MLB spreads are different because baseball is played one pitch at a time. In MLB, the spread-style market is commonly called the run line, which uses a set number of runs, usually 1.5, rather than the point spreads used in football and basketball. Each game is shaped by at-bats, pitching changes, defensive plays, and innings.

Baseball spreads focus on the number of runs between two teams and how that margin affects the result. A team may be given a 1.5-run advantage, while a favored team usually needs to win by at least two runs to cover the line. This differs from sports where scoring can change quickly during continuous play and point spreads are used to measure the margin.

Pitching Has a Major Effect on MLB Spreads

Starting pitchers are an important factor when evaluating an MLB run line. A strong starting pitcher can limit how many runs the opposing team scores, especially during the early innings. Teams may also use different pitchers as the game moves from one inning to another. This makes pitching information important when reviewing a baseball matchup.

Starting pitcher statistics can include earned run average, strikeouts, walks, innings, and opponent batting numbers. Recent performance can also show how a pitcher has performed leading up to an upcoming game. Bullpen depth also matters because relief pitchers can take over for the starter and cover the remaining innings. These factors can provide useful context when evaluating an MLB run line.

MLB Spreads Depend Heavily on Matchup Data

Baseball matchups can be influenced by how hitters perform against different types of pitchers. This type of matchup information can be useful when reviewing MLB spreads and comparing the strengths of each lineup. A hitter’s results against right-handed or left-handed pitchers can help show how the batter has performed against different pitching styles.

Other useful numbers include runs scored, home runs, hits, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Team batting numbers can show how well a lineup performs in different situations, while defensive statistics provide context about how teams perform in the field. Because MLB teams play many games across a long regular season, analysts and fans have plenty of historical data to consider when reviewing each matchup.

Ballpark Factors Matter Differently in Baseball

Home field conditions can have a clear role in MLB games. Ballpark dimensions are not the same across the league, and each stadium has its own layout. Some parks have shorter distances to certain parts of the outfield, while others have larger areas to cover. These differences can affect how the ball travels and how certain types of plays develop.

Weather can also influence a baseball game, particularly through factors such as wind direction and temperature. These conditions can affect how the ball travels and how certain plays develop. A team that regularly plays at a particular park may also be more familiar with its field conditions.

Run Lines Put More Weight on One-Run Games

The standard 1.5-run line gives close finishes particular importance. A favorite laying 1.5 runs needs more than a one-run victory, while an underdog receiving 1.5 runs can still cover after losing by a single run. That makes the final margin especially important in games that remain close into the later innings.

This also means two teams can have very different run-line outcomes even when the winner is never in doubt. A late run can move the final margin from one run to two, changing the spread result without changing which team wins. That sensitivity to small scoring margins is one reason MLB run lines behave differently from wider point spreads in higher-scoring sports.

Baseball Pace Changes How Spreads Work

Baseball has a different scoring structure because teams have separate opportunities to bat rather than maintaining continuous possession. Each team gets its own half-inning to score before the other team bats. This creates a game flow that differs from sports built around continuous periods of play and changing possession.

The number of innings also creates a different structure for MLB spreads. Teams have repeated chances to score, but each half-inning ends after three outs, giving the opposing team its own opportunity to bat. Pitching changes, substitutions, and defensive decisions can also change the flow of a game. These features make baseball spreads closely tied to the way individual innings develop.

MLB Spreads Reflect Baseball’s Unique Structure

MLB spreads are shaped by the way baseball is played, with runs, innings, pitching, and individual matchups all playing a role. The 1.5-run line also works differently from point spreads used in sports such as football and basketball. These differences make MLB run lines closely connected to the details of each matchup.

Understanding those differences can make MLB spreads easier to follow. Pitching stats, team scoring, batting numbers, ballpark conditions, and recent results can all provide useful context for a matchup. Looking at these factors helps explain how MLB run lines differ from spread markets in other sports.

