“Winner & Total (incl. extra innings)” betting in baseball thoroughly, using a team example and giving practical tips. This is a popular parlay-style bet in baseball where you combine who wins the game with the total number of runs scored (over/under), including extra innings if the game goes beyond the 9th.
What is “Winner & Total (incl. extra innings)”?
- Winner: Pick the team you think will win the game.
- Total (incl. extra innings): Predict whether the total combined runs by both teams will be over or under a set number (line) provided by the sportsbook.
- Including extra innings: Unlike some totals that only consider the first 9 innings, this counts all runs scored, even if the game goes into extra innings.
This is essentially a combo bet: you need both your predictions (winner + total) to be correct for the bet to win.
Example with a team
Let’s use the New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox as an example:
- Game line:
- Yankees to win
- Total runs: Over/Under 9.5
- Bet choice: Yankees & Over 9.5 runs (including extra innings)
Scenario 1 (Win):
- Yankees win 6-4 after 9 innings → Total runs = 10 → Over 9.5
- Your bet wins.
Scenario 2 (Extra innings):
- Score after 9 innings: 5-4 → Total = 9 → Under 9.5
- Extra innings: Yankees score 2 more → Final score 7-4 → Total runs = 11 → Over 9.5
- Your bet still wins because extra innings are counted.
Scenario 3 (Wrong winner):
- Yankees lose 6-7 → Total = 13 → Over 9.5
- Even though total hits your prediction, you lose the bet because the winner was wrong.
How sportsbooks calculate odds
- The combined bet usually has higher odds than a simple winner or total bet alone.
- Odds example:
- Yankees to win & Over 9.5: +180 (risk $100, win $180)
- Yankees to win & Under 9.5: +150
Betting tips
- Check starting pitchers: Pitchers heavily influence runs scored. Strong pitcher vs weak hitter → lower total likely.
- Consider team offense & defense stats: Teams like Yankees & Red Sox often have high-scoring games.
- Look at extra-inning tendencies: Some teams have strong bullpen depth → extra innings might increase total runs.
- Weather & ballpark factors: Windy or hitter-friendly parks → more runs → Over more likely.
- Avoid betting blindly: If a team is missing key hitters or pitchers, your bet might fail even if historical stats are strong.
- Compare odds across sportsbooks: You can often find slightly better payouts by checking multiple sites.
Quick takeaway
- Winner & Total (incl. extra innings) is great for higher payouts, but both predictions must be correct.
- Including extra innings can save or ruin your bet, depending on late-game scoring.
- Always factor in pitching matchups, park, weather, and recent team performance.
If you want, I can make a table with 3 real-life upcoming MLB games showing possible “Winner & Total (incl. extra innings)” bets with calculated odds and betting strategy, so you can see this in action.