World Series odds: Dodgers favored but bettors banking on Phillies

Odds and data via theScore Bet and ESPN Bet

October is here, and that means the MLB playoffs have arrived. The sights, sounds, and thrill of postseason baseball over the next month will leave some fan bases and bettors ecstatic and others disappointed.

With the wild-card round beginning Tuesday, let's dive into the odds for each team to win the pennant and the World Series.

World Series, pennant winner odds

The Dodgers have the MLB's best record, winning 98 games and earning home-field advantage throughout the postseason. They also have the presumptive National League MVP winner Shohei Ohtani and a reliable lineup of hitters. Los Angeles is unsurprisingly the World Series favorite. The Dodgers won 100 games last season before they were bounced in the divisional series after earning a first-round bye. They'll try to avenge that disappointment in 2023 with a deeper playoff run.

The Phillies aren't too far behind the Dodgers on the oddsboard as the second-best team in baseball. Philadelphia had its best regular season since 2011 and has been knocking on the door of a World Series for the past two seasons. It made the World Series in 2022 and lost in the National League Championship Series in 2023 after holding a 3-2 series lead.

Philadelphia has had lineup continuity for the last few seasons. It hopes its star-laden core of Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber, and starting pitcher Zack Wheeler lifts the team to its first World Series victory since 2008.

The Padres won 93 games and earned a wild-card spot. San Diego is stacked with talent and has the third-best odds to win the NL. The club opens the postseason against the Braves on Tuesday as -190 favorites. The public is all over the Padres to win the pennant. They've garnered 33% of bets to win the NL, the most in the league. The Phillies have earned 30% of the bets, but more money has been wagered on them than any other NL team with 27% of the handle on Philadelphia. The Dodgers have attracted 10% of bets and 11% of the handle in the NL winner market.

The Braves, Mets, and Brewers are dark horses in the NL. The Brewers are -140 favorites to beat the Mets in the wild-card round, but New York has received 74% of the bets and handle to advance to the NLDS.

In the American League, the Yankees are the undisputed favorites and are back atop the AL after missing the playoffs last season. They haven't made the World Series since 2009 but are consistently in contention in October. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are the league's most dangerous duo and could help New York end its World Series drought.

But bettors aren't buying it. The Yankees have earned 11% of the bets - tied for the fewest with the Royals - and 11% of the handle - the second-fewest ahead of the Guardians - to win the AL.

The Orioles have attracted the most bets and money wagered to win the league despite struggling down the stretch. Baltimore is a -170 favorite against the Royals in the opening round.

The Astros, a dominant franchise that last won the World Series in 2022, are the second-most wagered-on squad to win the pennant. They're -190 favorites over the Tigers in the wild-card series. There's a massive betting discrepancy between the public and sharps as 80% of bets are on the Tigers to advance, while nearly 90% of the money wagered is on the Astros to reach the ALDS.

As for the World Series market, the Phillies are bettors' best friend with 22% of the money wagered and 18% of total bets on them to lift the trophy.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.