How To Place A Bet On The World Series

Feb 03, 2021 Make your first deposit and bet $5 on one team to win, and the odds for that team will get boosted to 55/1 (+5500). Decide how you want to bet and click on it. After your choice appears in your. Legal World Series Betting. Legal World Series betting happens across the globe, with Major League Baseball being a worldwide attraction. The yearly seven-game series is played between the winner of the National League and American League, and is regularly one of the most-watched and bet on sporting events of the year.

The Fall Classic only comes around once a year, but you can place your bets on which team you think will win it at virtually anytime. That’s thanks to Major League Baseball World Series futures, an active market that sees plenty of action from both new and experienced bettors.

World Series odds are a year-round enterprise. As soon as one World Series is officially in the books, sportsbooks post odds for next season’s winner. You know right away which teams are favored, which squads have a reasonable shot and which are projected to have a long year.

Naturally, the odds to win the World Series change (often significantly) as time moves along. Odds at the beginning of the season can be quite different to the middle or the end of the regular season. So, when’s the best time to bet World Series futures? Is there any insight we can glean from the Vegas odds? Is there big value in betting on who might win the next Fall Classic?

We’ll walk through the answers to those questions right here with our guide to World Series odds.

Best sportsbooks to bet on MLB futures

Current World Series odds

Check our feed for real-time World Series odds at legal US online sportsbooks. Use the toggle menus to switch to other legal states or see more MLB futures odds. Click any odds to claim your free bets, register an account and bet MLB futures.

MLB betting apps

You can place your bets on MLB and World Series futures at any time on legal, regulated sportsbooks. Beyond giving you flexibility, mobile sports betting apps offer all of the same features you can find online. It’s like having a sportsbook in your pocket. Here are our recommendations on the top sports betting apps.

1. DraftKings Sportsbook – Up to $50 free bet, up to $1,000 bonus

Use DraftKings Sportsbook online in: VA, MI, NJ, PA, CO, IN, WV, NH, IA, IL, & TN

DraftKings is much more than just the industry leader in daily fantasy sports. The company has entered sports betting as well and, let’s just say, it’s crushing it. DraftKings’ slick platform and all the MLB markets you can ask for are among the highlights.

Live MLB betting is also a strong play on DraftKings with great options in its Flash Bet software.

2. FanDuel Sportsbook – Up to $1,000 risk-free bet

Use FanDuel Sportsbook online in: MI, NJ, PA, IN, WV, CO, TN, IA, IL & VA

FanDuel also made its bones in DFS, but the company has branched out and taken the sports betting marketplace by storm. It provides a user-friendly sportsbook and app, with fantastic ongoing promotions and more. World Series odds at FanDuel can be a little looser than they are at DraftKings with major value opportunities up and down the board.

3. BetMGM Sportsbook App – Up to $600 bonus

Use BetMGM Sportsbook online in: VA, MI, NJ, CO, TN, WV, NV, PA, IN & IA

The MGM brand is kind of a big deal, and the same holds true for BetMGM Sportsbook. MLB and World Series futures are just a couple of the myriad betting markets you can find. To get started, click on the link below to claim your bonus, create an account and download the sportsbook app for your iPhone or Android phone.

How to read World Series futures odds

Part of the appeal for betting World Series futures is that it’s simple and straightforward. Odds are listed for all teams still alive and you can see you potential payout based on a $100 bet.

World Series odds will be listed in descending order with the favorites up top, the next tier of teams in the middle and the long-shots at the bottom.

For futures betting, the idea is to find the teams you like to win it all at the best possible prices. Some bettors take a long-term view and place bets right after their release in the offseason; others wait until various points in the season and look for value opportunities as the odds change.

Let’s take a closer look at how the market works by examining what the odds for a handful of favorites looked like at DraftKings Sportsbook:

• Los Angeles Dodgers +375
• New York Yankees +400
• Houston Astros +650

Let’s say that you like the Yankees to take it down when all is said and done. You’re happy with the price of +375, so you decide to place a $100 wager and hold the ticket to see how it plays out.

At the end of the season, it turns out your hunch was correct as the Yankees go on to win the World Series. Here’s the return you would be looking at:

• Winning $100 bet at odds of +375 returns a total of $475.

With odds for mid-tier and underdog teams priced at well over +1000 or more, the futures market can be quite lucrative if all goes well. It’s important to remember that bets won’t be settled until the World Series is completed.

Naturally, teams who are eliminated from contention along the way translate into losing bets. Bets would also be off in the event of an unforeseen circumstance, such as the Fall Classic being cancelled.

