Dodgers Relinquish World Series Favorite Status for 1st Time in 2026

Grant Mitchell - News Editor
Grant Mitchell • News Editor 5+ years betting experience
Updated: Oct 12, 2026 , 01:13 PM ET • 4 min read

Oddsmakers at multiple sportsbooks moved the Brew Crew to +175 in World Series futures odds, just ahead of the Dodgers at +180 following Milwaukee's Game 1 victory in the NLCS.

Photo By - Reuters Connect. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe (45) reacts to the final out of the sixth inning of their National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field on Oct 11, 2026.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are no longer the World Series favorites for the first time all year, according to numerous online sportsbooks.

BetMGM, DraftKings, and other books have the Milwaukee Brewers as +175 favorites ahead of the Dodgers (+180).

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Key Takeaways
  • The Brewers didn’t move into the top two until September.
  • BetMGM believes the Brewers have a 56.5% chance of winning the NLCS.
  • This is the first time the Brewers have been World Series favorites since 2011.

BetMGM listed the Dodgers at +225 in odds the day before the season began on March 25, according to SportsOddsHistory, putting the two-time defending champions significantly ahead of the rest of the field. The New York Yankees (+1,000), Toronto Blue Jays (+1,300) and Seattle Mariners (+1,300) were dubbed the closest contenders, while 12 teams were listed ahead of the Brewers (+3,000).

L.A. was finally knocked off its perch Sunday evening when the Brewers took a 1-0 National League Championship Series (NLCS) lead behind a home run from Brice Turang and an RBI single from Luis Lara.

Oddsmakers at multiple sportsbooks moved the Brew Crew to +175 in World Series futures odds, just ahead of the Dodgers (+180). Both teams are favored over the American League contenders, the Tampa Bay Rays (+340) and Cleveland Guardians (+650).

While this odds shift marked the first time since 2025 that the Dodgers relinquished their lead, it also represented a major moment in Brewers history. This is the first time they have been favored to win the World Series since 2011, according to ESPN Research, when they had the best regular-season record in baseball but lost in the NLCS.

World Series odds movement

Despite their small market, the Brewers have been a force in recent years. They have won at least 92 games in four straight seasons and had the best record in 2026 (103-59). 

The NL Central champs’ playoff run began with a 3-1 series victory over the San Diego Padres in the NLDS. They beat the Dodgers in their regular-season series, 4-3, and now hold a one-game lead over them in the NLCS. However, it took until September for sportsbooks to move them into the top-two in World Series odds, tied with the Yankees at +800 to the Dodgers’ +175.

BetMGM lists the Brewers as -130 favorites, implying they have a 56.5% chance of advancing to the World Series. The Dodgers (+110) still have a 47.6% likelihood of returning to baseball’s grandest stage.

The Rays and Guardians will begin their series on the other side of the bracket on Monday night, just after Game 2 of the Dodgers-Brewers series concludes. The Rays are -170 favorites with Drew Rasmussen on the mound against Foster Griffin.

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World Series MVP outlook

Although there is still plenty of time left in the postseason, BetMGM’s World Series MVP odds list Brewers second baseman Turang as the favorite (+725). Yandy Diaz (+825) and Junior Caminero (+1,100) of the Rays are next, followed by a three-player run of Brewers that includes Jackson Chourio (+1,200), William Contreras (+1,200) and Jacob Misiorowski (+1,400).

Monday night’s results will dramatically change both World Series and World Series MVP odds.

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Grant Mitchell - News Editor
News Editor

Grant jumped into the sports betting industry as soon as he graduated from Virginia Tech in 2021. His fingerprints can be found all over the sports betting ecosystem, including his constant delivery of breaking industry news. He also specializes in finding the best bets for a variety of sports thanks to his analytical approach to sports and sports betting.

Before joining Covers, Grant worked for a variety of reputable publications, led by Forbes.

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