Sports bettors can bet on who will win the World Series before and during the MLB season. However, the odds of winning the World Series will change throughout the year. Therefore, it’s wise to check betting sites and legal online sportsbooks throughout the Major League Baseball season to get the best odds.
World Series bets are part of the MLB futures market, and that’s where folks looking to bet on them can find the odds listed at betting sites. Unfortunately, a futures bet ties up your funds longer than wagering on individual MLB games. Nevertheless, hitting on MLB futures bets boosts bankrolls more than winning a single-game wager.
So, it pays to know the current odds to win for teams and pounce when the betting odds to win the World Series shift favorably for the club you expect to win the Fall Classic. Additionally, longshots can offer enticing odds for tying up money for months, namely if the longshot hoists the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Updated MLB World Series Odds
| Team | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +500 | +300 |
| Houston Astros | +800 | +400 |
| New York Yankees | +1000 | +500 |
| Atlanta Braves | +1000 | +650 |
| New York Mets | +2000 | +700 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +1600 | +1500 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +3000 | +1800 |
| Seattle Mariners | +4000 | +2500 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +1200 | +2800 |
Odds via BetMGM as of October 3.
MLB World Series Odds Movement
October 3: Dodgers (+300) hold on to first place ahead of the Astros (+400) and Yankees (+500)
September 12: Dodgers (+290) remain the favorite over the Astros (+400)
August 29: Dodgers (+300) extend their lead over second-place Astros (+375)
August 15: Astros (+400) jump Yankees (+425) for second place behind the Dodgers (+350)
August 8: The Dodgers (+350) are the new World Series betting favorite ahead of the Yankees (+375).
August 2: The Dodgers and Yankees have the same odds (+350) to win the World Series (+350). The Padres jump from +1800 to +1000 after acquiring OF Juan Soto and 1B Josh Bell from the Nationals.
July 18: Dodgers (+375) pull closer to the Yankees (+325).
July 11: Yankees regain the top spot in the World Series odds (+375) followed by the Dodgers (+450) and Astros (+550).
June 27: Yankees and Dodgers draw even in a tie for first place in World Series odds (+450).
June 15: Yankees are new World Series odds leaders (+375) followed by the Dodgers (+500) and Mets (+700).
June 1: Yankees take over second place (+600) behind the Dodgers (+450).
May 9: Dodgers have the best odds to win the World Series (+500) followed by a three-way tie between the Mets, Yankees, and Blue Jays (+800).
Which Team Is Favored To Win The World Series?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the betting favorite to win the 2022 World Series. However, they are not the most popular bet on BetMGM.
The team just behind the Dodgers is the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers came out of the gate hot, distancing themselves from other top-shelf American League East teams, such as the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays. The division is loaded. So, the New York Yankees may endure a rough stretch during the dog days of summer. As a result, it’s likely not the best time to place an MLB Futures bet on them to win the World Series right now.
Instead, if they hit a rough stretch, most sportsbooks will adjust their title odds. In this situation, when the odds dropped, it would be a better time to bet on the longer futures odds for the New York Yankees winning the World Series.
Most Popular Bet To Win The World Series
The New York Yankees are bringing in the most bets on BetMGM with 13.5% of tickets going their way.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are not too far behind with 12.3% of bets. These two powerhouses could very well end up meeting in the World Series if these trends continue.
The total money percentages are not nearly as close. The New York faithful fans are showing out on BetMGM as the Yankees have 17.2% of the money going their way. The next closest is the Dodgers, but they only have 15.9% of the money to show for second place. The Mets follow closely in third with 13.6% of money. As the Yankees continue their dominance in the AL East, more money could continue to flow toward the Bronx Bombers.
MLB World Series Odds To Begin 2022 Season
The Los Angeles Dodgers opened with the shortest World Series odds at +500 on BetMGM Sportsbook. They were the only team in the National League with 2022 World Series odds under +1200. The Los Angeles Dodgers had the second-best record in MLB in 2021, winning 106 games and trailing only their National League West foe San Francisco Giants. They made offseason roster changes but remained an elite team.
In the AL, two teams had shorter than +1000 World Series betting odds. The Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays were at +800 each. The Houston Astros pulled away in the AL West standings in 2021 and were even a little unlucky. They lost Carlos Correa but retained the rest of their core nucleus and welcomed back Justin Verlander. Thus, they were among the three teams with 2022 World Series odds of less than +1000.
Toronto was fourth in the AL East in 2021. However, they won 91 games in one of the most intriguing division races behind the 100-win New York Yankees, with the Red Sox and Rays winning 92 games. With an elite young offense and intriguing arms in the rotation, the Blue Jays were a popular pick for this year’s World Series winner.
