World Series Odds, Betting Trends: Everything You Need To Know
World Series odds for 2024 are seeing some slight shifting of gears, now that the season is beyond the All-Star Game. No surprise, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain the favorite in odds to win the World Series.
But others aren't far behind, most notably the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees, despite the Pinstripes' recent lengthy slide.
Here's everything you need to know about 2024 World Series odds: action, line movement and betting trends. Check back regularly for updates. Be sure to use our BetMGM bonus code to get the most out of your action.
2024 World Series Odds
New York State of Mind
The New York Yankees went a stout 21-7 in May to surge up BetMGM's World Series odds board. That run continued with a 5-0 stretch to start June, part of an 8-0 streak overall. But the back half of June was more hit-and-miss.
And lately, it's been even more miss. New York was on a 3-12 nosedive before routing Boston 14-4 on July 6. Since then, the Yanks are 4-6. Still, the Pinstripes are 59-42 overall and are the +600 third choice to win the World Series.
"We still hold the Yankees in high regard, but there’s no doubt this is a tough stretch," BetMGM trader Hal Egeland said. "It’s a long season, so we don’t want to overreact to bad stretches, but we did push them out a touch recently, from +450."
Getting Gerrit Cole back on the hill should help. The reigning AL Cy Young winner missed the first 2.5 months of season with right elbow issues. He's now got five starts under his belt. In No. 3 of those five, Cole allowed one run on three hits and a walk in five innings, with six strikeouts.
His latest start, July 12 at Baltimore, was his best thus far: one run on five hits and a walk in six innings, with seven strikeouts.
Check out our bet365 bonus code!
"That start from Cole showed some promise that he’ll return to form, which they’ll need if they want to get back to being one of the league’s elite teams," Egeland said.
The Yankees' slump slightly flipped the script in BetMGM's futures market.
"Action on the Yankees has certainly has cooled off. They're a small winner for us now, but a couple wins in a row and that would almost certainly turn back into a loser for us," Egeland said. "The Yankees will need some help from their hitters, outside of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.
"But with those two in the lineup together, I don’t envision us moving the Yankees down much more."
Back in November, the Pinstripes opened +1600 to win the World Series.
Mostly Sunny in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Phillies went a scorching-hot 22-4 from April 25-May 23, then went 7-1 from May 29-June 5. Philly has since been more steady than hot-streaky. But at 63-36 and with the All-Star break behind them, the Phillies still have the best record in the majors.
Correspondingly, BetMGM now has the Phils as the +425 second choice in odds to win the World Series. Philadelphia, which lost to Arizona in the NLCS last season, opened +1100 at BetMGM.
"The Phillies are our second-biggest liability among teams I’d consider legitimate contenders, only behind the Orioles," Egeland said. "They’re near the top of just about every important statistical category, especially pitching. I don’t think it’s surprising that the Phillies have attracted a lot of action."
Philadelphia leads all of MLB with a 3.20 team ERA. The Phillies are near the top in several other pitching categories.
L.A. Story
The Los Angeles Dodgers keep moving along as favorites, having seemingly put behind the sports betting scandal involving Shohei Ohtani's interpreter. Los Angeles opened +800 in November, second to the Atlanta Braves' +650 price.
But the Dodgers have been favored ever since acquiring Ohtani in November. L.A. is now +333 on BetMGM's World Series odds board. At 59-41, Dodger Blue has the fourth-best record in the majors and trails only Philly in the NL.
"The Dodgers are winners for us. But that’s usually the case for teams we hold as the favorite for the entire year," Egeland said. "The Celtics from this past NBA season are a perfect example. The Dodgers certainly have a ton of interest, but the short odds keep them as a favorable result for us."
Cleveland Believeland
The Cleveland Guardians are perhaps one of the more surprising teams in the first 3.5 months of play. Cleveland got out of the gate with an 8-2 start, then went on an 8-1 run from April 14-23.
The Guardians went on a nine-game tear in May and won seven in a row from June 19-25. Cleveland cooled down of late, in a 1-6 rut through July 21. But the Guardians still own a 59-39 record, trailing only the Phillies and Orioles in all of MLB.
Cleveland opened +5000 in BetMGM's World Series odds market and was +6600 heading into the regular season. A slow-but-steady climb up the board now has the Guardians at +1600, the seventh choice.
Come check out our Fanatics Sportsbook promo code!
"I’m personally not a believer in Cleveland as a contender. But the Guardians have been proving me wrong all year," Egeland said. "They’re one of the teams that we just don’t seem to take a heap of action on for futures, for whatever reason.
"We’re live in Ohio, and we take a good amount of action on the Reds futures each year. So I’m not entirely sure why they don't bet the Guardians. Although I don’t love their chances, we likely will be cheering for them in the postseason."
Ticket Takers and Money Makers
When factoring in only digital betting (online/mobile), which constitutes most of the action, the Baltimore Orioles are No. 1 in ticket count in BetMGM's World Series odds market. Baltimore is the +700 fourth choice to win the Fall Classic.
The Yankees are No. 2 in tickets, followed closely by the Phillies and Dodgers. Los Angeles and Philly are in practically a dead heat atop the money count, followed by Baltimore and New York.
But when adding in retail betting numbers, there's a slight shift.
"To no surprise, the Dodgers, Yankees and Phillies are the top three, in both tickets and money," Egeland said.
Ready to bet on MLB action? Use our FanDuel promo code to get potential bonus bets!
Featured News
-
FEATURED JUL 21, 2024College Football Odds: Games of the Year Draw Underdog Action
- FEATURED JUL 24, 2024
WNBA Championship Odds: Everything You Need To Know About WNBA Finals
- FEATURED JUL 24, 2024
2024 US Presidential Election Odds: Trump Favored vs Harris; Others See Action
- FEATURED JUL 26, 2024
Bet Bash Sports Betting Conference Expands Horizons In 2024
- FEATURED JUL 9, 2024
2024 Heisman Trophy Odds: Sharp Bettors Jump On Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel
- FEATURED JUL 16, 2024
New York Yankees Odds: How The Slump Impacts Oddsmakers, Bettors
Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the ★ to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.