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Dodgers are MLB’s biggest World Series betting favorite in decades
LV REVIEW JOURNAL SUBSCRIPTIONThe Dodgers are the shortest betting favorite to win the World Series in 22 years.
Los Angeles, off to a 2-0 start after sweeping the Cubs in the Tokyo Series last week, is the +225 favorite at the Westgate SuperBook to repeat as World Series champions this season.
The odds, which were the same before the season-opening series in Japan, are the shortest for a preseason favorite since the Yankees were 2-1 in 2003, according to Sportsoddshistory.com.
The short price hasn’t stopped bettors from backing the Dodgers, who are the runaway leaders in World Series wagers at the Westgate. The book has taken three times as many tickets on Los Angeles as the Mets, who rank second. The Dodgers, who have the highest season win total by far at 105, are also the money leaders at the book.
“There are just tons of tickets, even at +225,” SuperBook manager Randy Blum said. “The perception of the team right now is that they’re basically a superteam.
“They’re certainly a huge favorite with tons of talent, tons of depth and tons of pitching. But it’s baseball and we’ve seen it before where the best team doesn’t always win.”
In fact, the Yankees were 2-1 preseason favorites in 2001, 2002 and 2003 but didn’t win the World Series in any of those years.
The Yankees are tied with the Braves for the 10-1 second choice to win the World Series. New York’s odds shot up from +675 in February after ace pitcher Gerritt Cole underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery.
The Yankees will also open the season Thursday without starting pitchers Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt.
“Their pitching staff is decimated to start the season,” Blum said.
New York’s season win total has plummeted from 93½ to 89½.
The Braves, who have dipped from 12-1 to win the World Series, are one of the largest liabilities at the Westgate, which took sharp action on Atlanta to win the National League East. The Braves are the +105 favorites to win their division and Blum said bettors are banking on the healthy returns of star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and starting pitcher Spencer Strider.
“There’s definitely a lot of support for the Braves,” Blum said. “There’s a lot of upside.”
Six-figure win total wagers
The Mets, the 12-1 fourth choice to win it all, are the biggest liability at the Westgate after signing outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract that’s the richest in MLB history.
“It’s about the perception with the Soto signing. I think that’s why we’re seeing Mets action more than anything,” Blum said. “From our perspective, if you look at their pitching, there are definitely a lot of question marks there.”
A high-stakes bettor placed three six-figure wagers at the Westgate on season win totals: Mets over 89½, Tigers over 84 and Athletics over 73½.
Straight A’s
“Betting wise, there’s a lot of positivity about the A’s. We opened 70½ on the A’s and now we’re up to 74½,” Blum said. “We’ve taken some money on them to win the division, their win total and the home run title. It looks like everyone is into the A’s all of a sudden.”
The A’s are the +1,650 third choice to win the American League West and the Angels are the 29-1 long shots to win the division behind the Rangers (+175), Astros (+190) and Mariners (+240).
A’s slugger Brent Rooker and right fielder Lawrence Butler are two of the Westgate’s biggest liabilities to win the home run title. Rooker is 20-1 and Butler is 60-1.
The A’s will play their home games this season at Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats.
“Part of it is about the stadium where they’re going to be playing this year,” Blum said.
Ohtani time
Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge is the +425 favorite to win the home run title and Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani is the +650 second choice.
Judge and Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. are the 3-1 co-favorites to win the AL MVP award.
Ohtani, who is expected to pitch this season for the first time since 2023, is the +160 favorite win the NL MVP. Soto is the 6-1 second pick.
“When Ohtani pitches — unless he just does not pitch well — I just really don’t see how he doesn’t win, to be honest,” Blum said.
Ohtani was named NL MVP last year in his first season with the Dodgers after being named AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 with the Angels.
