the biggest event for NCAA baseball. The postseason begins with the Regionals before moving to the Super Regionals. The field starts with 64 teams until the final two remain to battle for the Championship.
The Regional round begins on June 2, with the Super Regional starting a week later. On June 24, two teams begin a best-of-three series to determine the College Baseball World Series winner.
Take a look at the odds below for the 2023 College World Series.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Wake Forest | +400 |
| LSU | +750 |
| Arkansas | +950 |
| Florida | +1000 |
| Tennessee | +1500 |
| South Carolina | +1500 |
| Stanford | +2000 |
| Vanderbilt | +2400 |
| Virginia | +2400 |
| Texas | +2900 |
| Clemson | +3400 |
| Oklahoma State | +3400 |
| West Virginia | +3400 |
| Kentucky | +4200 |
| Miami (FL) | +4200 |
Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