The Chicago White Sox (+1100), New York Yankees (+1100), Atlanta Braves (+1200), New York Mets (+1200), and Milwaukee Brewers (+1400) also had notable betting odds to win the 2022 World Series. The Yanks and Pale Hose comfortably won their American League divisions in 2021 and entered the year with impressive offenses and potentially high-ceiling rotations if things broke correctly.
The Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central by five games, and the Atlanta Braves won the NL East by 6.5 on their way to winning the 2021 World Series. The New York Mets finished third in the NL East, but they were active in the offseason, bringing in players such as Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, and Starling Marte. A postseason rotation headlined by Jacob deGrom and Mad Max would make the New York Mets a tough out. So, their 2022 World Series odds were reasonable.
How Do World Series Odds Work?
The World Series odds listed for online sports betting at an online sportsbook or a brick-and-mortar casino’s sportsbook in the United States are usually presented in a plus (+) or minus (-) form. So, for instance, World Series futures for favorites like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves in the middle of the regular season will be presented as +450, +550, and +1000. At the same time, middle-tier teams like the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers are in the +1500 to +1800 range.
Darlings before the regular season that haven’t performed to expectations like the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, and San Francisco Giants are in the +3000 and +4000 range. The pricing makes sense because a heater from the Chicago White Sox shouldn’t thrust them into the upper tier, but a move to the middle tier is reasonable. On the other hand, a team like the San Francisco Giants that has to contend with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres might have odds at the lower end of that range because they’ll be less appealing.
Finally, teams that entered the year with low expectations and remain unlikely to win the championship, such as the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers, have odds around +100,000 to encourage sucker world series betting. Still, the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers have too many hurdles to clear for the sportsbooks to worry about, so they’re merely putting the odds out to get foolish action.
To a rube who doesn’t understand, betting $100 to win $100,000 on them sounds good. A $1 to win $1,000 might feel too good to pass up, but enough silly wagers add up for sportsbooks. Odds represent what a patron will win on a $100 bet. Thus, a $100 bet on a +450 favorite will pay out $550 (i.e., your $100 wager back and $450 for winning).
Later in the year, favorites will move to a negative line. For example, if the San Diego Padres advance to the NL Championship Series, they might be listed at -175. So, a bettor must place a $175 bet on the World Series win for the Padres to win $100 (i.e., a $275 payout). Before the season begins, even the most significant favorite won’t be at minus odds.
While uncommon in the US, decimal odds are available and used in other parts of the world. For example, using the -175 hypothetical from above, that would appear as 1.57, and a $100 bet would payout $157 (i.e., winning $57). So, it’s straightforward.
More MLB Futures Betting
Thankfully, there are more prop bets and team props than just placing a bet on the World Series. In fact, there’s a vast selection of MLB futures to pick from.
Teams have win totals to bet an over or under on. For example, an excellent team like the Houston Astros might have a win total over/under of 91.5 games before the season. Bettors could potentially get -110 odds for under 91.5 wins or over that mark. If someone bet on the over and the Astros won 95 games, that’s a winning wager.
Perhaps, a sports fan is skeptical of the Brewers and didn’t believe they’d win the National League Central. Instead, they think St. Louis Cardinals will capture the division crown. Fortunately, betting for division winners is an available wager type.
Going further, people can also bet on which team will win the AL or NL pennant. However, the fun doesn’t start and end with wagering on teams. Individual players can be part of the fun, too.
Player futures can include who will lead MLB in homers. For pitchers, you can bet on who will lead MLB in wins or strikeouts. Additionally, bettors can wager on who will win various awards in many states. For example, there are odds available for who will win the AL and NL Cy Young Award, AL MVP and NL MVP, and AL and NL Rookie of the Year Awards.
Sadly, some states don’t allow betting on player awards. For example, New York state doesn’t let bettors wager on awards. Still, they allow betting on statistical leaders like the homer champion.
Where To Bet World Series Futures Odds
Most sports betting apps post World Series Futures and League Pennant Odds. Here are our favorite sportsbooks for MLB futures. Always be sure to shop for the best price before making a selection:
DraftKings Sportsbook: DraftKings has a strong selection across all sports, and new DK users can receive up to a $1,000 deposit bonus.
FanDuel Sportsbook: FanDuel is considered to be one of the top sportsbooks in the United States. New FanDuel users can receive a $1,000 risk-free bet.
Caesars Sportsbook: If you sign up for a new Caesars account, you can receive up to a $1,500 free bet by using promo code ‘MYPROPS15’. Click our exclusive affiliate link in the banner below for details.
BetMGM: This sportsbook has gained traction in the betting community for having all-around friendly prices. New BetMGM users can get up to a $1,000 risk-free bet.
PointsBet: PointsBet has a solid betting menu while featuring regular promotions. New PointsBet users can get up to $2,000 in risk-free bets.
To view a complete list of sportsbooks along with their respective bonus offers, check out our main sportsbook hub.
