The World Series is one of the most prestigious championships in all of sports, as the top team in Major League Baseball takes home the trophy and ensuing celebration each year. Here, we look at the odds to win the World Series in 2022, as there are some clear favorites that have emerged from the pack. As we know in baseball, though, being a favorite could be rendered meaningless in a matter of just a few games in a sport where most games could go either way.
2022 MLB World Series Odds
| Team |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | +600 | +650 | +500 | +600 | +600 |
| NYM | +700 | +750 | +800 | +750 | +750 |
| NYY | +700 | +650 | +750 | +700 | +650 |
| LAD | +800 | +750 | +800 | +800 | +750 |
| ATL | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +950 | +1000 |
| SD | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1100 | +1000 |
| PHI | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 | +1800 | +1400 |
| TOR | +1400 | +1400 | +1500 | +1300 | +1500 |
| SEA | +1600 | +1600 | +1700 | +1700 | +1600 |
| STL | +2200 | +2500 | +2000 | +1900 | +2500 |
| CHW | +2500 | +2500 | +2800 | +3000 | +2500 |
| TB | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 | +2200 | +2500 |
| CLE | +3000 | +2500 | +3300 | +2200 | +2500 |
| LAA | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 | +5500 | +4000 |
| MIL | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| TEX | +4000 | +5000 | +5000 | +4000 | +5000 |
| BAL | +5000 | +6600 | +6600 | +7000 | +8000 |
| SF | +5000 | +5000 | +4000 | +6000 | +5000 |
| CHC | +6000 | +8000 | +7500 | +8000 | +8000 |
| MIN | +6000 | +4000 | +5000 | +4500 | +3300 |
As you can see from the World Series futures odds above, there are several teams being given a great chance to win the World Series this year. While the usual suspects have the best title odds, there isn’t a team that can be counted out once they have qualified for the postseason after a grueling 162-game campaign. Here, we will look at the favorites to win the title and what makes them capable of claiming one of the most prized possessions in all of sports.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are just so well constructed from top to bottom that it feels like it would be a miracle for them to fail to win the World Series again. They lead the league in wins this season, and have allowed the fewest runs while scoring the most. With individual stars like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman leading them, the Dodgers are the best team in the playoffs, but will need to execute in October to make that worth anything.
Houston Astros
In the American League, the Houston Astros are still standing as one of the favorites from a World Series futures perspective. This is not as explosive an Astros team as it has been in years past from an offensive perspective. But the pitching of the Astros has been out of this world this season. Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez are both top-five in the league in pitching victories, while Verlander leads the league in ERA. Even the most potent lineups in the league could struggle against the Astros as a result.
New York Yankees
Speaking of potent lineups, the New York Yankees certainly boast one of those. Led by Aaron Judge, who has eclipsed 60 home runs this season, the Yankees are looking for their first championship since 2009. To get there, they will need to overcome the Astros and hit in clutch situations, two things they have struggled with in postseasons past.
New York Mets
The New York Mets have baseball fans in New York dreaming about a possible Subway Series matchup in the World Series. They have played excellent baseball for most of the season, and have a devastating starting pitching duo in Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer to lead them in October. The Mets have not won a World Series since 1986, and this could be their best chance to do so for a long time thanks to their pitching.
Atlanta Braves
Unfortunately for the Mets, they might not be the best team in their own division. The Atlanta Braves won the World Series in 2021 and will look to help bettors win the World Series Futures bets again this October. The power bats for the Braves are enough to give even the best pitching staffs fits, as they rank behind only the Yankees on the home run leaderboards this season. That recipe worked for them last year, and could help them repeat this year.
Longshot World Series Futures
Outside of those teams listed above, the odds get progressively longer for teams looking to win the World Series. There are a few teams that could win the title as longshots, such as the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays. But they will need to play their best baseball to beat the favorites such as the Dodgers and Astros.
How To Bet World Series Futures
With the postseason upon us, it is time to start thinking a little differently about how you are going to choose your team to win the title. Many people go with one of three options when making their selection: they either choose one of the favorites, they go with an extreme long shot, seeking to make the most amount of money, or they go with their hometown team.
Instead, bettors should look for the best value when wagering on a team to cash their World Series futures with. Determining which teams have a better chance to win the World Series than their odds would suggest is the way to maximize profitability when betting on this market. To do that, bettors must consider a variety of factors when looking at each playoff team.
First, roster construction is key to success for any team. Looking at a team and making sure their lineup has the depth to put up runs from anywhere is important. Pitching might be even more important, as both starting pitching and bullpen arms can make or break World Series futures wagers. Bettors need to look at postseason rosters from top to bottom to make the most informed decisions possible.
Then, bettors should look at the path that a team has to go through to make it to the World Series. Matchups are so important in baseball, and one bad matchup can ruin a team’s chances of going all the way to a championship. Evaluating potential matchups in future rounds can help bettors avoid making a bad bet in the futures markets.
