Pittsburgh Pirates Odds

Pittsburgh Pirates 2026 Season Preview

The Pittsburgh Pirates are entering the 2026 season with their highest expectations in a decade. While the club finished 2025 with a 71-91 record, the story of the year was the historic dominance of Paul Skenes. Following up on his Rookie of the Year campaign, Skenes captured the 2025 NL Cy Young Award after leading the majors with a 1.97 ERA and racking up 216 strikeouts. His presence has transformed Pittsburgh into a destination for talent, as the front office finally got aggressive this offseason to address the team’s long-standing offensive woes.

To provide Skenes with the run support he deserves, the Pirates made several "win-now" moves, headlined by the acquisition of All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe and the signing of slugger Ryan O’Hearn to a multi-year deal. These veterans join a lineup featuring Oneil Cruz, who is coming off a 20-20 season, and Joey Bart, who established himself as a reliable force behind the plate last year. With the imminent arrival of baseball’s top prospect, Konnor Griffin, and the steady leadership of Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates appear ready to finally exit their rebuild and compete for a wide-open NL Central crown.

See all of the Pirates MLB odds, as well their win total, championship odds, and much more.

Betting on the Pittsburgh Pirates

When betting on baseball, you’ll be faced with three standard options: the moneyline, over/under and run line.

Pirates Runline

The run line is a bet on the margin of victory, like a point spread. But because baseball is low scoring, the spread will almost always be -1.5 for the favorite and +1.5 for the underdog. The payouts for each will just be adjusted based on each team’s strength.

Here’s a brief example of a run line for a hypothetical Pirates game:

• Philadelphia Phillies (+1.5) 
• Pittsburgh Pirates (-1.5)

As shown above, the Pirates are favored by 1.5 runs against the Phillies; the minus sign (-) indicates Pittsburgh is the favorite, while a plus sign (+) is used to denote the underdog. Bettors who wanted to back Pittsburgh here would be “laying” those 1.5 runs, meaning for their bets to cash the Pirates would need to win by two runs or more. Bettors who selected the Phillies +1.5 would win if Philly won outright or kept a loss to 1 run.

Pirates Moneylines

Many first time bettors are wary of run line bets, especially when riding with the hometown team. In that case, moneyline wagers are often seen as the safer way to go. A moneyline bet is a bet on who wins the game -- no run line involved.

Let’s use the same example from before to understand the moneyline better:

• Philadelphia Phillies +150
• Pittsburgh Pirates -180

Just as with run lines, the minus sign (-) signifies a team is favored, while the plus sign (+) means a team is the underdog. The moneyline odds, written in American odds format here, indicate how big or small a favorite that team is, written in increments of $100. For example, to win $100 on the Cubs, a bettor would need to risk $180. On the flip side, a $100 bet on the Guardians would net $150 if they pulled the upset.

Odds can differ from sportsbook to sportsbook, so always make sure you shop for the best line with the Action Network app.

Pirates Over/Unders

Betting on a team to win or cover a run line isn’t the only type of wager allowed on MLB games. Almost all sportsbooks will offer a total on the game, also known as an over/under. This bet is not on the winner of the contest, but on the number of runs the two teams will combine to score; sportsbooks hang a number, and bettors can wager either over or under that total.

If the number for our hypothetical Pirates-Phillies matchup was 8 runs, over bettors would require 9 points or more to cash their tickets, while those who bet the under would need 7 or fewer runs. If the two teams scored exactly 8 runs between them, that bet would push and all wagers would be refunded.

Pirates Props

Some bettors find more entertainment and success betting on more specific outcomes than the result of the game. Prop bets cover a wide market of wagers on player stats, discrete in-game events, and any style of yes/no question. Many props are bets on specific players and their performance, such as betting Bryan Reynolds over 1.5 hits on a given night, or betting that Paul Skenes will strike out over 9.5 batters. Some props can be shorter term, such as betting on the number of runs scored in the first five innings or who will hit a home run. Offerings tend to vary depending on the sportsbook, so use our sportsbook reviews to find the best bet for you.

Pirates Futures

Bettors should shop for the best line to get good odds on Pirates MLB futures bets. Futures are bets that focus on long term outcomes, like the Pirates to win the NL Central, win the National League Pennant, the World Series, or even individual awards like league MVP.

How to Bet on the Pittsburgh Pirates

Sports betting is currently legal in Pennsylvania! The state has numerous operators taking bets online. Check out the Action Network's Pennsylvania sports betting review regarding sports betting legislation in the state.

The Action Network has partnerships with several sportsbooks that give you exclusive access to great promotions if you are located within a legal sports betting state, as the Pirates have sparked betting interest across the country. Here are a few great options to choose from:

Pittsburgh Pirates and BetMGM Sportsbook

The King of Sportsbooks announced a sports betting partnership with the Pirates back in July 2021. BetMGM logos are visible throughout PNC Park and across Pittsburgh Pirates media handles.

To learn more, read our BetMGM bonus code review on current bonuses and promotions.

Kalshi Promo Code

You can also use the Kalshi promo code to get in on Pittsburgh Pirates action. It's different from sports betting, as Kalshi is a regulated prediction market, letting you trade event contracts on Pittsburgh pirate moneylines, player props, etc.