The Major League Baseball season is finally expected to begin on the 7th of April, following a delayed start. The world’s most famous professional baseball competition – watched by millions of fans around the world – was delayed this season following the lockout of players who stood their ground with the aim of renewing the collective bargaining agreement that existed between the league and the players until December of last year. The players union finally got their wish with a new CBA signed and sealed that will be in place for the next five years. Everyone around the negotiating table breathed a sigh of relief as it allowed players to return to work and put the wheels in motion for the new season.
Following months of offers and counter-offers, both parties are thought to be happy with the outcome and can now look ahead to the new season. The hope of fans is that there will be no more interruptions with the CBA signed and COVID-19 looking like it is finally under control, although the situation is being monitored closely. The media can now focus on what promises to be an entertaining season as the 30 teams involved in MLB aim to blaze a trail of glory towards the World Series over a marathon 162-game schedule. Which team will come out on top and add their name to the history books?
That remains to be seen, and at this stage of pre-season, with game one almost upon us, it’s anyone’s guess which side will win the title. A strong case could be made for any one of about ten teams tasting glory this season. In this article, we aim to help our readers find the winner by investigating the betting. The betting isn’t concrete proof of which team will win the World Series, but it can give followers an idea of what to expect from the months ahead. By the end of this page, you’ll know which team is the favourite in the betting to win the World Series, where the main danger is expected to come from and any dark horses worth keeping in mind when making your predictions.
LA Dodgers, the traders’ pick
It’s all go on the trading floor of bookmakers on the approach to the new MLB season. Despite a competitive campaign expected, those creating odds for the biggest bookies have picked their favourite, with the LA Dodgers selected as the team to beat. The Dodgers are the shortest-priced team in the World Series betting, and it’s easy to see why. LA has a great team with the talent to go all the way. Their best young players will reach their peak this year, and there’s a mix of experience in there, too, which will help when the games come thick and fast. Cool heads in the locker room are needed to win a World Series.
The last time the LA Dodgers won the World Series was 2020, and that was their first since 1988, so it’s understandable if some fans aren’t comfortable backing them as favourites. For those looking to take on the traders and the Dodgers this season, which teams are good enough to give supporters a run for their money? The betting has Toronto Blue Jays as the second favourites, with Houston Astros making up the top three. There’s very little in the betting with no more than five points between the top six teams on the list.
If you are looking for a dark horse to back – a side with all the attributes to challenge for the World Series this season but with generous odds attached – the New York Yankees appear to have been overlooked in the betting a little too easily. They need work and will require their fair share of luck to get over the line, but they are better than the current betting odds suggest, and if they make the kind of strong start we expect from them, their odds will be slashed by the traders as they rush to re-adjust.
In addition to the World Series betting, there are also several other markets that are designed to catch your eye. The options include winning division, winning league, rookie of the year, American League winner and National League champion.
“Web specialist. Lifelong zombie maven. Coffee ninja. Hipster-friendly analyst.”
