MLB and Sportsbooks Agree to Limit Micro-Betting Amid Scandal

MLB bettors will see some significant changes at online sportsbooks next season.

The MLB has announced a deal with the country’s top sportsbooks to place limits on micro-betting. Micro-betting, which allows bettors to wager on a single moment of an event, was at the center of a recent scandal involving the arrest of two MLB players. The league believes that new limits will help end the temptation for athletes to participate in illegal betting schemes.

The new changes will go into effect starting in March when Spring Training begins for the 2026 season.

No More Big Bets

The most significant change MLB bettors will see at sportsbooks is a $200 limit on micro-bets. This includes wagers on specific pitches or plays, which are vulnerable to a form of manipulation known as spot-fixing. Those wagers will also not be available for parlays, limiting the amount of money a single bettor can win.

The hope is that lowering the limit and ending parlays will make spot-fixing far less appealing. The low winnings will make the risks far less worth taking. While adding more co-consiprators to place wagers could help work around this change, that would mean more people being paid, and more potential targets for investigators to find.

MLB, Sportsbooks Began Talks Months Ago

While the arrests of the Cleveland Guardians’ Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase happened just days ago, the MLB and sportsbooks have been planning for the changes to micro-betting for months.

The two sides began meeting in the summer after the investigation into the two pitchers was announced. While no charges had been filed, the league saw enough to motivate them to get ahead of the issue. That allowed them to reach a deal with the sportsbook and make the announcement quickly after the arrests, showing the league’s dedication to fixing the problem and protecting the integrity of the sport.

You’re Move, Adam Silver

With the MLB wasting no time in making changes after its recent betting scandal, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is now back in the spotlight. 

The country’s top basketball league also had players and coaches arrested as part of a large gambling ring. While Silver and the league have promised to find a way to prevent the issue going forward, no changes have been made. That means the league doesn’t have a way to ensure these scandals won’t continue to surface.

To be fair to the NBA, these situations are very different. Micro-betting is far more niche than player pro betting, which is what the NBA scandals have involved. Banning that best type would be a massive revenue hit to sportsbooks, making it harder for the NBA to negotiate any changes.