Best NRFI Bets Today

Latest NRFI Stats For Betting

NRFI betting is packed with excitement, as bettors must sweat this six-out wager while on the edge of their seats for the entire bet.

Compared to a nine-inning baseball game, it’s fast-paced, intense, and over in a short period of time.

This helps explain why it has become one of the most popular MLB prop bets today, and its popularity among bettors continues to grow.

Below, we will provide anything you may need to know on NRFI betting, and which tools can help provide consistent profits.

NRFI Betting Basics: Why I Bet NRFI

The NRFI bet has taken off for two main reasons. The first is that it is a very entertaining bet to watch play out.

Many recreational bettors are interested in wagers that provide drama and action but don’t take three hours to complete.

It’s similar to NBA First Basket Betting and NHL GIFT Betting (Goal In First Ten Minutes), which provides a lot of entertainment in a short amount of time.

The second reason recreational bettors enjoy this wager, is that this bet, compared to some of the more traditional MLB wagers, like Runline, Moneyline and Totals betting, doesn’t get the same amount of time and focus from sportsbooks.

Despite its popularity, there is no doubt that NRFI betting is still a niche prop bet.

Sportsbooks don’t have the time or resources to focus on this bet compared to the more traditional options, which receive much more action from the betting public.

If we can find data and statistics to help us make decisions in betting markets that aren’t as sharp as others, then maybe we have found an advantage against the oddsmakers.

What Is A NRFI?

NRFI stands for No Run First Inning.

When we are betting on a No Run First Inning, we are deciding whether a run will or won’t be scored in the first inning of a game. (Six outs total)

NRFI Example:

Teams:
HOU Astros (H. Brown) vs.
MIN Twins (J. Ryan)

Odds:
1st Inning Over 0.5 Runs | +100
1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs | -125

In our example game above, we have selected arguably the best pitching matchup of the day. Hunter Brown of the Astros is having a good 2024 season after a slow start.

Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins has established himself as a quality pitcher in the American League.

With these two starting pitchers scheduled, the oddsmakers have decided that Under 0.5 runs (which is another way of saying The NRFI) is the betting favorite at -125.

As a bettor, now that we understand the odds for both sides of this bet, we can start to form our opinion and ultimately decide whether we like Over or Under 0.5 runs.

What Is A YRFI?

If you know what a NRFI is, you already know what a YRFI is.

A YRFI stands for Yes Run First Inning.

This acronym is the opposite of what a No Run First Inning bet means. If you believe the teams will combine to score at least one run in the first inning (Over 0.5 runs), then you are making a YRFI bet.

NRFI Betting Pros

  • Higher Probability of Outcome: NRFIs can be much more likely to occur than many other MLB wagers, so when it comes to potential pitching matchups or offenses going head-to-head, you can narrow in on which contests are most most appealing to you, especially if you’re a highly knowledgeable baseball bettor.
  • Quick Resolution: All a bettor needs is six outs and no runs on the board. Once the score remains at zero-zero in the top of the second inning, you can sit back and relax.

NRFI Betting Cons

  • Lower Odds: Some pitching matchups, like a meeting between ace pitchers, can result in a NRFI bet with really low odds. While some bettors may find the lower odds less appealing, you may find it as a time to strike. To each their own.
  • Variance of Baseball: All it takes is one first-inning home run to bust a NRFI. Which could happen on the very first pitch of the game. It’s hard to watch, and I’ve lived that NRFI-busting experience plenty of times. Also, one starting pitcher may struggle to find the strike zone and provide traffic all around the bases. It’s a frustrating occurrence for a bettor. There are just so many ways this bet can get busted.

NRFI Stats On BetPrep

As we discussed above, with NRFI (and YRFI) betting, those with access to specific data might have an advantage.

Many resources provide high-level, big-picture information. These sites might provide season-long player stats and overall team NRFI records.

However, bettors must continually ask themselves if the data and information provided is the correct data required to succeed long-term.

Let me explain.

Below are some season-long pitching stats for Hunter Brown and Joe Ryan, who will be the starting pitchers when Houston visits Minnesota in our MLB example game.

Screenshot of season-long pitching stats for Hunter Brown and Joe Ryan

At first glance, someone might conclude that Joe Ryan is having a far better year than Hunter Brown because their year-to-date statistics are pretty lopsided in favor of Ryan.

However, thanks to an amazing resource called NRFI PRO, we can examine some critical data in greater detail and better understand this specific matchup.

H. Brown L5 Games

Screenshot of Hunter Brown NRFI Stats

The NRFI PRO provides player profile cards for every starting pitcher, giving us a pretty good snapshot of that player’s last five games.

In the case of Hunter Brown, we see he has hit the NRFI in all five of his previous five starts. We also see that Brown hasn’t allowed a first-inning walk or hit in three of those five starts.

