The calendar has turned to 2021, which means the new baseball season is just months away—and MLB playoff betting can begin again!
There's been a flurry of offseason moves already – with more big names still waiting to land – as teams look to dethrone the Dodgers and improve their 2021 World Series betting odds.
While the format for next season is still undetermined, books aren't shying away from action and bettors can get ahead of the curve for one of the most popular MLB futures.
Let's look at the early 2021 World Series odds.
Who is the Favorite to Win the 2021 World Series?
The talent-rich Los Angeles Dodgers remain the 2021 World Series favorites with MLB futures odds of +450. They finished the regular season with an MLB-best 43-17 record and dispatched the Milwaukee, San Diego and Atlanta en route to the World Series. With a pitching staff led by Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler, plus a loaded offense powered by Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger, the defending champs have the makings of a potential dynasty.
The New York Yankees (+550) sit second on the early odds board. Despite the offseason acquisition of ace Gerrit Cole, the Yankees were unable to break through in 2020. After injuries stalled their fearsome lineup in the regular season, the eventual AL champion Tampa Bay Rays downed the Bombers in the ALDS.
The San Diego Padres sit third on the odds board at +800, coming off a season where their bats put the MLB on notice and an offseason where they went out and acquired high-level pitching arms in Blake Snell and Yu Darvish.
The Chicago White Sox are young, talented and on the rise, finding themselves fourth on the odds board at +1,000, with the Atlanta Braves just behind at +1,100 to round out the Top 5.
The biggest jump comes from the New York Mets, who made shockwaves throughout the league last weekend by landing superstar Francisco Lindor, as well as pitcher Carlos Carrasco, from Cleveland. The Mets were at +3,000 following the conclusion of the World Series, but now sit at +1,200.
What Are the Current Odds to Win the 2021 World Series?
| Team | 2021 World Series odds (as of October 30) |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +450 |
| New York Yankees | +550 |
| San Diego Padres | +800 |
| Chicago White Sox | +1,000 |
| Atlanta Braves | +1,100 |
| New York Mets | +1,200 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +1,300 |
| Minnesota Twins | +1,300 |
| Houston Astros | +1,700 |
| Oakland Athletics | +1,700 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +2,000 |
| Cleveland Indians | +2,200 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +2,800 |
| Chicago Cubs | +3,000 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +3,300 |
| Washington Nationals | +3,500 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +3,500 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +4,000 |
| Boston Red Sox | +5,000 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | +5,000 |
| Miami Marlins | +5,000 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +6,000 |
| San Francisco Giants | +6,600 |
| Colorado Rockies | +7,500 |
| Baltimore Orioles | +8,000 |
| Seattle Mariners | +8,000 |
| Detroit Tigers | +10,000 |
| Kansas City Royals | +10,000 |
| Texas Rangers | +10,000 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +20,000 |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Understanding World Series Futures Odds
Sportsbooks will post odds for the World Series as early as the day after the end of the previous MLB postseason. These odds are constantly adjusted throughout the offseason as players get hurt or are suspended or traded. Once the season begins, title odds will change as often as daily as teams win and lose games and as players get hurt or suspended. Sportsbooks will also adjust the MLB futures odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.
World Series futures odds will usually look like this:
- Tampa Bay Rays +210
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to profit $210 if the Rays win the World Series. If it's close to the end of the regular season or during the playoffs and if there is a very dominant team, you might see that a team is has a minus sign (-) ahead of its odds.
- Los Angeles Dodgers -120
This means that you would need to bet $120 to win $100 on a Dodgers championship.
Above we have posted the American odds for MLB futures. However, these are easy to convert to decimal odds or fractional odds with our odds converter tool.
How to Bet on MLB Futures Odds
There are a few different ways to bet on professional baseball futures odds. One way is by selecting the winner of the World Series. You're able to do this from basically after the final out of the previous year's World Series all the way through the next year's playoffs.
There are many other baseball futures markets to dive into as well, such as odds to win the National League and American League pennants, odds to win each division within both the NL and AL, and by taking the Over or Under on a team's total wins for the season. Some sportsbooks will also offer markets on player awards such as the MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year.
Get more baseball betting strategies in our How to Bet section and join the conversation with thousands of serious baseball bettors in our MLB Betting Forum.
Where Can I Bet on World Series Odds?
Most online books and casinos offer futures bets on MLB regular-season win totals, even with this condensed season. Check out the best sportsbooks available where you live.
