Fresh off of successful a second consecutive World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers did what they’ve completed finest over the previous couple of years and signed a number of of essentially the most coveted free brokers in the marketplace. In December, they signed three-time Reliever of the Year Edwin Diaz. Then, in January, they scored arguably the offseason’s greatest prize, outfielder Kyle Tucker.
The Dodgers have already simply achieved World Series-favorite status following their championship win in October. The Tucker signing shot them from +375 at open to +250, they usually’ve since shortened additional to +230, based on DraftKings strains. Assuming these odds maintain to Opening Day, they might be the shortest for a World Series favourite going into the season for the reason that 2003 New York Yankees (+200), beating out the 2025 Dodgers (+240) for that distinction.
There’s definitely a degree of fatigue that comes with watching the identical crew dominate yr in and yr out … and but, there’s an simple gravitational pull that the Dodgers have on bettors, whether or not it is due to the perceived certainty of their success or their persevering model.
“It’s almost deflating when you hear the news that they signed the best free agent hitter, they signed the best free agent reliever. There’s a little kind of cynicism,” Caesars Sportsbook baseball lead Eric Biggio advised ESPN. “At the same time, I think it is good that one of the major-market teams is one of the best teams. That only increases handle for the games, increases the ratings and whatnot. … As much as people love to hate them, I think it’s good for business.”
Biggio provides that the Dodgers-Yankees World Series in 2024 did “huge” numbers, and even the Dodgers’ win over the Toronto Blue Jays final yr produced “fantastic” motion. DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello additionally notes that Los Angeles successful MLB’s championship is just not a given and that the crew got here very near shedding to Toronto final October.
None of that has stopped bettors from backing the Dodgers to win a 3rd straight title. BetMGM stories that Los Angeles has attracted essentially the most tickets (14.0%) and deal with (31.9%) for the World Series, in addition to — by far — essentially the most deal with to win the National League (33.4%). The Dodgers (14.1%) solely have much less ticket share for the NL than the Chicago Cubs (14.6%).
According to Avello, many bettors at DraftKings noticed worth on the Dodgers early on: “I think we’ve kind of shut the door there at +230 because [the bettors] were thinking that +350 was a great price, and we did take quite a bit of money on them,” he stated.
Either manner, Los Angeles’ brief pricing is probably going not going to offer sportsbooks a lot hassle, even when Dave Roberts’ crew does fulfill the three-peat. Instead, some extremely lengthy lengthy pictures such because the Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates are BetMGM’s largest liabilities, unlikely as they’re to win all of it. Avello additionally notes some outsized motion on the New York Mets from the NL as effectively.
American heroes?
Given the Dodgers’ stranglehold on the National League, bookmakers and bettors alike acknowledge {that a} crew from the American League may very well be simply 4 wins away from stealing a championship away from L.A. within the World Series. To that finish, following the Dodgers, 4 of the subsequent six World Series favorites are from the AL.
Of these prime groups, the one seemingly making essentially the most noise within the offseason has been the Seattle Mariners, who had been extremely near knocking off the Blue Jays within the ALCS for their first World Series look. Seattle opened at 14-1 for the title, moved to 13-1 by mid-January and sit at 12-1 because the season begins, the third-best odds on the board.
“A lot of love, a lot of money behind the Mariners to win the World Series, to win the American League pennant,” Biggio stated, noting them as one of many books’ prime liabilities. “I’m a little surprised. I thought we’d see a little more love on the Blue Jays, but really haven’t seen that much money on them. So a lot of money on the Mariners is our number one position. … They seem to have the best pitching in baseball, so it makes a lot of sense.”
After the Dodgers, BetMGM stories its second-most deal with backing Toronto and its third most backing Seattle for the World Series. BetMGM additionally noticed vital curiosity within the Yankees and Detroit Tigers, whereas Caesars reported some legal responsibility with the Baltimore Orioles.
While the Blue Jays, Mariners and Orioles all shortened within the World Series markets over the offseason, the Yankees lengthened fairly considerably from +700 to 10-1, though that also places them second on the chances board behind Los Angeles.
