Betting on the Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays secured post-season appearances in the last four years but failed to take home the Commissioner’s Trophy. This season may be a different one for the Rays, as they are barely in the top 10 contenders.

For MLB fans looking to put their money on the line, betting on the Tampa Bay Rays might be a great option. In this guide, you will learn the different types of wagers related to the Tampa Bay Rays. We will also discuss how to evaluate matchups, and maximize your chances.

The Tampa Bay Rays have been playing in the American League East since their inception in 1998, but they have only seen the postseason five times in their 22-year history. They won the American League pennant in 2008 but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series that year.

The Rays have been a consistent playoff contender in the last few years, making four consecutive post-season appearances between 2019 and 2022. However, they are still on the hunt for their first World Series victory.

They had an impressive 96-66 record during 2019 but suffered a 3-2 loss against the Houston Astros during the AL Division Series. They came back stronger during the 2020 season, but Corey Seager and the Los Angeles Dodgers thwarted their championship dreams.

Tampa Bay still reached the playoffs for another two years but still couldn’t take the championship. This year looked to be a tougher one, with more teams competing in the American League, but the Rays are still within striking distance of a playoff slot.

One of the most common forms of betting on the Tampa Bay Rays is moneyline betting. In this type of betting, you are simply predicting who will win a particular game. Moneyline bets offer higher odds than other bets since there is only one outcome for a single game.

For example, if the Tampa Bay Rays are playing the Boston Red Sox, the moneyline might look like this:

In this example, the Rays are the favorites and a $130 bet will net you $100 in profits. On the other hand, betting on the Red Sox will get you higher odds of +110 and a $100 bet on the Red Sox would net you a profit of $110.

Another popular form of betting is the run-line bet. In this type of bet, you are predicting how many runs one team will beat another by. The most common run line bet for Major League Baseball games is 1.5 runs. This means that you are betting on the Rays to win by at least two runs (or lose by less than two runs).

For example, if the Rays are playing the Miami Marlins, with a run-line of 1.5, the odds might look like this:

Beware that the Rays haven’t performed great against the spread last season with a 77-85-0 ATS record.

Totals or over/under bets are another popular form of betting on the Tampa Bay Rays. In this type of bet, you are predicting whether the total number of runs scored in a game will be above or below a certain set number. The ‘total’ is set by a bookmaker and can change depending on the matchup and the teams’ histories.

For example, if the Rays are playing against the New York Yankees with a total of 8.5 runs, then the odds might look like this:

For this betting option, the winning team doesn’t matter – you only need to predict the total number of runs scored. The same rules apply in terms of the payout. Nowadays over/under bets are not limited to just the total scores, we will tackle more in the next section.

In addition to the common betting options, you can also bet on props – bets placed on outcomes related to specific players or teams. Here are some examples:

Compared to props, future bets are placed on outcomes that will not be decided until the end of a season or series. These can include World Series winners, Cy Young award winners, MVPs, and more.

Currently, the Tampa Bay Rays odds on FanDuel Sportsbook are:

Future bets may have higher to lower odds, depending on when you bet. Note that these odds may change drastically over the course of the season, so it’s important to be up-to-date on your research before placing a bet.

Parlay betting is a comprehensive way to bet on multiple teams or outcomes at the same time. This combines two or more bets into one and will net you higher payouts than regular moneyline, run-line, totals, or prop wagers.

For example, if you wanted to combine three of your favorite MLB teams for a parlay bet, you might select:

In this example, you can combine these three teams into a 3-team parlay and if they all win, your payout would be much higher than betting on each team individually.

Tampa Bay have a deep pitching staff that includes several All-Star caliber pitchers. However, the team does not have a true ace starter. As a result, it is important to pay attention to who is starting for the Rays on any given day. 

The Rays had a great home record (51-30) last season, but they do not fare as well on the road (35-46). When placing a bet, it is important to consider the team’s record both home and away.

It is also important to take into account each team’s history when betting on the Rays. Check to see how they have performed against their opponents in the past and factor that into your decision.

Weather can also play a key role in betting on baseball games. Pay attention to the forecast before you place your bet as it can have an impact on the outcome of the game. Wind, temperature, and humidity are all factors that can influence scoring and pitching.

Betting is not simply choosing the right bet, it also includes how much risk you can take. Consider the odds for each bet before you place your wager. While higher odds may yield higher potential profits, they also carry more risk.