The World Series odds show an unsurprising leader in the Los Angeles Dodgers (29%). However, the mighty two-time defending champs face their first playoff roadblock now after dropping Game 2 of the NLDS to the Atlanta Braves.
The Braves rode the brilliance of their bullpen throughout the entire game. They're now set up nicely too, with Chris Sale squaring off against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3 on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, the once-surging San Diego Padres face a deep two-game hole, as they dropped Game 2 of their NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers in heartbreaking fashion after Jackson Chourio hit a walk-off two-run single in the ninth inning.
The Brewers and Dodgers remain far ahead of the chasing pack in the MLB odds.
- Key Takeaways:
- Dodgers stumble
- Brewers cruising
- Judge still out for Yankees
World Series odds 2026
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds converter.
| Team |  |
|---|---|
 Los Angeles Dodgers |
29% |
 Milwaukee Brewers |
24% |
 Tampa Bay Rays |
14% |
 New York Yankees |
11% |
 Atlanta Braves |
9% |
 Chicago White Sox |
7% |
 Cleveland Guardians |
4% |
 San Diego Padres |
3% |
Odds last updated on 10-5. Odds from Polymarket.
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MLB World Series favorite: Dodgers (29%)
The Los Angeles Dodgers are still the favorites, as they have been for much of the season and now into the playoffs. While there are other threats and plenty can go sideways fast in a short series, the Dodgers are still substantially ahead of every team except the Milwaukee Brewers in their percentage chance to win yet another World Series.
However, their chances did take a hit after dropping Game 2 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. It's now the first time in a long while that the Dodgers are sitting below 30%.
A lack of power from Shohei Ohtani can be at least somewhat concerning now. Yes, he's shown in the past that the megastar can flip it on quickly. But multiple ailments, and most recently biceps and knee discomfort, led to an IL stint in September. Those issues are perhaps still lingering, and his second-half OPS of .772 was far lower than Ohtani's .953 during the first half of this season. He has yet to record an extra-base hit this postseason.
But the Dodgers boast plenty of depth. While the team showed its age in some areas this season (Mookie Betts has clearly lost a step offensively, and Kyle Tucker's Hollywood debut hasn't gone according to plan), the Dodgers have so many ways to hurt you, especially in a shortened series.
However, as Dustin Saracini notes in his World Series futures odds, it's tough to find much value in backing the Dodgers since they're so heavily favored.
More Rays World Series propaganda for your TL - why not Tampa?💰
— Dustin (@DustinSaracini) September 29, 2026
✅ 55-26 at home this season
✅ 2nd in team DRS
✅ Top 5 in OBP
🎥 @Covers https://t.co/A9azt7sfRg pic.twitter.com/eHzvCJOQcI
Teams to watch
Brewers (24%)
The Brewers have now won seven straight games dating back to the end of the regular season. And as was the case throughout the campaign, they've been dominating through pitching. The Brewers finished with the second-best ERA leaguewide, and they've now given up only five runs across the first two games against the San Diego Padres in their NLDS series.
Yankees (11%)
The New York Yankees are an absolute playoff force. They cruised past the Boston Red Sox in laughably dominant fashion, sweeping the series while outscoring their division rivals 18-2 across the two games. Yankees starting pitchers Cam Schlittler and Max Fried combined to pitch 12 1/3 innings with 16 strikeouts.
Incredibly, Ben Rice also went 5-for-9 hitting with two home runs and a double over just the two contests. He's peaking at the right time after posting a 1.055 OPS in September, especially with Aaron Judge expected to miss the entire ALDS.
The Yankees may have dropped Game 1 of their ALDS against the Rays, but they did so only 1-0 to open what's expected to be a tight series.
MLB World Series futures predictions
The Los Angeles Dodgers are rightly favored to win the World Series, and you can certainly justify picking them with a rotation that features Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the top, but the value lies elsewhere.
| Bet | Odds | Bet date | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves |
8.3% | May 11 | 0.5 |
 Detroit Tigers |
3.85% | February 26 | 0.25 |
The Atlanta Braves stumbled, but they righted themselves to clinch the NL East.
In the AL, the Detroit Tigers tried to resurrect their season too, at one point winning six straight games in September. But eventually the hole they had dug themselves was too deep, and they'll miss the playoffs despite producing a plus-71 run differential, which sat fourth in the AL. Even if the Skubal trade is good in the long run, it can't wash out the bitter taste of 2026.
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Past World Series winners
Here's a look at the last 10 World Series winners via SportsOddsHistory:
| Season | Winner | Opening odds | Runner up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
+240 |  Toronto Blue Jays |
| 2024 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
+350 | New York Yankees |
| 2023 |  Texas Rangers |
+5000 |  Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 2022 |  Houston Astros |
+800 |  Philadelphia Phillies |
| 2021 | Atlanta Braves |
+1000 | Houston Astros |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
+600 | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 2019 |  Washington Nationals |
+1800 | Houston Astros |
| 2018 |  Boston Red Sox |
+1200 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 2017 | Houston Astros |
+1600 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 2016 |  Chicago Cubs |
+1050 | Cleveland Guardians |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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World Series Odds FAQs
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the current favorites over the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games to win the 2025 World Series.
The World Series has been a best-of-seven series with a 2-3-2 format since 1922.
Since 2017, home-field advantage has been awarded to the team with the better winning percentage in the regular season.
The cash-strapped Florida Marlins entered the 2003 season with +7,500 odds to win it all after finishing four games below .500 the year before. Oddsmakers seemed to be right as the club got off to a sluggish 16-22 start, but a managerial change and some inspired play led to a second half surge and the Fish downed the heavily-favored Yankees in six games in the Fall Classic.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best odds to win the 2026 World Series after winning in 2024 and 2025.
World Series odds are calculated based on a team’s perceived likelihood of winning, factoring in metrics like roster strength, pitching depth, injuries, schedule difficulty, betting volume, and historical performance. Oddsmakers use advanced models and market trends to set the opening lines. As the season progresses and bets come in, the odds shift to reflect team performance and public sentiment.
Preseason favorites win the World Series far less often than you'd expect. In the last 20 seasons, only a handful of top preseason favorites have gone on to win it all. Baseball is highly unpredictable, with injuries, midseason trades, and postseason volatility playing a huge role. Underdogs like the 2023 Texas Rangers (+5000 preseason) have proven that even long shots can go the distance.
Yes, most sportsbooks offer World Series MVP odds once the Fall Classic matchup is set. You can bet on individual players before the series begins. As games are played, live MVP odds may be updated. Keep in mind, only players from the two World Series teams are eligible, and the award is often based on clutch performance, stats, and narrative impact across the series.