During Climate Week NYC, New York is awash in conversations about saving the planet. There are panels and pledges, statistics and speeches, dire predictions and ambitious promises. But at the heart of The Footprint of Life Gala, held September 24 at CORE Club, was a considerably more personal question: What are you going to leave behind?

Hosted by Green Vision Foundation co-founders Amy Green and Gary Green, the annual black-tie evening brought together environmentalists, philanthropists, athletes, scientists, business leaders, artists and advocates around the idea that influence carries responsibility. We all leave a footprint. The question is whether that footprint simply records where we have been or actually improves what remains after us.

That distinction gave the evening its purpose. The Footprint of Life was created to harness the collective power of its guests to protect the planet, transform lives and create a lasting legacy for generations to come. This year, its focus expanded the conversation by bringing together sport, philanthropy and global leadership—not as separate worlds, but as forces capable of moving people in ways institutions alone often cannot.

Amy Green

Adam Mett, Amy Green

The evening honored Adam Met, founder and executive director of Planet Reimagined, whose rather unusual résumé makes perfect sense in this context. Musician, educator and climate advocate, Met has taken the reach afforded him by one world and applied it to another. Through Planet Reimagined, he has brought researchers, advocates, policymakers and partners together with the goal of moving climate ideas beyond conversation and into scalable, actionable solutions.

The second honoree came from an entirely different arena. Legendary big-wave surfer Garrett McNamara was recognized for using sport as a force for change, accepting the honor on behalf of Laureus Sport for Good. As a Laureus Ambassador, McNamara represents an organization built around the premise that sport can be far more consequential than competition. Laureus works with children and young people around the world, using sport to help overcome violence, discrimination and disadvantage.

That partnership also made an intriguing point about environmentalism. We tend to separate issues into convenient categories—climate over here, poverty over there, education somewhere else, human rights in another room entirely. Real life isn’t nearly so tidy. Environmental degradation affects communities. Poverty affects opportunity. The health of oceans affects livelihoods. The future of children cannot really be separated from the future of the world they will inherit. The Footprint of Life placed those connections at the center of the evening rather than treating conservation as an isolated cause.

“The Footprint of Life is about recognizing that every one of us leaves an impact—and deciding together what we want that impact to be,” Amy Green told guests. “By bringing extraordinary people into one room, we had an opportunity to turn conversation into collaboration and individual influence into collective action. This evening was ultimately about the world we leave behind and the lives we have the power to change now.”

And it was quite a room.

Among those gathering for the black-tie dinner was legendary oceanographer and Mission Blue founder Dr. Sylvia Earle, whose presence alone provided a living connection to decades of ocean conservation. She was joined by philanthropist and Giving Back Foundation founder Meera Gandhi, television personality Melissa Gorga, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Lava for Good founder and CEO Jason Flom, Bank of America Executive Vice Chair Julian Mylchreest, MLB All-Star Joey Votto, former NBA player and coach M.L. Carr, and human-rights advocate Ilwad Elman.

my Green

Amy Green

Fashion and design were represented by Alejandra Alonso Rojas, Andrew Kwon and Nicole Fuller, while actor and filmmaker Randall Batinkoff, environmental justice advocate Saad Amer, We The Planet founder Kunal Sood, real estate developer and entrepreneur Tony Cho, and Laureus U.S. Ambassador Kely Nascimento were among the evening’s other guests.

It made for the kind of eclectic guest list that could only really happen in New York: oceanographers beside athletes, fashion designers beside human-rights activists, financiers beside environmentalists. Yet that was precisely the point. Solving enormous problems requires people who don’t normally inhabit the same rooms to begin talking to one another.

There is always a danger with galas devoted to serious causes that the glamour overwhelms the reason everyone has gathered. Champagne is considerably easier than climate change. A beautiful dinner is easier than conservation. A photograph beside a step-and-repeat is certainly easier than changing the way we live.

