The MLB is the dominant professional sports league in the United States during the summer months. America’s pastime features games nearly every day for every professional team, which means there are ample opportunities to bet on MLB games throughout the season.
California has five MLB teams (LA Angels, LA Dodgers, Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants), with the Athletics playing their home games in Sacramento while their new Las Vegas stadium is built. The Dodgers won the 2025 World Series, becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Series Championships since the New York Yankees 3-peat from 1998-2000.
The 2026 MLB regular season ran from March 25th to September 27th, with the World Series set for late October. A full 162 game regular season means a full slate of MLB games to find betting opportunities on every year.
On this page we explain the current legal status of sports betting in California, outline the options Californians have for betting on MLB games, look at the three most common MLB bets, and finish with a general step by step guide to getting started.
Is Sports Betting Legal in California?
No. It is not legal to operate a sportsbook in California, either online or in person. Two ballot measures to legalize sports betting, Propositions 26 and 27, both failed by significant margins in the November 2022 election.
Sports betting will not appear on California’s 2026 ballot, so 2028 is now seen as the earliest realistic window for another statewide vote. Any future measure is also likely to need the support of California’s tribes, which operate the state’s casinos and have opposed online sports betting proposals that don’t give them control of the market.
Check out our California betting section to learn more about the regulatory climate of sports betting in the state.
Where Can Californians Bet On MLB?
Even without legal sportsbooks, Californians have several ways to put money on MLB games. Each works differently and comes with its own legal status, so it’s worth understanding the differences before choosing one.
Prediction Markets
Prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket let you buy and sell contracts on the outcome of MLB games. Instead of betting against a sportsbook, you trade with other users, and the price of a contract reflects the market’s view of how likely an outcome is. These platforms operate under federal oversight from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rather than state gambling law, which is why they are available in California.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) let you pick players and compete based on their statistics, rather than betting on who wins. In July 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a legal opinion declaring both pick’em and draft style DFS contests to be illegal sports betting under state law. Governor Gavin Newsom publicly disagreed with the opinion, and the issue has not been settled.
In response, several apps changed how they operate in California. PrizePicks and Underdog switched to peer-to-peer formats, where you compete against other users rather than the app itself, while DraftKings and FanDuel have continued to offer traditional daily fantasy contests in the state.
Sweepstakes Sportsbooks
Sweepstakes sportsbooks, which used a dual-currency model to offer sports betting style games, are no longer an option. Governor Newsom signed AB 831 into law in October 2025, banning dual-currency sweepstakes sportsbook and casino platforms in California.
Betting in a Neighboring State
Licensed sportsbooks are legal in neighboring Nevada, Arizona and Oregon. You must be physically located inside that state’s borders to place a bet, even if you live in California, and licensed sportsbooks require you to be 21 or older.
Offshore Sportsbooks
Offshore sportsbooks are licensed outside the United States and accept bets from California residents. They are not licensed or regulated by any US state, which means Californians who use them have no state regulator to turn to if there is a dispute over a bet or a withdrawal.
MLB Betting Options
There are three MLB bets that are featured for each game. These are the runline, to win (money line) and total (over/under).
To Win
Also referred to as the money line, this is the most common MLB wager. You are simply wagering on which team will win the game. The odds are set based on each teams perceived chance of winning the game and determine the risk vs reward of your bet.
Here’s an example from opening day of the 2025 MLB season:
In this example the New York Yankees are favored to win the game vs the San Francisco Giants. The Yankees have odds of -122, which means you would have to wager $122 to win $100 betting on the Yankees (payout of $222). The Giants have odds of +102, which indicates a $100 bet on the Giants would win $102 (payout $202).
Runline
The run line is always a spread of 1.5 runs in the MLB, with the favorite needing to win the game by 2 or more runs and the underdog needing to either win the game or lose by 1 run.
In this example a run line bet on the Yankees has odds of +150, which means a $100 bet would win $150 (payout $250). The Yankees must win by 2 or more runs for runline bets on New York to win. The Giants run line odds are -175 and those bets would payout if the Giants win the game or lose by 1 run.
Total
The total, also known as the over/under, involves betting on the number of runs to be scored by both teams (combined) in the game. The oddsmaker sets a total and you can bet on whether the number of runs scored will be over or under that number.
In this example the total is set at 7 runs. Bets on the over would win if 8 or more runs are scored in the game and under bets would win if 6 or fewer runs are scored. If exactly 7 runs are scored in the game the totals bets would push and be returned.
How To Bet On MLB From California – Step By Step
Whichever option you choose, the process of getting started is similar. Here’s a general guide.
Step 1. Choose Your Option
Decide which type of platform fits how you want to bet. Prediction markets are the closest thing to betting on results, DFS apps are built around player stats, and licensed sportsbooks in a nearby legal state offer the full range of bets if you’re willing to travel. Review the options above before signing up.
Step 2. Check The Age and Location Rules
Every platform has its own eligibility requirements. Most prediction markets and DFS apps require you to be at least 18, while licensed sportsbooks require you to be 21 in most states and physically located in the state where they are licensed.
Step 3. Create and Verify Your Account
Sign up with your legal name, date of birth and address. Regulated platforms are required to verify your identity, so you may be asked for the last four digits of your Social Security number or a photo of your ID.
Step 4. Fund Your Account
Deposit using one of the platform’s payment methods, which commonly include debit cards and bank transfers. Check how withdrawals work, and how long they take, before you deposit.
Step 5. Find The Market and Place Your Bet
Navigate to the MLB section, select the market you’re interested in, and choose your position. Before confirming, check the price or odds and how much you stand to win, using the bet types explained above as a guide.
Step 6. Set Limits
Decide on a budget before you start and stick to it. Most regulated platforms let you set deposit and time limits in your account settings. If betting stops being fun, help is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
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