2021 World Series favorites

We still have a ways to go until the next World Series, but the futures market is setting up some clear favorites. Here’s what the top of the World Series odds board looked like before the season began:

Los Angeles Dodgers

The LA Dodgers have made it to the postseason for seven consecutive seasons, but the club hasn’t been able to snap a World Series drought that stretches back to 1988. Los Angeles is loaded once again on offense and on the mound, so they are rightfully among the favorites in the futures market.

New York Yankees

The NY Yankees haven’t closed out the season with a World Series win since 2009, which is an eternity for a franchise with a staggering 27 titles under its belt. After falling in the American League Championship Series a season ago, the club looks poised to take another crack at the ring in 2020.

Houston Astros

The 2017 World Series winners and runners-up in 2019, the Houston Astros are expected to make another run at greatness this season. A sign-stealing scandal stole plenty of headlines in the offseason, so we’ll see if that further motivates Houston to silence the critics and add additional hardware to the collection.

AL pennant contenders

Alongside World Series futures you can also bet on each individual league’s race. The run for the AL pennant in 2020 is shaping up to be pretty competitive, but there are a couple of clear favorites in the futures market. Here’s a look at the three squads who currently sit atop the futures market.

New York Yankees

New York has represented the American League in the World Series a whopping 40 times. Said another way, the team is a frequent flier in the ALCS, and it wouldn’t be stunning if they made another appearance this time around. The futures market concurs and pegs the Yankees as the current favorites.

Houston Astros

Off-the-field controversy aside, there’s no denying the talent and depth that the Astros bring to the table. The offense can pound opponents into submission, while the pitching staff can spell lights out for lesser foes. Houston remains one of the teams to beat in the AL this season.

Minnesota Twins

For new blood on the hunt for the AL pennant, look no further than the MN Twins. Currently, the third choice in the futures market, Minnesota was swept by the Yankees in the AL Division Series last season. Powerful bats and an underrated staff give the Twins more than a puncher’s chance of tasting glory.

NL pennant contenders

Over in the NL, the defending champion Washington Nationals will have something to say about how things will shake out, but so too will a team who’s the current overwhelming favorite. Here’s a look at the three top choices on the futures odds board.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers have been in contention for several seasons; however, the club has been a bit snakebitten in the postseason. Los Angeles has made it to the playoffs every season since 2013, but they haven’t been able to get over the hump to advance to the World Series. Perhaps it’ll be a different story this time around.

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves have won the NL East for two straight seasons and have their sights set on making it three in a row. In 2018, the club was bounced by the Dodgers in the NLDS in four games. Then followed that up by losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in that round in five games. Atlanta is another squad looking to continue its ascent.

Washington Nationals

While the Nationals were clearly a playoff team in 2019, they still went on a bit of a Cinderella run to win the World Series. After surviving the wild-card round and a five-game set in the NLDS, the club swept the Cardinals in the NLCS before taking down the Astros in seven games to win the Fall Classic.

World Series Longshots

It’s pretty easy to make a case for the teams atop the World Series futures market being the ones to win it all. However, doing a little digging can reveal some intriguing choices a little further down the list. While you can make nice returns betting on favorites that go on to win the World Series, there’s even more treasure to be found if you can lock in on a sleeper candidate with a realistic shot to make it happen.

Milwaukee Brewers

When scanning the board for opportunities, you’ll naturally want to consider every team’s strengths and weaknesses. Some squads are clearly in a rebuilding phase, which you can dismiss, but the tier above them is where you might find some gold.

How To Bet On The 2021 World Series Odds Online

For another clue, it can help to look at teams in this category who came close to making some noise a season ago. Teams in this group may have just missed out on the postseason the previous year or had an unceremonious exit from the postseason.

A team that ticks off the boxes heading into the 2020 season is the Milwaukee Brewers. They were a wild-card team a season ago but had the misfortune of running into a Nationals team who had a date with destiny.

It was a heartbreaking loss as the team held a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. Then the Washington bats came alive. The Nationals put up three runs in the frame and held on for a 4-3 victory.

A close loss in the postseason can be a setback, but it can also serve as inspiration for clubs heading into the next campaign. For a Milwaukee team, led by Christian Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP and runner-up in 2019, the future could be quite bright.