But glamour and purpose don’t have to be enemies. A room filled with people who possess money, visibility, expertise, access or influence is also a room filled with resources. The real measure comes afterward: what happens when everyone goes home?

The Footprint of Life is built around that question. Not whether we leave a footprint—we have no choice about that—but what kind of footprint it will be.

Because legacy isn’t ultimately what we say we cared about.

It is what is different because we were here.

The Footprint of Life was presented in partnership with Laureus Sport for Good and supported by Cerity Partners, The Twenty Five, Privé and Worth Magazine.

Gliding past coral reefs, exploring sunken shipwrecks and coming face-to-face with marine life can seem like stepping onto another planet. But before you take the plunge, it helps to understand what scuba diving actually costs.

The upfront investment to start scuba diving can seem steep, especially when you add up certification, gear and travel. If the numbers give you pause, a $10,000 personal loan is one option some people explore to spread out higher gear costs over time.

Keep reading to decide whether diving fits your budget and your goals.

The costs of getting started

Certification is essential for new divers. Most beginners start with an open-water course, which typically costs several hundred dollars, depending on the dive school, location and what the price includes. Through classroom or online learning, confined-water practice and supervised open-water dives, you’ll develop the skills needed to use your equipment, manage common problems and dive safely.

Next comes gear. You can rent equipment early on, but many divers eventually buy their own.

Essential gear you’ll want to own:

• Mask, snorkel, and fins for a proper fit
• A wetsuit or exposure suit suited to your dive conditions
• A dive computer to track depth and time

Gear you can often rent or buy later:

• Tanks, which many dive shops fill and store for you
• A regulator and buoyancy control device
• Weights and other accessories

Buying your own fit-focused items early makes sense. Bigger-ticket items like tanks and regulators can wait until you know diving is a long-term passion.

Long-term costs to remember

The upfront price tag isn’t the whole story. Diving comes with ongoing expenses that add up over the years.

Maintenance is the first one. All of your gear needs regular servicing to stay safe and reliable. Skipping this isn’t worth the risk when your equipment is keeping you breathing underwater.

Travel another factor. The most beautiful dive sites often sit far from home, which means flights, lodging, boat charters and dive fees. Popular spots like the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the Great Barrier Reef offer unforgettable dives, but they come at a price. If travel is part of your plan, budget for it the same way you would any vacation.

Benefits that go beyond the price tag

So what do you get for all that spending? Quite a lot, actually.

The experiences alone draw many people in. You’ll explore marine reserves, drift through kelp forests and see creatures most people only watch on a screen. Few hobbies deliver that kind of wonder.

Controlled breathing, steady movement and swimming against gentle currents build endurance and improve lung capacity over time. It’s exercise that rarely feels like a chore. There’s a mental payoff, too. Diving sharpens your problem-solving skills, teaches you to stay calm under pressure and deepens your awareness of ocean conservation. Many divers say the sport changes how they see the natural world.

Whether diving is worth it comes down to you. For some, the personal satisfaction and sense of adventure easily justify the expense. For others, the costs may outweigh how often they’d realistically get in the water.

If you want to enjoy diving without draining your budget, a few strategies help:

• Rent gear until you’re sure diving is a lasting hobby
• Join a local dive club for member discounts and shared trips
• Watch for off-season deals on travel and courses
• Buy quality essentials once, rather than replacing cheap gear repeatedly

Certification, equipment and dive trips can add up, so decide what you can comfortably pay upfront and whether you might want to borrow to cover some costs. If you’re considering a loan, understanding the difference between APR vs. interest rate can help you better understand the total cost of borrowing to make a choice that works with your budget.

Making the decision that’s right for you

There’s no universal answer to whether scuba diving is worth the money. The right choice depends on your budget, your interest and how committed you are to sticking with the hobby.

