The regular season is now in its dwindling final days, and while the World Series odds still unsurprisingly show the dominant Los Angeles Dodgers as the overwhelming favorites, a fair bit is left to be decided.
There's a tight battle atop the AL Central and AL West, which could in turn impact which team squeaks into the postseason in the league's third wild-card spot. Meanwhile, the MLB odds reflect that all three division winners have been determined in the National League, but plenty of wild-card jostling remains among the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and the suddenly surging San Diego Padres.
- Key Takeaways:
- Dodgers still flying high
- Padres soaring
- Wild-Card battles
World Series winner odds 2026
| Team |  |
|---|---|
 Los Angeles Dodgers |
31% |
 Milwaukee Brewers |
16% |
 Tampa Bay Rays |
11% |
 New York Yankees |
9% |
 Philadelphia Phillies |
5% |
 San Diego Padres |
5% |
 Atlanta Braves |
5% |
 Boston Red Sox |
5% |
 Chicago Cubs |
5% |
 Cleveland Guardians |
3% |
Odds last updated on 9-23. Odds from Polymarket.
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MLB World Series favorite: Dodgers (31%)
What's there to say about the Los Angeles Dodgers? They're the "Death Star." They're leaps and bounds above the field, as they have been for much of the season.
Their 32% probability at Polymarket hasn't budged over the last few weeks despite some rough waters, though they rebounded from that with an eight-game winning streak. The Milwaukee Brewers own baseball's best record (a familiar tale that likely doesn't sit well with Brewer faithful considering how last season went), but the Dodgers are built for the long game.
While the team is showing its age in some areas (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.
With Tarik Skubal joining the pitching staff at the trade deadline, L.A. will follow him with some combo of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Snell in a playoff rotation.
The Dodgers finished with the third-best record in the NL in 2025 and subsequently faced little resistance, losing one game across three series (including a sweep of the Brewers in the NLCS) before winning the Fall Classic.
Yes, the Dodgers perhaps should have lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, but they didn't, and the 2026 World Series odds won't drop significantly for them unless they're behind in a postseason series.
Teams to watch
Padres (5%)
The San Diego Padres once looked like they were sputtering toward a disappointing season. But that's changing significantly during the stretch run, with the Padres getting white-hot when it matters most.
They've barely lost since the calendar flipped to September, at one point winning 14 of 17 contests. Their once unreliable offense has been flying high while scoring seven-plus runs nine times during that stretch. Jackson Merrill has been especially scorching while putting up a .968 OPS as of Sept. 23.
AL and NL wild-card races
There was a clustered mess of teams involved in the AL wild-card race. We've predictably been given some clarity though in a sprint to see which club can sit atop a pile of mediocrity.
The Toronto Blue Jays dropped five of seven games at one point late in September, effectively removing themselves from the mix. The Baltimore Orioles endured a similar stretch, including the Milwaukee Brewers sweeping them.
Emerging from the once-muddled mess is now the Chicago White Sox, whose own September struggles have resulted in them letting the Cleveland Guardians back into AL Central contention.
The true wild-card jumble is now in the NL, though it's more tied to seeding. The Arizona Diamondbacks cling to a shred of hope still, but the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Padres all incredibly sit atop the wild-card standings with identical records.
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-73 run differential, which sits 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
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2025 World Series by toppling the Toronto Blue Jays in an epic seven-game series.
Here are the last 10 World Series winners, along with their opening odds.
| 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.
