Grand Salami Betting
The Grand Salami is a baseball prop bet, but what exactly is a Grand Salami bet?
In a nutshell, you’re betting the over or under on a totals line set by a sportsbook for an entire slate of NHL or MLB games on a single day. So you’re betting on the total number of runs scored across every baseball game.
Some sportsbooks may even offer the wager for home or away teams, or for a specific period or inning. There can also be Grand Salami betting on other major sports.
While it’s basically a totals bet, the Grand Salami is made more complicated by the fact that it’s based on the final score for every single hockey or baseball game on the docket for a given day.
How sportsbooks set the Grand Salami line
The Grand Salami line isn’t necessarily set by adding up individual totals lines for the full slate of games on the day. Instead, oddsmakers take a different approach to setting the benchmark.
While the process starts with the sum of the day’s totals, it’s adjusted from there. To arrive at the Grand Salami line, sportsbooks use a unique formula that takes into account things like starting pitchers or goalies, lineups, weather, scheduling, and the recent play of the teams.
How the Grand Salami works in baseball
Online sportsbooks will look at a day’s full schedule of MLB games and add up the totals. Then, they’ll adjust that number to set the Grand Salami line while taking into consideration factors such as starting pitchers for each team, starting lineups, and the weather.
They’ll also figure in each team’s recent streak and if the teams have had any time off in advance of the game.
After that, it’s your job to decide whether the combined total number of runs scored in every single game will go over or under that line. You can place a Grand Salami baseball bet on either side, which will generally be set at varying negative moneyline odds, allowing sportsbooks to earn a profit from the juice.
Negative moneyline odds numbers indicate how much you’ll have to bet to stand to win $100 plus your bet back. Positive moneyline odds numbers show how much you’ll stand to win for every $100 you bet on top of your original wager amount.
Tips for betting the Grand Salami in baseball
If oddsmakers are looking at the starting pitchers, starting lineups, weather, recent streaks, and rest, it’s a good idea for you to do the same.
A day with a bunch of aces starting will likely mean fewer runs scored, while a group of fourth or fifth starters could mean big run totals across the board. You’ll also want to look at how the day’s starting pitchers historically perform against that day’s opponents.
The starting lineups are important too, as you’ll want to know if a team’s best run-producing players are getting the day off, or if they are scheduled to play.
After that, look at the weather and find out which direction the wind is blowing in different parks that day. Whether it’s strong enough to keep fly balls in the yard or push them out can be a big factor in totals betting. Additionally, check to see if rain is in the forecast as well.
The terms and conditions at your online sportsbook of choice will have a definitive answer on this, but most MLB Grand Salami bets are considered a push and will be refunded if any of the day’s games are postponed.
Finally, look at how the teams have been playing recently, what they’ve been producing at the plate, and whether or not they are coming into the day following some time off. Momentum can be hard to quantify in MLB, but it is a very real factor.
Example of an MLB Grand Salami line
The 2020 MLB season is scheduled to start on July 24, 2020 with two games. However, there are 14 games on the schedule the very next day. Without much in the way of recent game data to go on, oddsmakers will likely set a relatively standard totals line for each game. Let’s say it’s 7.5 runs. If so, the slate of games and totals will look like this:
- Braves @ Mets O/U 7.5
- Tigers @ Reds O/U 7.5
- Blue Jays @ Rays O/U 7.5
- Marlins @ Phillies O/U 7.5
- Royals @ Indians O/U 7.5
- Brewers @ Cubs O/U 7.5
- Orioles @ Red Sox O/U 7.5
- Rockies @ Rangers O/U 7.5
- Twins @ White Sox O/U 7.5
- Pirates @ Cardinals O/U 7.5
- Mariners @ Astros O/U 7.5
- Diamondbacks @ Padres O/U 7.5
- Giants @ Dodgers O/U 7.5
- Angels @ Athletics O/U 7.5
Scoring is generally down in the early part of the season, so you’ll most likely be able to book the Over at +100 and the Under at -120.
The Grandi Salami line might start at O/U 105, which is the sum of all 14 totals. However, it’ll likely be moved down even lower considering most of these teams will be sending their aces to the mound for this first game of the season. The line will also be adjusted closer to game day as more information about the starting lineups and weather is available.
Either way, you should be able to bet the Grand Salami at around O/U 105 with the over at +100 and the under at -120, or somewhere in that neighborhood on the two sides.
Where can I find the Grand Salami?
If you drill down into the support-specific sections at online and mobile sportsbook apps in MI, you should be able to find the Grand Salami line in the sport’s prop offerings for the night. In some cases, there may even be a dedicated section for you to click on. If you have trouble finding it, customer support at top sportsbooks is typically just a click or phone call away.
Read the fine print
You should always make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions of every bet you make. As an example, rainouts can be an issue in MLB, so the Grand Salami bet for the day could be impacted.
Generally, bets are usually considered a push and are refunded if any of the day’s games are postponed. However, the fine print at your favorite sportsbook may reveal a different policy, so take the time to read through and understand what’s what.
Final thoughts on the Grand Salami bet
The Grand Salami is a fun hockey or baseball prop that allows you to take advantage of your knowledge of league-wide scoring trends.
Oddsmakers set Grand Salami lines while taking into account the individual totals for each game, as well as things such as starting pitchers or goalies, expected lineups, weather, scheduling, and recent scoring trends for the teams.
Betting the Grand Salami is about testing your knowledge of all these factors against the oddsmakers. You get to decide if you think the final number will be over or under the bar set by sportsbooks.
By including every single hockey or baseball game on any given day, you have the opportunity to test your league-wide NHL or MLB knowledge, as well as remain even further engaged with an entire slate of games.
Offerings will vary by operator, but some online sportsbooks will even offer Grand Salami betting for other major sports leagues like the NFL and NBA. The fun and unique challenge that the Grand Salami provides makes for an intriguing wagering opportunity that’s worth taking the time to check out.