It seems like it was just yesterday that the Los Angeles Dodgers were named 2020 MLB World Series Champions back in October.
Now, the 2021 MLB Regular Season is just days away from beginning. With Opening Day scheduled for April 1, teams will be starting their journey towards a hopeful World Series appearance. Will the Dodgers be able to be the first team to win back-to-back World Series titles since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000? Or will a team shock the league with a surprise championship run?
There are many possibilities and 162 regular season games to figure them out before the playoffs arrive. However, that hasn’t stopped sportsbooks from posting their opening World Series odds.
2021 MLB World Series Odds
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, March 30
- Los Angeles Dodgers +300
- New York Yankees +550
- San Diego Padres +900
- Atlanta Braves +1000
- Chicago White Sox +1000
- New York Mets +1200
- Minnesota Twins +2000
- Houston Astros +2500
- St. Louis Cardinals +2500
- Toronto Blue Jays +2500
- Tampa Bay Rays +3300
- Oakland Athletics +3300
- Washington Nationals +3300
- Los Angeles Angels +3300
- Cincinnati Reds +4000
- Milwaukee Brewers +4000
- Philadelphia Phillies +4000
- Cleveland Indians +5000
- Boston Red Sox +5000
- Chicago Cubs +5000
- Miami Marlins +8000
- San Francisco Giants +10000
- Baltimore Orioles +10000
- Seattle Mariners +10000
- Arizona Diamondbacks +12500
- Kansas City Royals +12500
- Detroit Tigers +15000
- Texas Rangers +15000
- Colorado Rockies +20000
- Pittsburgh Pirates +25000
Dodgers Favored to Win Back-to-Back World Series Championships
As mentioned before, it’s been over 20 years since a team has won consecutive World Series titles. However, that’s not out of the realm of possibility for this year’s Dodgers. BetOnline is already projecting them to win the most regular season games at 103.5. They also have one of the best pitching rotations in the MLB. Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler will be returning, along with David Price, who opted out of the 2020 MLB Season due to COVID-19 precautions. The Dodgers also added 2020 NL CY Young Award winner Trevor Bauer in their pitching lineup, meaning it should be even scarier this season.
Overall, the Dodgers are bringing back most of the core of their 2020 World Series roster. For example, the team is in the second year of Mookie Betts’ 12-year, $365 million contract. The 2018 AL MVP winner came in second place for NL MVP voting last season, however, he’s this season’s favorite to win the award. In 2020, Betts had 16 home runs, 39 RBIs and a .292 BA in 55 games with the Dodgers.
Will Judge and Stanton Stay Healthy for the Yankees?
Both BetOnline and Bovada have the New York Yankees as being the American League’s best 2021 MLB World Series odds. With a roster that boasts the likes of Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, it’s hard not to imagine the Yankees making noise throughout the season.
Unfortunately, the same was thought last year, but injuries plagued the Yankees all season. For example, Judge only suited up for 28 out of a possible 60 regular season games in the 2020 MLB Season. Meanwhile, Stanton was injured for 37 games, meaning he’s missed 181 games over the last two seasons after playing in 158 with the Yankees in 2018. If the Yankees want to win their first World Series since 2009, Judge and Stanton will need to remain healthy throughout the season and playoffs.
Blues Jays Projected to Take the Next Step
Ever since the Josh Donaldson/Jose Bautista/Edwin Encarnacion era of the Toronto Blue Jays ended, the team has toiled in mediocrity. Yes, the prospects and their potential were exciting, but the team was a ways away from making the playoffs. The Blue Jays then surprised the MLB world by finishing the 2020 season with a 32-28 record to make the Wild Card round. They were then swept by the Tampa Bay Rays, but that season showed promise.
Fast forward to the offseason where the Blue Jays brought in the likes of George Springer and Marcus Semien to improve the teams odds of competing. If those players and Toronto’s young guns like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette realize their potential, the Blue Jays could see an increase in their World Series odds.
Betting on the World Series and MLB Futures
Once you’re ready, you can sign up with a sportsbook of your choosing. After that, you can wager on the World Series and MLB futures. There are always a variety of lines you can wager on, whether you’re looking for game day bets or choosing who you think will be the 2021 World Series Champions.
In order to understand what you’re getting into, here are some frequently used terms you’ll see:
- Moneyline: Choosing which team will win any given game.
- Point spread: A spread number will be given and then you choose whether or not an MLB team will win by that many runs or not.
- Over/Under: A number of runs for a game will be given. You then pick if you think the two teams will combine for more than that number (Over) or less (Under).
- Prop bets: Usually seen as fun bets that may or may not relate to the final outcome of a game/season.
- Future bets: Bets that have to do with games or events that won’t happen for days, weeks or even months.
All bets come with a line that indicates how much money you can make. When it comes to World Series odds, each line you see is how much money you’ll win if you bet $100 and that team is successful.
For example, say you went on BetOnline and placed $100 on the Dodgers to win the 2021 MLB World Series. If the Dodgers are victorious at +320, you would win $320.
MLB Futures
Futures are some of the most unpredictable bets to make in the world of sports betting. The thing about futures is that they can change on any given day. A team’s World Series odds may increase if they go on a lengthy winning streak. A team’s odds can also decrease if one or more of their star players is injured for a long time. Trades, releases and signings can also affect odds as the season goes on.
Sportsbooks usually keep their MLB futures lines underneath the “Baseball” section. From there, you should be able to find “MLB Futures,” which will contain World Series odds. Other types of futures that are typically offered include win totals, individual awards odds
Whether you find wagering on MLB futures to be intimidating or not, one thing remains important: research. Even the most experienced bettors research what they’re putting their money on before they do it. You want to know a team’s injury history, as well as if they’ve lost any key players over the offseason. If you’re betting based on the previous season’s statistics, research if they look legitimate or were caused by a fluke. Well-conducted research could be the difference between a huge win and a colossal loss.