In baseball betting, total bases refer to how many bases a batter or team will earn in any given game. For example, a batter can hit a single (one base), a double (two bases), a triple (three bases), or a home run (four bases).
Whether you’re a baseball fanatic or new to the game, navigating your way through total bases betting can be a difficult task. Therefore, within this guide, we will take you through everything you need to know about total bases betting, including what it means, pitfalls to avoid, and handy hints to help you maximize your chances of winning.
What Does Total Bases Mean In Baseball Betting?
As previously mentioned, total bases in baseball betting refers to the amount of bases a particular batter will earn in any given game.
Total bases are recorded until the batter is out but over the entire game. Therefore, all innings are counted, of which there are typically nine in a full baseball game, meaning there’s plenty of opportunity for batters to increase their total bases.
In betting terms, batters can only gain bases when they actually hit the ball as opposed to walks or stealing bases. For example, if the batter fails to hit the ball but steals a base, this will not be added to the total bases.
When considering your total bases bet, you will need to decide whether a batter will record over or under a given amount by the sportsbook. For example, you may be offered the chance to predict whether a certain batter will record over or under a total of 8 bases throughout the game.
Total Bases Betting Is Recorded On Only The Hitters’ Hits
It’s important to note when considering your total bases bet that the total bases amount is only based on how many bases that particular batter gains from their hits.
For example, if Batter A hits the ball and runs two bases, Batter A will be awarded 2 points. However, if Batter A is on a base already and Batter B is at the plate and their hit moves players around the bases, Batter B would be awarded the points, not Batter A.
Do Walks Count In Total Bases Betting?
A walk occurs when the pitcher throws 4 consecutive pitches out of the strike zone, all of which the batter refrains from hitting. Once this occurs, the batter is handed first base. However, this would not be included in the total bases in a total bases bet.
In baseball, a batter can also steal a base. This is when the runner advances to the next base while the pitcher is in the midst of pitching the ball to the batter. To do this the runner must be quick and have impeccable timing. However, this is another example of where reaching a base would not be included in the total bases in a total bases bet.
Similarly, if a pitch hits a player, the batter is awarded first base. However, this is also not included in the total base amount.
If a player reaches a base due to a defensive error from the defending team or they reach it by fielder’s choice, which is where the defensive team allows a runner to reach a base because they are either indifferent to them reaching it or they are trying to put out another baserunner, this once again does not count towards the total bases count.
Does Total Bases Betting Include Extra Innings?
Sometimes, in baseball, if the scores are tied after the completion of all nine innings or if an inning is completed once the game has reached the 2.5-hour time limit, the game goes into extra innings.
In this case, the teams will play an extra half inning each until a winner is decided by the number of runs scored.
But how does this affect your total bases bet? Baseball games rarely require extra innings, with only 10% of games needing them to find a winner, but if the game does, any bases scored will be added to the total bases from regulation time.
Tips, Hints, and Strategies For Total Bases Betting
When considering your total bases bet, it helps to do some background research to give yourself the best chance of winning.
The first thing you should do is research the individual hitters from each team. You can look at their form and stats from the current and previous seasons to give yourself a good idea of who to back. For this, you can use either MLB.com or Baseball-reference.com.
You can also research the opposite team’s defense. This will give you a clear idea of how effective that team is at fielding and, therefore, how likely they are to stop hitters from scoring bases.
On top of the above, you can also check the head-to-heads, as some players have better records against some teams than others. For example, New York Yankees hitter Aaron Judge has hit an incredible 39 home runs against the Orioles, so something like this should feature in your thinking when placing a total bases bet.
Weather can have a huge impact on baseball games, so it is also worthwhile checking the forecast before placing your total bases bet. Windy weather can make the ball flight unpredictable, which can be an advantage for both teams. For example, the wind can affect a pitcher’s throw, making it harder to strike the ball, while it can also give a batter’s hit an extra push or turn a homerun into a long out.
Finally, it’s also worth keeping an eye on which team is at home, as it’s generally considered that the home team has an advantage. You should also regularly check team news to better predict who is and who isn’t going to play.
How Are Total Bases Calculated?
Total bases, which is often abbreviated to TB, is one of the more popular bets among baseball fanatics and is calculated on a points-based system.
If a batter hits a single, they get 1 point, 2 points for a double, 3 points for a triple, and 4 points for a home run.
Which Player is the all-time Total Bases leader
Hank Aaron, whose MLB career spanned 22 years from 1954 to 1976, has the most total bases in MLB history. However, below, you can see which players came closest to toppling the legendary baseball player.
- Hank Aaron: 6,856 — Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves
- Albert Pujols: 6,211 — St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels
- Stan Musial: 6,134 — St. Louis Cardinals
- Willie Mays: 6,080 — New York / San Francisco Giants, New York Mets
- Barry Bonds: 5,976 — Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants
What Is The Record For The Most Total Bases In a Season?
Babe Ruth is widely known as the greatest baseball player in the game’s history, so it’s no surprise to see him claim the record for most total bases in a season with 457 in 1921. But who came close to beating his record?
- Babe Ruth – 457 total bases in 1921
- Rogers Hornsby – 450 total bases in 1922
- Lou Gehrig – 447 total bases in 1927
- Chuck Klein – 445 total bases in 1930
- Jimmie Foxx – 438 total bases in 1932
What Is The Record For The Most Total Bases In a Single Game?
In May 2002, Shawn Green recorded 19 total bases after hitting a single, a double, and four home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers for the Los Angeles Dodgers, making him the player with the record for most total bases in a single game.