Before making a major investment, spend time on the water in other ways. Try a snorkeling trip, sign up for a single guided dive or talk with local instructors and dive communities. Doing your homework on both the experience and the costs helps you dive in with confidence, knowing you’ve made a choice that fits your lifestyle.

Notice: Information in this article is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views of OneMain Financial or its employees. Always consult with financial advisors for personalized advice.

New York alchemy is when you take world-class athletes, remove their actual sport, hand them a wooden paddle and set the whole affair sixteen floors above a park stuffed full of people. That was Thursday, August 27th, at Branch (Park Terrace Hotel’s private aerie of a club) for “Game. Set. SPIN.,” the annual pre-Open bacchanal that trades center court for a ping pong table and feels like an upgrade.

Tennis stars Belinda Bencic, Tomas Etcheverry, Martin Damm, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard attended “Game. Set. SPIN.,” Credit: Gabi Porter for Park Terrace Hotel/Branch

The premise, care of a partnership with SPIN (the original ping pong social club, and they will tell you so, charmingly, at every opportunity), was simple: get some of the game’s most photogenic talent— Belinda Bencic, Tomas Etcheverry, Martin Damm, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard among them, to set down their racquets and pick up paddles for a winning evening of whimsy.

Credit: Gabi Porter for Park Terrace Hotel/Branch

Presiding over the proceedings in bright yellow and orange, like a beloved and extremely energetic crossing guard, was Kazuyuki Yokoyama — whose antics anchored the evening the way a lighthouse anchors a coastline, if the lighthouse was serving sizzling shots. The result was genial chaos, with guests lining up for the privilege of getting soundly, cheerfully defeated by a professional athlete on their night off.

Credit: Gabi Porter for Park Terrace Hotel/Branch

Branch, for its part, did not skimp. Smoked salmon bagels and grilled pastrami sandwiches made their case for New York’s culinary supremacy while a crudité assemblage of genuine architectural ambition held court nearby. Somewhere in the middle of it all sat a bright green tennis-court-shaped cake, which is the kind of detail that sounds like a press release exaggeration until you’re standing in front of it wondering whether it would be gauche to ask for a slice shaped like the service box.

A US Open celebration at Branch, the private members’ club at Park Terrace Hotel, for friendly paddle games with guests on Thursday, August 27, 2026

The cocktails, meanwhile, arrived via a self-service device stationed at two points in the lounge — a small but telling bit of futurism that kept the overflow from the bar moving and the crowd lubricated with what tasted, unmistakably, like the last good week of summer. Whether that’s the bartender’s doing or just late summer doing what late summer does at altitude over Bryant Park is a question better left to the poets.

Credit: Gabi Porter for Park Terrace Hotel/Branch

It’s an annual affair now, this warmup act for Park Terrace’s “Taste of Tennis” experience — the hotel’s full US Open indulgence of luxury rooms, player access and VIP everything — and if Thursday was any indication, the tournament itself has some very tall tennis shoes to fill.

September arrives with the U.S. Open in full swing at Flushing Meadows, followed almost immediately by Fashion Week, Broadway Week, major art fairs, Harry Styles taking over Madison Square Garden, the Feast of San Gennaro and the first real surge of New York’s fall cultural season. Summer isn’t quite gone, but the city is already moving at full speed again.Continuing 9/13: The U.S. Open Tennis Championships take over the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, bringing the world’s greatest tennis players to Queens for the final Grand Slam tournament of the year.

9/2, 4-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23, 25-26 & 30: Harry Styles begins his massive Together, Together residency at Madison Square Garden, turning September at MSG into something close to Harry Styles month.

9/3: Bryant Park Picnic Performances presents saxophonist and singer Grace Kelly with Ashni as the Asian American Arts Alliance takes over the Lawn for a free evening of music beginning at 7 p.m.

9/4: Bryant Park’s Brass Festival fills the Lawn with brass bands and big sound during another free Picnic Performance beginning at 7 p.m.