World Series betting trends

For all types of sports betting, looking to the past can sometimes reveal clues about what’s to come. As an example, let’s take a look at two key metrics from the last 10 editions of the World Series:

• National League (NL), six wins; American League (AL), four wins
• Team with a home-field advantage: 6-4

It’s a slight edge to the NL and the side with the home-field advantage over that span. If we look at the previous 10 years, it’s a similar story:

• AL, six wins; NL, four wins
• Team with home-field advantage: 7-3

The leagues flip-flopped in the previous decade, but the home advantage became more of a factor overall. For the 10 years prior, the trends were even stronger:

• AL, six wins; NL, three wins
• The team with home-field advantage: 9-1

If we add up the results for the last 30 years of the Fall Classic, here’s what we come up with:

• AL, 17 wins; NL, 13 wins
• Team with home-field advantage: 22-8

Overall, the AL has the advantage over that span, but the biggest standout comes via the home-field advantage. Naturally, we won’t know which side will have the home field for the next World Series until we see how the season plays out. However, we can still dive in with some bets at any time via the futures market.

In the preseason and the beginning of the season, you may have some favorites or sleepers. By the time we hit the middle of the year and the stretch run, it may be a different story as new squads emerge.

By the end of the season and heading into the playoffs, the field of contenders has been trimmed dramatically. Your initial bets may still be alive, and that presents you with the opportunity to double down if you feel that’s the best course of action.

If your perspective has changed, you still have time to get bets in on your new favorites and sleepers. World Series futures betting opens the door to plenty of opportunities throughout the year.

More MLB futures odds

While betting on the World Series is a big highlight, there’s a lot more to the MLB futures market. Here are some of the other bets you’ll be able to place in advance of the season and while it plays out in real-time:

• AL and NL pennant winners
• Division champions
• Wild-card teams
• To make the playoffs
• Team regular-season win totals
• AL and NL MVP Award winners
• AL and NL Rookie of the Year
• AL and NL Manager of the Year
• Regular-season leaders for multiple statistical categories: home runs, strikeouts, etc.

As with the World Series futures market, you can place your bets on these opportunities in advance of the season, and keep a watchful eye on the odds to win as the season plays out.

NL vs. AL World Series wins

Since the turn of the century, the American League and National League are knotted up at 10 wins in the World Series apiece. However, it’s a different story on an all-time basis as the AL holds a 66-49 advantage.

As we scroll through the World Series annals, we find that only eight franchises have made it to the Fall Classic for 10 or more times. Six clubs have just a single appearance, one has never made it that far, while the rest of the 30 MLB teams are in the middle.

Here’s a complete look at the World Series history for each team in the league:

For most frequent World Series matchups, the Yankees lead the way there, including the top four entries on the list. At the top is the Yankees versus Dodgers with 11 all-time meetings in the Fall Classic. New York holds an 8-3 all-time advantage. The last meeting of the two teams in the World Series came in 1981, which was won by Los Angeles in six games.

As the calendar turns to fall, betting on the MLB regular season winds down. Meanwhile, the intensity on the diamond is about to be turned up several notches. The MLB Playoffs get underway right after the season is in the books, culminating in the World Series.

The evolving legal sports betting environment only adds to the excitement and anticipation. Folks in a number of states, including right here in Colorado, can legally and safely bet on the World Series and sweat the action right along with the players on the field.

We’re going to walk through how you can do so in full detail. Read on as we discuss everything you need to know about betting on the World Series and the latest odds and lines at Colorado sportsbooks.

World Series odds at Colorado sportsbooks

How to bet on the World Series

Throughout the MLB season, there are a number of different ways to get in on the action and place your MLB wagers. The same holds true for the World Series. Here are the top options you’ll have at your disposal.

• Futures: The futures market is always going with opportunities, including picking the winner of the next edition of the World Series.
• Series: When the Fall Classic rolls around, you’ll be able to place your bets on the winner of the series.
• Games: You can drill down even further into the individual games by betting on the moneyline, run line, or totals.

Futures bets are a great way to get involved at any time. We’ll cover what you need to know there in a bit.

For the series itself, let’s consider a hypothetical matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Once the matchup is finalized, sportsbooks will release odds on the outright winner of the series which may look something like this.

• Los Angeles Dodgers -130
• New York Yankees +120

As the oddsmakers see it, the Dodgers are slight favorites to win the series. For your reference, a winning $100 bet on that side would return a total of $176.90. If you bet $100 on the Yankees and they go on to win, the total return would be $220.

When it comes time to bet on the individual games, you’ll have a number of different options to consider. Let’s begin by looking at the moneyline.

• Los Angeles Dodgers -140
• New York Yankees +120

For this game, the Dodgers are once again favored, which you can tell by noting the negative odds next to their name. As the positive odds for the Yankees indicate, they’re the underdog for this matchup. Moneyline is a simple bet in which you merely have to choose the winner.

