The 2022 College World Series will take place June 16-27 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. To qualify for this eight-team event, college baseball clubs must emerge from the treacherous 64-school gauntlet of NCAA tournament regionals and superregionals. That quest officially begins with “Selection Monday” on May 30, when conference champions and at-large teams are assigned locations and matchups to compete for a spot in the College World Series.
So which schools will make reservations in downtown Omaha this summer? More importantly, how does that translate to betting value when browsing team futures on the College World Series odds board?
Props.com spoke with John Peters of College Baseball Nation to talk favorites, sleepers, and other intriguing betting options to win the College World Series.
College World Series Odds
| Team | Odds |
| Tennessee | +400 |
| Oregon State | +1000 |
| Oklahoma State | +1100 |
| Arkansas | +1300 |
| Vanderbilt | +1500 |
| LSU | +1800 |
| Texas | +2000 |
| Texas Tech | +2200 |
| Notre Dame | +2200 |
| Louisville | +2500 |
| Stanford | +2500 |
| Virginia | +2500 |
| Miami FL | +2800 |
| UCLA | +3000 |
| Florida State | +3000 |
| Virginia Tech | +3000 |
| Texas A&M | +3000 |
| TCU | +3500 |
| Southern Miss | +4000 |
| Gonzaga | +4000 |
| Georgia | +4000 |
| Auburn | +4000 |
All odds via DraftKings and updated as of Noon ET on May 12.
Tennessee Tops Odds To Win College World Series
Tennessee is the overwhelming favorite to win the 2022 College World Series. The Volunteers (42-6) established themselves as the nation’s top college baseball team several months ago, which caused their odds to jump from +2000 in early March to the current price of +400.
Tennessee’s depth of talent is reflected in its statistical rankings: seventh nationally in wOBA, first in slugging percentage, first in ERA, and first in WHIP. There are 301 teams in college baseball, so ranking first in those key offensive and pitching categories shows true domination. It’s not like the Vols are mowing down lame-duck competition either, as they have an 8-1 record against three Top 25 SEC teams (Vanderbilt, Florida, and Auburn) this season.
Still, they won’t hand you the College World Series title based on talent alone. You have to earn it by playing nearly a month of high-pressure baseball with minimal slip-ups along the way. John Peters of College Baseball Nation acknowledged as much. “Tennessee’s series loss at Kentucky (May 5-7) could be a one-off fluke, or it could be a sign of trouble to come,” he said.
Could those woes come in the form of ballpark dimensions? Peters is willing to entertain that notion. “Kentucky Proud Park played extremely large, and Tennessee only scored 11 runs during the weekend [against Kentucky]”, Peters said. “Know where else plays large? Charles Schwab Field, home of the College World Series.”
Is Virginia Tech Undervalued?
When you think of the College World Series, powerhouse programs like LSU, Miami, Florida, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida State, Texas, and Oregon State frequently come to mind. Virginia Tech doesn’t exactly fit that description. As tempting as it may be, though, it would be a mistake to overlook this red-hot Hokies team simply because they haven’t qualified for the NCAA Tournament in nearly a decade.
College Baseball Nation has Virginia Tech (33-10) slotted third overall in its Week 12 rankings. That’s quite the discrepancy from the DraftKings’ odds board, where the Hokies have the 17th best odds to win it all.
“The [Hokies] have only lost one series this year, and they have series wins at Virginia and at home against Miami,” Peters said. “Their pitching staff has a top 50 ERA, and their team is top 10 in the country in batting average.”
The potential drawback: The lack of postseason experience. How will Va-Tech react to the pressures of the NCAA Tournament?
“There’s a difference between teams that are good in the regular season and teams that will be good in the postseason,” Peters said. “Virginia Tech in the postseason is an unknown commodity.”
UConn, Gonzaga Are Potential Dark Horses
Everyone loves a good sleeper pick, so Props.com asked Peters which “deeper” teams hold betting value. He mentioned that he’s more trusting of teams with quality, proven pitching staffs — so note that as an important screening tool when trying to hunt for the best dark horses to make a charge from the back of the pack.
“Pitching travels,” Peters said. “And right now, UConn (40-8 overall; +15,000 odds) and Southern Miss (36-12 overall; +4000 odds) are second and third in the country, respectively, in team ERA. Not bad odds for two elite pitching staffs.”
Another important factor is the ability to win away from home. “Cinderellas in the NCAA Tournament often have to find a way to win a lot of road games,” Peters said. “Texas State (38-11 overall; +10,000) and Gonzaga (29-13 overall; +4000) stand out as less famous schools who have a shot at making a deep run in the postseason. Texas State is 15-5 on the road this season, with a win at Texas and a series win at Arizona. Gonzaga is 18-7 away from home, including a sweep at top-five Oklahoma State.”
Diving Deeper at College Baseball Nation
Looking to take a deeper dive into college baseball betting? College Baseball Nation has some excellent resources to help you on that journey.
From coach and player interviews to cross-country analysis, College Baseball Nation is the only major college baseball publication without a paywall. The site offers weekly rankings, NCAA Baseball Tournament projections, comprehensive stats, and a regular podcast loaded with information to help you glean betting value.
Where To Bet College World Series Odds
Several sportsbooks take bets on the College World Series outright winner. This includes betting apps like DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, Caesars, and BetMGM.
However, only a few sportsbooks list odds on regular-season college baseball games. DraftKings Sportsbook is one such book, as it usually has daily odds listed for several marquee matchups. You can bet on team futures at DraftKings as well.
For more college baseball betting information and tips, take a look at our “How To Bet On College Baseball Guide” below.
Always Shop for the Best Odds
When betting on the 2022 College World Series winner, you’ll want to pinpoint the best odds. This requires shopping at multiple sports betting sites before placing your bet.
For example, let’s say you want to bet on Tennessee to win the College World Series. Here are the respective odds at different sportsbooks:
- DraftKings: +400
- FanDuel: +350
- BetMGM: +350
- Caesars: +150
- PointsBet: +350
Obviously, you want to place this bet at DraftKings, as the payout is 4-to-1 as opposed to 3.5-to-1 and 1.5-to-1 with other sports betting platforms. That’s why sharp bettors have multiple sportsbook accounts to maximize their betting options.
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