With MLB pitchers and catchers expected to report in mid-February and after some recent trades and signings, oddsmakers had to adjust MLB World Series odds but still list the Los Angeles Dodgers as the favorites for 2021.
The Dodgers are +400 betting favorites to win the 2021 World Series and be the first team to go back to back since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000.
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Speaking of the Yankees, they’re next on the oddsboard at +550 in 2021 World Series odds and added another stud starting pitcher in Corey Kluber in an effort to retool in free agency. The next team on the oddsboard, the San Diego Padres at +750, may have had the busiest offseason of any MLB team by acquiring pitchers Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove to bolster their starting rotation.
Read our How To Bet On Baseball guide if you’re new to baseball betting or need a refresher, and make sure to keep track of the latest odds with MLB Futures.
Who Is The Favorite To Win 2021 World Series?
TeamOddsLos Angeles Dodgers+400New York Yankees+550San Diego Padres+750New York Mets+900Chicago White Sox+950Atlanta Braves+1000Tampa Bay Rays+2000Minnesota Twins+2000Toronto Blue Jays+2200Houston Astros+2200Oakland Athletics+2200Cincinnati Reds+3300Washington Nationals+3300Chicago Cubs+3500St. Louis Cardinals+3500Los Angeles Angels+3500Cleveland Indians+4000Philadelphia Phillies+4500Boston Red Sox+5000Miami Marlins+6600Milwaukee Brewers+6600Arizona Diamondbacks+8000San Francisco Giants+8000Colorado Rockies+8000Baltimore Orioles+10000Seattle Mariners+10000Texas Rangers+12500Detroit Tigers+12500Kansas City Royals+12500Pittsburgh Pirates+15000
Odds as of January 27 at Bodog
Why The Los Angeles Dodgers Are Favored To Win The 2021 World Series
Finally getting the monkey off their back and winning their first World Series since 1988, the Los Angeles Dodgers are primed for another run in 2021. Nearly all of their players are signed for next season outside of Justin Turner and Joc Pederson, who will likely depart in free agency.
The Dodgers pitching staff continues to be a bright spot with emerging ace Walker Buehler and the redeemed Clayton Kershaw, and with David Price expected to return to the rotation after opting out of the 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At +400, it’s not the best value at this stage to take the Dodgers because there are a lot of unanswered questions about how the 2021 season will shape up. When will MLB start the campaign? Will it be a full 162-game season or a shortened one? Will the playoff structure be similar to 2020 to include more teams?
Once we have the answers, then you can feel comfortable firing on the Dodgers to repeat as World Series champions.
Yankees Retool for World Series Run
Although the New York Yankees struggled to close the 2020 regular season, don’t get it twisted – they’re still the best team in the American League. The Yankees obviously boast a daunting batting order for opposing pitchers with the likes of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres, etc. The Yankees have enough power to field two batting lineups.
Their Achilles heel in 2020 was starting pitching. As great as Gerrit Cole is, he can only pitch every four or five days and it was a bit of a challenge for the Yanks to find a second reliable starter. Enter Corey Kluber.
Look, I’m not going to pretend Kluber is going to be Cy Young material again after being hurt for most of 2020 but he’ll instantly become the second-best starting pitcher on the roster. And New York just swindled the Pirates by acquiring Jameson Taillon for peanuts; he’ll fit in as the third starter.
At this point, you know the Yankees are making the postseason so when betting on the Bronx Bombers in 2021 World Series odds, try to project who they may see in the playoffs. The Rays, Athletics and Astros all took a step back while the teams that could challenge them are the White Sox and Blue Jays. In a seven-game series against either of those two teams, the Yankees are the team to beat in the American League.
Will Padres Challenge Dodgers in National League?
The San Diego Padres were one of the more fun teams to watch on a game-to-game basis last season because their talent made it look like they were having fun and just happy to be there. Well, the fun is over because Padres management made some huge win-now moves by restocking the starting rotation with an eye on the 2021 World Series title.
The Padres have a solid batting order led by NL MVP candidates Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. The latter may be the most exciting player in the game today with his outstanding defense coupled with his ability to hit for power. The Padres were in the top five in MLB in a number of offensive categories last year, including home runs, RBIs, OPS and total bases.
San Diego has legit momentum heading into the 2021 MLB season. The newly acquired trio of Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove all have the ability to shut down opposing batting orders, especially in pitcher-friendly Petco Park. If they can be 80 percent of the pitchers they were last season and SP Chris Paddack continues his ascension, the Padres may end up having the best record in MLB by the conclusion of the season.
What is a Futures Bet on World Series Odds?
When you visit your sportsbook of choice, you’ll see an option to bet on which team will win the World Series. This kind of bet is a futures wager, which means you’re betting on events that will happen in time. Oddsmakers release action on the Fall Classic before the season starts and adjust the lines as teams surge and stumble in the standings.
You would see odds listed like this:
Los Angeles Dodgers +375
New York Yankees +375
Houston Astros +1200
Atlanta Braves +1200
Minnesota Twins +1500
Unlike a moneyline bet, where there would be a clear favorite and underdog, the team with the lowest odds is the closest thing to a fave. In this case, it’s the Dodgers and Yankees. The team with the highest odds would be the closest thing to a dog. Here, it’s the Twins.
If you were to bet $100 on the Twins at the beginning of the season and they won the World Series, you’d get a payout of $1,600 – your original $100 is returned, along with your winnings of $1,500. On the other hand, the same bet amount on the Dodgers would give you a payout of $475 – you get your $100 back, plus your loot of $375.
Our Odds Calculator can help you determine how much you’d pocket depending on the odds and the amount bet.
The earlier you can make a futures bet the better, because you’ll see higher returns since World Series odds ebb and flow depending on a team’s overall performance, injuries to key staff, and how they stack up against the rest of their division.
However, you’ll need to handicap your bets accordingly. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with everything baseball:
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