Many bettors need to take the Dodgers out of the equation completely by betting the American League-winner market. BetMGM senior dealer Hal Egeland stated that the guide’s AL-winner market has practically twice as many bets because the NL-winner market does.
Once once more, the Mariners are common there, attracting a number one 39.7% of deal with at BetMGM, adopted by the Tigers, who’ve 15.7% of the cash and a number one 24.5% of the tickets.
Total assist
One of the very best indicators of how the betting markets really feel a few crew is just by taking a look at their win totals for the season. Going into the 2026 marketing campaign, a couple of developments have emerged.
While the Dodgers, unsurprisingly, have the league’s highest win complete at 102.5, per DraftKings strains, many bettors are balking at that top quantity, with Egeland saying that lower than 20% of tickets and deal with in that particular market are on the over at 103.5 with BetMGM.
Instead, bettors need to groups such because the Orioles, who made some very splashy strikes this offseason by signing first baseman Pete Alonso and buying and selling for beginning pitcher Shane Baz. Those transactions and public assist pushed them from 77.5 wins in November to 86.5, based on Caesars strains. DraftKings additionally stories strong assist for Baltimore.
The Mariners have additionally been common within the win-total markets, even at their excessive complete of 89.5 wins, per DraftKings. BetMGM took an enormous $450,000 wager on Seattle to realize no less than 90 wins at -110 odds, in addition to a $300,000 wager to win the AL West at +100 odds.
However, a few of the finest alternatives for win totals are for groups with low expectations. Going into the 2026 marketing campaign, these groups are primarily the Pirates and the White Sox, who sit at 78.5 wins and 67.5 wins, respectively, per DraftKings strains. Chicago has the second-shortest odds to have the worst document within the league at +700, however that also far outpaces the Rockies at -400.
On the flip aspect, the St. Louis Cardinals‘ underneath has been hammered by bettors amid a weak offseason that included minimal acquisitions and the buying and selling away of third baseman Nolan Arenado. Biggio famous that Caesars opened the Cards at 75.5 wins and moved them all the way down to 69.5, among the many lowest within the league.
“You always have high regard for that organization, and they never seem to have a bad year,” he stated. “Well, this year, the bettors are definitely down on the Cardinals.”
From WBC to MVP?
The 2026 MLB preseason seemed loads completely different than most years with many star gamers competing within the World Baseball Classic. The worldwide event put playoff-style baseball on show early within the yr and gave a jolt to baseball betting that exceeded all expectations from bookmakers.
“The World Baseball Classic did really well,” Avello stated. “The handle on the games was much better than I expected it would be, and it’s a good prelude into baseball.”
The WBC additionally put a highlight on a number of well-known gamers, in addition to some lesser-known gamers, giving them consideration within the awards futures markets.
Near the highest of that record is Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, who starred for Team USA and has fifth-best 14-1 odds to win the AL MVP at DraftKings. BetMGM stories vital ticket share backing him, in addition to different Team USA stars Bobby Witt Jr. (+500) and Gunnar Henderson (15-1). Caesars’ Biggio additionally mentions some outsized motion on Nick Kurtz, who’s creeping up into the favourite dialog with 15-1 odds at DraftKings.
On the NL aspect, Juan Soto (+900), Ronald Acuna Jr. (10-1) and Bryce Harper (25-1) have additionally acquired some consideration from bettors after some large moments within the WBC. But, because it tends to go together with the Dodgers, they’re all chasing Shohei Ohtani at an astounding -145. BetMGM stories an enormous 65.2% of the deal with backing the Japanese famous person to win his fifth MVP award.
While the AL Cy Young betting is unfold out throughout a number of completely different arms, there may be little debating who everybody’s favourite is for the NL Cy Young. Paul Skenes, contemporary off a Rookie of the Year and a Cy Young in consecutive seasons, is the favourite available in the market at +210, and Avello says bettors should not holding again on betting him. At BetMGM, the exceptional 23-year-old leads NL Cy Young betting by each bets and deal with.