Next, there’s a run line in MLB betting which is similar to the point spread used for other sports. The run line is generally the same for all games and set at 1.5.

• Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-110)
• New York Yankees +1.5 (-110)

If you place a bet on the Dodgers with the run line, that means they would have to win the game by a margin greater than 1.5 runs to cover. For the Yankees, a bet on that side means they have to keep the final score closer than that or win the game outright to cover.

Totals betting is also quite popular for MLB. For these wagers, oddsmakers set a benchmark of an estimated total runs scored in the game. Bettors then get to choose if they think the total runs will be Over or Under that amount.

How To Place A Bet On The World Series 2019

• Over 8.5 (-110)
• Under 8.5 (-110)

You’ll see lots of MLB totals set between 7.5 and 9 runs. Games that fall lower than that can be viewed as potential pitching duels, while those with totals higher than that range could be high-scoring affairs.

Beyond these three main bet types for the individual games, there will also be numerous prop betting opportunities, which are essentially side wagers on things that might happen during the game.

Live betting opens up even more possibilities. These are bets that you’ll be able to place after the action has already started. It’s a fast-paced market which opens the door to even more opportunities.

What are World Series futures?

We mentioned the futures market earlier, and now it’s time to take a closer look. Futures are wagers you can place on something that has yet to happen.

For MLB purposes, that means things such as team regular season win totals, players that’ll win individual player awards, league and division winners, playoff teams, and the winner of the next World Series.

MLB futures odds are released in advance of the season. Using the World Series as an example, each of the MLB teams will be listed in descending order with their corresponding odds, such as:

• Los Angeles Dodgers +350
• New York Yankees +400
• Houston Astros +750
• Atlanta Braves +1400
• Minnesota Twins +1600

And so on for each team. Some futures bettors like to take a long-term view and place their wagers in advance of the season. Others will keep an eye on the market and take a more active approach as appealing opportunities pop up.

As you can see in our example of World Series futures odds, there’s a potential for nice returns if you manage to pick the right team. For example, a $100 winning bet on the Astros at odds of +750 would return a total of $850.

World Series betting odds

At virtually any point during the season – and even in advance of it – we can take a peek at the odds for the winner of the next World Series. The futures market will list out all teams in contention, from favorites all the way down to longshots.

Once the playoffs begin, the field is cut down dramatically. You’ll only see odds listed for the teams that actually qualified for the MLB postseason.

When the matchup for the World Series becomes official, you’ll then see odds for the outright winner of the series. As the individual games approach, you’ll see all of the lines for single-game betting.

MLB odds and line moves

Sports betting odds for the winner of the World Series don’t stay stagnant. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see substantial movement after the initial release.

Once sportsbooks release the odds, the betting public has its chance to weigh in. Depending on the amount of action that comes in, there could be some movement.

Let’s consider the fictitious odds for a trio of favorites which look something like this.

• Los Angeles Dodgers +400
• New York Yankees +450
• Houston Astros +700

As the action begins to come in, sportsbooks take in a good amount of money on both the Dodgers and Yankees. However, not much interest has been shown on the Astros. Oddsmakers respond by adjusting the board a bit.

• Los Angeles Dodgers +350
• New York Yankees +400
• Houston Astros +750

In a nutshell, oddsmakers try to limit liability as best as they can while attempting to even out the action. To help make that happen, they can make sides that are seeing more bets less attractive, while doing the opposite on sides they want to see more money come in on.

Additionally, there can be adjustments in the futures market based on how teams perform. For example, if the Astros hit a tough stretch and drop nine games in a row, they may not see as much action. On the other hand, if the Yankees go on a run and win 12 out of 14, they could see even more bets head in that direction.

Once the MLB Playoffs get underway, it’s possible to see a good amount of line movement on teams in the field based on things such as untimely injuries or potential matchups for the next round.

How do the MLB Playoffs work?

Many moons ago, the MLB postseason format was really simple. The winners of the American and National League met in the World Series, and that was it.

That changed in 1969 with the advent of the League Championship Series. The winners of the two divisions in each league met in the LCS, and the victors in those series advanced to play in the World Series.

That format stayed in place until the 1990s. Expansion led to the need for three divisions in each league, and a Wild Card was also added to the postseason mix. Fast forward to 2012, and a second Wild Card team was added in each league.

There has been talk of further tweaking the format moving forward and expanding to 14 playoff teams, but the current incarnation remains in place for the time being. Here’s how it works.

A total of 10 teams qualify for the MLB Playoffs. That’s five from each league – three division winners and two Wild Card teams.

