2021 MLB World Series Betting Odds

MLB World Series Betting

The 2021 Major League Baseball season is scheduled to open with a full 162-game schedule and playoffs. This return to “normal” means that gamblers can dust off their old books as far as methods for handicapping a complete campaign after the 2020 pandemic shorted schedule and crapshoot season that took place. The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers ended a title drought that extended back to the 1988 season. Fortunately, the late great Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda, who piloted that 1988 championship team, lived long enough to see LA win it all before his passing.

2021 MLB World Series Odds (May 7)

The Dodgers are favored to become the first team since the 2000 New York Yankees to repeat as World Series champions. Last year’s winner is almost always the future’s favorite the following year. But the Dodgers have earned far more credibility with gamblers beyond last year’s Fall Classic. Consider that Los Angeles has won eight consecutive National League West Division titles and has won the National League pennant in three of the last four years. The Dodgers boast the highest payroll in baseball. All of this makes Los Angeles an understandable favorite to repeat as the World Series champion.

What does not bode well for the Dodgers' chances is the recent history of World Series winners. A 21-year gap between repeat World Series championship teams indicates just how difficult it is to accomplish.

No matter how good a team is, there are many challenges to overcome in a quest for a repeat. Starting with the competitive balance of Major League Baseball itself. Yes, you read the right, the competitive balance of Major League Baseball. For the past seven consecutive seasons, seven different franchises have won the Fall Classic.

As mentioned earlier, the Dodgers have the highest payroll in baseball, followed by the New York Yankees. There is nothing new about that fact. But what it ultimately proves is that you can’t merely buy a World Series championship. If you could, the Dodgers would not have had a 32-year drought, and the Yankees would not have their last World Series title be back in 2009.

Furthermore, the defending American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays annually rank near the bottom for their payroll ranking. Yet they are in the hunt every season. The same too can be said for the Oakland Athletics.

Of course, the Yankees are an excellent case study in having all the necessary resources to build a dynasty and yet fail. For all their payroll, the Yankees still do not have a top-tier pitching staff. Gerrit Cole signed a record-setting contract for a free agent starting pitcher and had a very good year. But he was not 1978 Ron Guidry good for the Bronx Bombers, who are merely above average in slots two through fie in their starting rotation.

A team to keep an eye on are the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta is one of the most complete and exciting teams in baseball. Most importantly, the Braves got off the postseason schneid last year, making it all the way to the final game of the National League Championship Series.

The San Diego Padres are getting a lot of preseason love after making the playoffs for the first time since 2006. But are the Padres ready for a full 162-game season?

Due to aggressive roster remakes, the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets are drawing many futures wagers too. But there is a difference between winning on paper and on the diamond.

World Series History

The World Series as we know it today originated back in 1903 after years of fighting amongst both the National and American Leagues. Each finally came to peace allowing the game of baseball to finally crown a true winner without any backlash or dispute. The Boston Americans (now known as the Red Sox) defeated Honus Wagner and the Pittsburgh Pirates behind stellar pitching from Cy Young to earn the AL the title after beating the Buccos five games to three.

With the games occurring at the end of October and sometimes going into early November, the World Series was coined the nickname, "The Fall Classic." Ever since it has been the final series of the season played between the National League Champion and American League Champion. The representatives from both leagues partake in a seven-game series to crown the victor.

Since inception, the team with the best overall record would earn home-field advantage throughout the series. That all changed when former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig cooked up the crazy idea to give home field advantage to the winner of the All-Star Game after the 2002 Midsummer Classic ended in a tie. This experiment was put into action the following season, but MLB and the MLBPA recently decided to scrap the idea in the 2016 offseason. Home field advantage will once again be determined by regular-season records of the two pennant winners.

World Series Champions (2000)

With all the talent the Dodgers have had littered throughout their roster the last handful of years, you would’ve thought Dave Roberts would’ve been able to win a World Series by now. That hasn’t been the case since taking over the gig as manger back in 2016. Though it failed to even reach the NLCS last season, linemakers love what LA looks like on paper heading into the regular season enough to install them favorites to win the whole enchilada. It’s understandable; led by Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler with Joe Kelly, Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen available to close things out, the Dodgers pitching staff is formidable. Throw Mookie Betts into an already impressive batting lineup that includes the likes of Max Muncy, Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger, and it’s no wonder why the Dodgers are the current frontrunners to snap their 30+ year World Series drought!

The New York Yankees are still griping about losing to the Astros in Game 7 of the 2016 ALCS. Aroldis Chapman still can’t get over Jose Altuve taking him deep to propel the Astros to the World Series in walk-off fashion a season ago; sign stealing aside. Regardless, Aaron Boone’s troops must turn their attention to the 2020 season and start figuring out a way to stay healthy so the Pinstripes can finally put an end to their World Series drought. It’s already been a decade since Joe Girardi’s Yankees disposed of the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win the 27th title in franchise history. The delay of the season should have both Giancarlo Stanton and James Paxton ready to go once the regular season begins. If that’s to be the case, NY might just own the most lethal hitting lineup and pitching rotation/bullpen in the Bigs!

Regardless of how you truly feel about the Houston Astros, the franchise still has the talent on hand to win the AL West for the fourth straight time. Even with Gerrit Cole out of the mix, Houston’s starting staff will still be extremely formidable with Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke setting the pace for a list of violent arms which include Lance McCullers, Jose Urquidy, Josh James and possibly even Forrest Whitley down the road. Likely to get 6+ innings per start, Dusty Baker will then get to rely upon bullpen arms Roberto Osuna, Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu along with Chris Devenski and Brad Peacock for long relief. It’s a spoil of riches for the Astros who will once again boast one of if not the best offenses in the league even though they won’t have pitches being tipped off at home anymore.

Longshot contenders with better than average shots of competing for the World Series Pennant include the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Oakland A’s, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies. Much would have to go right for teams like the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays to win it all, but you can bet your bottom dollar each will make baseball bettors some serious coin in 2020 after giving us a glimpse of what’s to come as young and talented each franchise currently looks to be.

Here’s to cashing some tickets in 2020!

World Series Notes

The New York Yankees have made by far the most appearances in the Fall Classic with 40; they won 27 of them.

The San Francisco Giants have made the most NL appearances with 20, but the NL team with the most Series wins out of the league are the St. Louis Cardinals with 11.

The American League has won 65 of the 114 overall World Series played.

Of the original 16 franchises still around today, each has won at least two World Series titles.

After the Washington Nationals won it all last season, there is now only one franchise that failed to make an appearance in the World Series; the Seattle Mariners.

The San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers made it to the Fall Classic twice but failed to bring home the Commissioner's Trophy each time.

The Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays all failed to win it in their lone appearances.

The Houston Astros won their first World Series in their second appearance in 2017.

Most World Series Appearances

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