Team USA has been the favorite since the World Baseball Classic futures betting market dropped at BetMGM. Heading into the start to the tournament Wednesday, the Americans have surged to minus odds.
Key Takeaways
- The USA is a -110 favorite to win the World Baseball Classic.
- Japan leads in handle at BetMGM and is the book’s biggest liability.
- Bettors are all over Bobby Witt Jr. to win the WBC MVP.
Originally opening at World Baseball Classic odds of +140, the USA squad is now -110, ahead of Japan at +350, so it’s no surprise that 34.7% of the bets and 33.8% of the handle at BetMGM are on the favorites to win the 13-day event. Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Bobby Witt Jr., and Paul Skenes headline a USA team that opens play on Friday against Brazil (+50,000).
While that ticket count leads all other competitors, Japan, which won the 2023 WBC, has seen a larger handle with 41.7% of the money on 24.7% of the tickets. Led by Los Angeles Dodgers stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Japanese team (+300 to +350) is BetMGM’s biggest liability for the WBC.
The USA is second, ahead of the Dominican Republic team, which is led by an MLB star-studded cast including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado.
FanDuel also reported this week that those three teams are receiving the most bets and handle to win the WBC.
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Higher odds, less tickets
At BetMGM, the Dominican Republic squad has seen 23.1% of the tickets and 15.7% of the money. No other squad is in double digits in either category. Venezuela, led by Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr., has seen a sharp odds dip, going from +1,400 at open to +900 on Wednesday.
Venezuela has seen 4% of the bets and 5% of the money. Puerto Rico (+2,500) has seen some action in the futures market, getting 3.4% of the wagers at BetMGM, but just 0.5% of the handle, making that squad one the books wouldn’t mind seeing go far.
Mexico (+2,000) is getting 1.7% of the money, while Chinese Taipei, which opens play on Wednesday night against Australia, has attracted 2.5% of the tickets with huge odds of +20,000 to win the WBC.
With odds of +6,600, Canada has seen less than 1% of the bets and 0.1% of the money.
World Baseball Classic betting at @BetMGM
— John Ewing (@johnewing) March 4, 2026
Line movement (Open ➡️ Now)
▪️ USA +140 to -110
▪️ Japan +300 to +350
▪️ Venezuela +1400 to +900
Highest Ticket% 🎟️
1. USA 34.7%
2. Japan 24.7%
3. Dominican Republic 23.1%
Highest Handle% 💰
1. Japan 41.7%
2. USA 33.8%
3. Dominican… pic.twitter.com/TjFAgkPLLy
MVP market
The same player listed second to win MLB’s American League MVP is the most-bet player to take home the same honor in the WBC. With odds of +2,200, Witt, the Kansas City Royals star, is getting a leading 23.8% of the tickets and 26% of the money to be named WBC MVP.
FanDuel said Guerrero Jr. has produced the most MVP bets, but Witt has seen a larger handle.
BetMGM customers have made Witt the book’s biggest liability, ahead of Soto, who’s getting 10.5% of the bets and 11.5% of the handle with odds of +3,000. Ohtani (+1,100) is the third biggest liability with 8.6% of the tickets and 9.9% of the money.
The USA’s Roman Anthony, an emerging star for the Boston Red Sox, is getting a solid 7.6% of the bets and 4.4% of the MVP handle with odds of +4,000. Judge, the +700 favorite, and Dominican Republic’s Junior Caminero (+8,000) are both getting 6.7% of the wagers at BetMGM. USA’s Kyle Schwarber (+1,800) and Cal Raleigh (+3,000) are the only other players above 5% of the tickets.
Other ways to play
Sportsbooks and prediction markets are offering multiple ways to get in on the WBC, including pool markets. Canada is +316 at Kalshi to outlast favorite Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Colombia in Pool A.
The USA is -670 to capture Pool B, while Japan is a massive -754 to come out of Pool C.
Individual games, meanwhile, give bettors plenty of options, which include moneylines, runlines, total runs, and alternate markets.
