Major League Baseball is back for the 2023 season and the game's biggest stars are set to light up the league once more.

What is Major League Baseball?

Major League Baseball is America’s top professional baseball league and is the oldest professional sports league in the world, tracing its origins back to 1876.

The MLB also has the highest attendances of any professional sport league in the world, due to its long regular season.

Thirty teams form two leagues, the American and National, and they play for the World Series, baseball's ultimate prize.

How long is a MLB season?

The regular MLB season is 162 games long and spans the spring and summer months, before an autumn postseason that can last up to 19 games, depending on results.

How does the MLB work?

The MLB consists of two leagues, the American League and National League, which are then split into three divisions of five each - the East, West and Central.

Teams play mainly teams in their own division and league, but also play a number of interleague games throughout the season against teams from the opposite league.

After the 162-game season, the best 12 teams advance to the playoffs, with the best team from each league meeting in the World Series.

When does the MLB season start?

Spring Training is currently underway for MLB teams and the regular season will get underway on Thursday March 30.

The regular season is set to end on Sunday October 1, with the post season playoffs following on from that.

Is MLB on TV?

MLB games are broadcast across a number of networks, including, FOX, ESPN and ABC

MLB is currently also shown on Apple + and they are set to have mostly ‘Friday night’ games, while MLB.TV is also available to purchase which allows the viewer to watch every game of the regular season.

Who won the World Series in 2022?

All 30 clubs play for the playoffs at the end of the regular season, with the winner going on to play in the World Series, which is the National League winner against the American League winner.

They play for the Commissioner’s Trophy (World Series) in up to a seven-game series.

In 2022, the Houston Astros won their second World Series following their championship win in 2017.The Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies over six games. Jeremy Pena won the World Series Most Valuable Player award, becoming the first position player to win the award as a rookie.

Who are the favorites for the 2022 MLB season?

The Houston Astros are +600 to win back-to-back World Series  becoming the first club to win World Series championships in consecutive years since the New York Yankees won three titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

As usual, the Los Angeles Dodgers (+700) are favourites for the National League title and to compete with the Astros.

While the Dodgers haven’t invested heavily in the offseason, they were an outstanding team last year, but failed at the first hurdle in the playoffs.

The New York Mets, despite missing out on Carlos Correa, are +700 to win the World Series in 2023. With Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and National League batting champion, Jeff McNeil, in their line-up, they could upset a few teams.

Who are the best MLB players?

The recent World Baseball Classic (WBC) showcased some of the world’s best players for their country. MLB will see them play for their clubs.

WBC winner and Japanese star Shohei Ohtani will line up alongside USA captain, Mike Trout for the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani is +200 to win the AL MVP award, while Trout is +700.

Sandwiched between them in the betting is last year’s AL MVP award winner Aaron Judge, who signed a new nine-year contract with the New York Yankees in the offseason. He is +650 to retain his MVP crown.

Who is the most successful MLB team?

The New York Yankees are by far the most successful team in MLB history, winning 27 World Series titles. The St Louis Cardinals are a distant second with 11.

The Yankees were extraordinarily successful in the past, winning four titles in a row in the 1930s and five consecutively in the 1950s. However, New York has not won a title since 2009.

In the last 10 years, two teams have won multiple World Series titles, with the Boston Red Sox emerging victorious in 2013 and 2018, and the Astros triumphing in 2017 and 2022.

Where are MLB games played?

MLB games are primarily played in teams' home cities, but the league has branched out, playing regular season games in Mexico, Japan and Australia.

In 2019 the first ever MLB games in Europe took place at the London Stadium, the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox in both encounters.

Another two-game series is set to be played in London in 2023 - the St. Louis Cardinals will face the Chicago Cubs.