The LCS portion of the playoffs is now underway, meaning the World Series odds board is down to four teams after the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angeles Dodgers were victorious in their respective divisional series.
The Dodgers, who cleared a big hurdle by winning a winner-take-all Game 5 against rival San Francisco Giants in the NLDS, retake their top spot on the Fall Classic betting board while the Astros, playing in their fifth consecutive ALCS, have the best Fall Classic odds from the AL.
Let's check with our updated odds to win the World Series as of October 17.
Odds to win the 2021 World Series
| Team | World Series odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +175 |
| Houston Astros | +250 |
| Atlanta Braves | +340 |
| Boston Red Sox | +390 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of October 17, 2021.
Favorites to win 2021 World Series
The consensus favorite almost throughout the year, the Dodgers momentarily dropped to the second spot as they faced an elimination Game 5 in the NLDS against the Giants, who had the MLB's best regular-season record. Los Angeles (narrowly) passed that test and is now the +175 favorite once again as it faces Atlanta in the NLCS — although the Dodgers dropped Game 1 on Saturday and will try to avoid an 0-2 hole Sunday night.
After a decisive ALDS win over the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros punched their ticket to a fifth-straight ALCS and sit in the second spot on the World Series odds board at +250, currently tied 1-1 with Boston through two ALCS games.
The Braves are third (at +340) while the Red Sox currently have the longest odds at +390.
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 MLB futures odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.
World Series futures odds will usually look like this:
- Houston Astros +210
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to profit $210 if the Astros 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 to 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?
You can bet on MLB and World Series odds at every online and casino sportsbook. Find ratings and reviews for the best sportsbooks for betting on baseball futures in your area.
World Series Odds FAQs
What are the betting odds on the World Series?
As of October 6, 2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the betting favorites to win the World Series again, followed by the San Francisco Giants and the Houston Astros.
