MLB Handicapping Checklist

The following post offers an MLB handicapping checklist for evaluating games.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to handicap baseball games? Following a structured approach help simplify the process and improve your chances of making informed bets.

Read: Lessons from ‘Gambler: Secrets From a Life at Risk’ by Billy Walters

Related: How Much Do Umpires Matter in Baseball Handicapping?

Handicapping MLB games requires conducting in-depth research and analysis. Sometimes it’s easy to forget what to look for and that’s where a checklist helps.

Here’s what you need to know.

Overview

This checklist is designed to help you organize your baseball handicapping research before placing a bet. Rather than jumping between dozens of websites, use the checklist to review the key factors that can influence an MLB game and access the corresponding resources with a single click.

The checklist is organized into six sections: Odds, Game Factors, Game Matchup, Team & Player Stats, League, and Betting Data. Together, these categories provide a structured framework for evaluating each matchup and help ensure you don’t overlook important information during your research.

Each item also includes an importance rating to help prioritize your analysis. Variables marked ✩✩✩ generally deserve the most attention, while ✩✩ and ✩ represent factors that may provide additional context or become more relevant depending on the specific matchup.

Handicapping Checklist

Below is a breakdown of variables to consider when handicapping MLB (with links). The stars represent level of importance of each variable.

✩✩✩ = Major, ✩✩ = Moderate, ✩ = Minor

Odds

• ☐ Live Odds ✩✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Futures ✩ – view link

Game Factors

• ☐ Probable Pitchers ✩✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Starting Lineups ✩✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Weather Forecast ✩✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Injuries ✩✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Player News ✩✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Park Factors ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Umpire Assignments ✩ – view link

• ☐ Umpire Rankings ✩ – view link (ranks), view link (stats)

Game Matchup

• ☐ Head to Head ✩✩ – view link

  • Matchup > records & results > head to head

• ☐ Versus Finder ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Anything Else ✩✩ – view link

Team & Player Stats

• ☐ Batting & Pitching ✩✩ – view link

  • Splits (based on SP matchup)

• ☐ Bullpen ERA ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Fielding ✩✩ – view link

League

• ☐ Standings ✩✩ – view link

  • Home vs. away, differentials, streaks, L10, day/night, vs. division, 1 run, extra innings

• ☐ Headlines ✩ – view link (MLB), view link (News Now), view link (SportSpyder)

• ☐ Transactions ✩ – view link

Betting Data

• ☐ Money Line ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Run Line ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Run Line (First 5 Innings) ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Game Total (O/U) ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Game Total (First 5 Innings) ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Team Total (O/U) ✩✩ – view link

• ☐ Matchup Trends ✩ – view link