Brown would definitely like to improve on his season-long stats; however, there is often a difference between the story season-long stats tell and what specific data can teach us.

Brown has been a very good NRFI pitcher in his last five games, and his player profile card specifically shows that.

Access to data only focused on winning or losing NRFI bets can be a significant advantage for bettors compared to those who use incomplete or misleading data sets.

If you are considering NRFI betting and want to see what you can do with access to the best available data in the market, check out NRFI PRO (100% Free Trial, No CC Required) and start playing today.

Pitcher Stats

Important pitching stats to consider for NRFI and YRFI betting:

  • First Inning Opponent Batting Average: Batting Average is simply hit divided by total at-bats. Opponent batting average is what batting average the starting pitcher has allowed. This statistic is specific to the first inning.
  • First Inning WHIP: Walks plus hits divided by innings pitched (WHIP) provides a number of how many batters are reaching base against a pitcher by way of walk or hit per inning. This number can be pared down to a first-inning specific number as well.
  • Pitcher-Specific NRFI Record and Percentage: The NRFI record and percentage for each pitcher is specific to just their half of the inning (3 outs), and these numbers can indicate which pitchers are frequently keeping the first inning clean.

Hitting Stats

Important hitting stats to consider for NRFI and YRFI betting:

  • Team First Inning Batting Average: This number is simply a team-specific batting average in the first inning.
  • Team First Inning On Base Percentage: Also known as OBP, on base percentage is a statistic indicating how often a player reaches base by way of walk, hit, or hit-by-pitch. This number is team-specific to the first inning.
  • Team Offensive Specific NRFI Record: Simply put, this stat tells you how many times an offense has recorded a run in the first inning. The higher the numbers, the more likely that team has recorded a YRFI instead of a NRFI.

My Favorite Stats To Use

For me, the first stats I look at is a pitchers first inning opponent average and first inning WHIP.

If a pitching matchup includes two pitchers that are frequently keeping runners off base, and limiting damage, then that contest immediately is put on my personal radar.

Granted, a NRFI can be undone with one unfortunate swing, with one belted ball going over the fence, but a pitcher’s first-inning track record speaks for itself.

Also on NRFI PRO, I like to whittle down the hitting stats to recent games, such as the last 10 games, to see how a specific offense is currently operating.

In this example, we have this data sorted by the lowest first-inning batting averages by team over the last 10 games.

I like backing my bet on offenses that have been jumping out of the gates slowly, and the teams near the top of the charts provide me with strong options.

Why You Need Our NRFI Betting Tool

NRFI and YRFI betting can be a quick and fun wager, but like any bet that one can place on the sportsbook, it shouldn’t be blindly placed.

NRFI PRO can help you see the light.

From pitching and hitting matchups, to first-inning statistics for pitchers and opposing offenses, to records and percentages, to season-long data and recent form, to first-inning home runs hit and allowed, NRFI PRO has you covered.

What Our NRFI Stats Don’t Provide

Our NRFI stats don’t provide ballpark factors or weather conditions.

While these statistics can provide some useful information for bettors, the effect of these variables can vary greatly.

If you’re interested in park factors and weather conditions as an aspect in your betting, always do your own independent research.

Placing NRFI Bets At A Sportsbook

Every sportsbook offers a NRFI wager. However, not every sportsbook calls this bet the same thing.

Let’s explain what we mean.

DraftKings

In the DraftKings MLB odds section, this bet is listed under the 1st Inning tab. The bet is shown as Over 0.5 or Under 0.5 runs in the 1st Inning.

I found it interesting that DK also offers Over 1.5 and Under 1.5 runs in the same space. The odds shift dramatically from 0.5 to 1.5 runs, and that is a bet I was interested in studying more.

FanDuel

On the FanDuel website, a bettor will want to click on the game of their choice and then click the Innings Tab.

FanDuel differs from DK because their O/U 0.5 1st Inning option is not one of the first five bets in this section. Bettors will scroll down through other first-inning wagers before coming across the NRFI option.

BetMGM

BetMGM offers their NRFI bet in a completely different way than FanDuel and DraftKings.

At BetMGM, bettors will want to click on the Innings tab, and then they are looking for a wager called:

1st inning run: (will either team score)

Instead of selecting Over or Under 0.5 runs, at BetMGM, we are answering the question: Will either team score and our options are Yes (over) or No (under – NRFI)?

Caesars

It was the Caesars site where I struggled the most to find their NRFI option, and that is because I didn’t correctly pick the right tab.

If you scroll across all their betting options, you will see some tabs called:

  • Innings Bets
  • Prop Bets
  • Other

The NRFI is not located in any of those tabs. Instead, it is found under the Popular tab and is called Any Run In 1st Inning.

Once you find the Popular tab, you will quickly locate the NRFI odds you are searching for.