The Wild Card squads on both sides face off in an elimination game with the winner advancing to the next round, which is known as the Division Series.

How To Place A Bet On The World Series Game 6

That round of the playoffs is contested under best-of-five rules, which means that the first team to win three games in the set advances. The victors move on to the LCS for a best-of-seven series.

The first squad to win four games in the AL and NL advance to the World Series, which is also contested under a best-of-seven format.

The MLB postseason has evolved dramatically over the past few decades, and betting interest has increased right along with it. The entire postseason – and especially the World Series – is one of the biggest highlights of the year for bettors and fans alike.

Biggest underdogs to win the World Series

If you make it to the World Series, then you’ve obviously done a lot of things right. However, there are plenty of times when the Fall Classic hasn’t adhered to the script. Here are some of the biggest and most memorable upsets in World Series history.

• 2019: Washington Nationals over Houston Astros – The Nationals put together a run for the ages during the 2019 postseason, but it was expected that the clock would strike 12 when they squared off with the Astros. That proved not to be the case as Washington sealed the deal with a Game 7 victory to earn the franchise’s first World Series crown.
• 2003: Florida Marlins over New York Yankees – The powerhouse Yankees of the early 2000’s were expected to make really easy work of the Marlins. After stunning New York in Game 1, Florida dropped the next two before roaring back to win three in a row. For an exclamation point, the series clinching win in Game 6 came by a score of 2-0.
• 1990: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics – For context, this Athletics team was loaded with talent, including then-young sluggers Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. What was supposed to be a coronation for Oakland turned into a humiliation, as Cincinnati stunned the baseball world by sweeping the series in four games.
• 1969: New York Mets over Baltimore Orioles – From the time of their debut in 1962, the Mets were rather hapless. That changed in big league fashion in 1969. A loaded pitching staff led the way, but Tom Seaver and company were expected to bow down to the favored Orioles. The so-called Amazin’ Mets had other ideas, taking the series in six games.
• 1954: New York Giants over Cleveland Indians – The Indians roared through the regular season while racking up 111 wins. The lineup and pitching staff were stacked, so the ‘54 series appeared to be theirs. And then it wasn’t. Willie Mays was among those who led the way for a stunning 4-0 sweep and series win for the Giants.

Colorado Rockies – The path to the World Series

The Colorado Rockies joined MLB as an expansion team in 1993. The franchise quickly gained notoriety as home games in the thin air of Denver became conducive to high-scoring contests.

The Rockies are members of the National League West Division. As with all MLB teams, the club has gone through its share of ups and downs along the way.

Here’s a look at the years which wound up with a trip to the postseason.

• 1995: The upstart Rockies made it to the playoffs as a Wild Card, losing to the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series.
• 2007: Another Wild Card berth for the Rockies. The club advanced to the World Series before falling to the Boston Red Sox.
• 2009: The Wild Card Rockies squared off with the Philadelphia Phillies in the divisional round, losing in four games.
• 2017: It was one and done for the Rockies as the team lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Wild Card game by a score of 11-8.
• 2018: The Rockies upset the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card game but met their match next round as they were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Larry Walker, winner of the 1997 National League Most Valuable Player award, is the lone Rockies player enshrined in the MLB Hall of Fame. Other notable players include Todd Helton, whose number 17 has been retired by the club.

All-time World Series champions

The Rockies have only made it to one World Series thus far, losing to the Boston Red Sox in 2007. Here’s how each MLB team has fared in the Fall Classic.

World Series betting tips

When it comes to betting on World Series futures, it’s a matter of attempting to project out the season as a whole. Do you like one of the favorites to take it down? How about one of the longshots? Is a sleeper the way to go or should you stick to a safer pick?

For the World Series itself, normal handicapping rules apply. You’ll want to break down the matchup in full detail, consider what the odds board has to say, and look at numerous ancillary factors. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while doing so.

• Current Team Momentum: To make it to the postseason, teams have obviously played at a high level for the season as a whole. However, some teams just get hot when the games matter the most while others tail off. Make sure you have a good sense of which direction each team is trending in.
• Starting Pitching and Bullpen: The pitching matchup is always at the top of the list for handicapping MLB games, but it’s worth an extra mention here. A substantial pitching edge can make a world of difference in a series, as well as for each of the individual games. Be sure to weigh this metric accordingly.
• Postseason Track Record: In the same fashion that teams get hot or cold, there are clubs that step up when the pressure is highest while others do not. While each season is a different story, consider the overall track record of the teams involved, especially if it’s a situation involving clubs that have regularly made the playoffs in recent years.