9/4–5: Ed Sheeran brings his 2026 tour to MetLife Stadium for two nights.

9/6: Islands in the Park: A Caribbean Jam transforms Smorgasburg Prospect Park into a Caribbean celebration with DJs, live steel pan, Caribbean food vendors, arts and crafts and guest chef Scotley Innis. Admission is free.

9/7: The West Indian American Day Carnival Parade explodes across Eastern Parkway on Labor Day with spectacular costumes, steel-pan and calypso bands, floats, Caribbean food and an estimated crowd approaching two million.

9/8 – 20: If you’re looking to add a can’t-miss theater night to your September plans, Broadway Week returns to New York City from September 8–20, 2026, offering 2-for-1 tickets to select Broadway shows.

Sara Kerens, Times Square Alliance, Taste of Times Square

9/9: The Annual Taste of Times Square, one of NYC’s most beloved and longest-running food events, is returning to Midtown this September. The four-hour outdoor festival features 30+ restaurants serving everything from Mexican street tacos and Caribbean classics to Italian pasta, Indian curries, and American BBQ all for under $10per plate!

9/9: New York Fashion Week gets an early start, with Ralph Lauren, Coach and other designers presenting ahead of the official CFDA calendar.

9/10–15: New York Fashion Week unveils the Spring/Summer 2027 collections as designers, models, celebrities, editors and the fashion circus descend upon New York.

9/10: Bryant Park Picnic Performances: Dance Party All-Stars brings Alfredo de la Fé All Star Band and the George Gee Swing Orchestra to the Lawn for a free night of salsa and swing.

9/11: New York commemorates the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, with the annual reading of victims’ names at the 9/11 Memorial and observances throughout the city.

9/11: American Symphony Orchestra performs at Bryant Park in a special free Picnic Performance commemorating the 25th anniversary of September 11.

9/13: The U.S. Open Men’s Singles Final brings two weeks of extraordinary tennis to its climax at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows.

9/15 -10/15: Hispanic Heritage Month in NYC  a month-long celebration recognizing the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.

9/17–20: Clio Art Fair launches the first of two consecutive September editions in Chelsea, showcasing independent and emerging artists outside the traditional gallery system. Admission is free.

9/17–27: The Feast of San Gennaro celebrates its 100th anniversary, filling Little Italy with eleven days of Italian food, music, processions, entertainment and one of New York’s most beloved street traditions.

Photography by Teddy Wolff

9/18–19: Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi sends 40 life-sized buffalo puppets through Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn in an extraordinary free public-art event created with Lenape and Lakota elders.

9/19: The German-American Steuben Parade marches up Fifth Avenue, celebrating German-American heritage with marching bands, traditional costumes and organizations from across the country.

9/20-27: Climate Week: The week attracts decision makers from across society. Leaders set the strategies here that drive pollution reduction and business growth.

9/22: Fall officially arrives in New York with the Autumnal Equinox, as the city trades summer for one of its most beautiful seasons.

The Armory Show

9/24–27: Armory Week brings collectors, galleries, artists and the international art world to New York, led by The Armory Show and a constellation of satellite fairs and exhibitions.

9/24–27: Clio Art Fair returns for its second September edition, offering another roster of independent artists in Chelsea.

9/25: The Museum of the City of New York opens Halumii Ktapihna, exploring the enduring presence and living cultures of the Lenape/Lunáapeew, the original people of the land that became New York City.

9/25: The Museum of the City of New York also opens Raise Your Voice, tracing more than 250 years of New York activism and the ways generations of New Yorkers have fought to create change.

9/26: Global Citizen Festival with Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Lainey Wilson, Shaboozey, and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT). The concert is free, you’ll have to earn your ticket by taking action through the Global Citizen app or website, such as signing petitions and completing quizzes on global issues. New this year, fans can also get automatic entry with a $25 charitable donation, with proceeds supporting local New York causes.