Philippines Legal Baseball Betting

Baseball is not the most common sport in the Philippines, but the sport still has a following both on a local and global scale. Many residents participate in legal betting on baseball in the Philippines through offshore sports gambling sites.

If you are a Philippines resident interested in wagering on baseball, you may be curious as to how to go about it. This page was created exclusively for Filipinos and has interesting information on how baseball came to be, the best sources for Philippine legal online sports betting, what to expect, and much more.

We cover various types of popular baseball formats, including betting on MLB games in the Philippines, Japanese baseball betting options, and Korean baseball betting at Philippines friendly sportsbooks.

2024's Best Sportsbooks For Betting On Baseball In The Philippines

There are multiple offshore sites hosting baseball betting options. Each one of our recommended options was screened by our team of online sports gambling analysts for items like licensing status, regulatory procedures, baseball betting lines, wagering type selection, a strong security profile, helpful support contact, bonuses, and mobile/live betting.

While licensing and regulation are crucial, it is the other features listed that differentiate offshore brands from PAGCOR sports wagering outlets. You can navigate to our recommended online betting sites through the links provided in the table below. There is no obligation to register for an account or make an account with the site upon browsing.

Site NameBonus OfferAgeAccepts Filipinos?Visit Site
Betonline Sportsbook And Casino50% Max $1,00018+Philippines Accepted YesVisit Site Review
MyBookie logo50% Max $1,00021+Philippines Accepted YesVisit Site Review
SportsBetting Sportsbook And Casino50% Max $1,00018+Philippines Accepted YesVisit Site Review
Xbet Casino100% Max $50021+Philippines Accepted YesVisit Site Review

Is Wagering On Baseball Legal In The Philippines?

Yes. Placing bets on baseball is legal in the Philippines through the local sportsbook and through licensed offshore sports betting sites. All domestic betting is facilitated through the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Residents can find brick-and-mortar betting stations in the country, though the majority of stations are in the Metro Manila area. MegaSportsWorld hosts online and telephone betting services for residents to engage in.

While these domestic outlets are convenient, they do not always have as many options or features as licensed offshore sportsbooks. The minimum age is also 21+ instead of 18+, and members must be established "VIP" gamblers.

Residents are legally allowed to use offshore sportsbooks to bet on baseball as long as the destinations are legally licensed and regulated. There are no Philippine gambling laws prohibiting the use of these types of sites. The sites recommended on this page are all legitimate and legally sanctioned sportsbooks.

How Did Baseball Make Its Way To The Philippines?

Baseball was brought over by the Americans. The first official game took place in 1898 with domestic Filipino baseball clubs emerging 2 years after with the original league being comprised of 6 baseball teams.

There was a decline in popularity over the next 20 years, mainly due to a lack of proper support and education for the sport. Baseball was thought to be the next big thing and would take over cockfighting.

Baseball would have likely never taken off if it weren’t for Arlie Pond. Pond was a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles in the late 1800s. He was sent to the Philippines while in the Army as an assistant surgeon and ended up staying in the Philippines in order to help with the efforts to clean up illnesses in Manila City. While there, Pond assisted with promoting baseball and teaching locals how to play.

In 1954, the Philippines hosted the Asian Baseball Championship. This was the inaugural tournament and the hosts won, thus creating a surge in popularity for the sport. Shortly after, the MLB got its first Filipino players in Bobby Balcena and Felix Bert. The domestic baseball wave continued into the 70s but began to falter amidst differences between baseball officials.

At that time, basketball began taking over as the more popular sport. From the 70s to the 90s, baseball took some major hits in lack of funding and several baseball venues shutting down. Television providers stopped broadcasting games, which also contributed to the sport falling off.

The sport bounced back in 2005 with the national team performing well in international competitions. The team was still below countries like Thailand and Indonesia, but the important thing was that the sport was back on track. Baseball Philippines, a modern professional league, was established 2 years later.

Baseball Philippines League

Baseball Philippines was a professional league that started in 2007. It was part of a multi-organizational coalition between Community Sports Incorporated, Pureplay Sports Management, the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association and the Philippine Sports Commission. The league had 5 teams in its inaugural season and eventually moved up to 9.

Games were split between limited venues as opposed to a traditional home-and-away format, making it difficult for some local fans to travel. The league’s last recorded champions were the Cebu Dolphins in 2012. Baseball Philippines’s website has since been taken down and the league appears to have gone defunct.

Philippines National Baseball Team

The Philippines National Baseball Team first appeared in the 1954 Asian Championship, winning the gold that year, but only going so far as third in the years following. They have made a total of 19 appearances over the years, with a gold medal in 1954 and 2 bronzes, the most recent of which came in 1971. Unable to stack up against the likes of China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand, the team competed nevertheless.

Participating in the Intercontinental Cup in 2006, the team only managed an eighth-place finish. Baseball floundered on the national scale due to political discrepancies with officials, a lack of funding, and poor management in general.

The squad has since bounced back over the last 7 years with appearances in various international tournaments. Their most recent competition was the 2017 Asian Baseball Championship, where they were managed by Egay Delos Reyes. Unfortunately, the Philippines did not win. The fact that they are still competing is a positive sign.

Do Philippine Residents Support The MLB?

Major League Baseball, or the top-flight American baseball league, is televised all over the world, including the Philippines. Fans of the sport can tune in to games through international broadcast providers. MLB also streams games online.

You can bet on MLB games, as well as other international baseball leagues, through our recommended offshore sportsbooks. If you found this guide to be helpful then check out our similar guides for legally betting on soccer, basketball, boxing, tennis, and rugby in the Philippines.

Resources For Philippine Baseball Fans: