World Series Odds, Betting Trends: Everything You Need To Know

Patrick Everson Sports Betting Expert

9 minute read

World Series odds for 2024 are seeing some slight shifting of gears, now that the season is well into May. No surprise, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain the favorite in odds to win the World Series.

But the Atlanta Braves aren't far behind, and others are making early-season charges, as well.

Here's everything you need to know about 2024 World Series odds: action, line movement and betting trends. Check back regularly for updates. And if you're a baseball bettor in North Carolina, registration is now available, as all the top North Carolina sportsbooks are live.

2024 World Series Odds

Phenomenal Phillies

As the MLB season hits mid-May, no team is running hotter than the Philadelphia Phillies. From April 25-May 15, the Phillies went 16-3, including a seven-game win streak in the middle of that stretch.

Through May 15, Philadelphia is 31-13 (.705), the best record in all of baseball. And although the Phillies were already near the top of the World Series futures odds market, they've gained a little more ground.

"In the past month, we’ve moved the Phillies from +1300 to +1000.  During that time, their fourth in both tickets and money, only trailing the Yankees, Dodgers and Orioles," BetMGM trader Hal Egeland said.

Philly is the co-fourth choice at BetMGM, joined by Baltimore. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (+300), Atlanta Braves (+425) and New York Yankees (+650) are ahead of the Phillies.

"We were already believers in the Phillies due to their recent success, specifically in the 2023 postseason," Egeland said, alluding to Philadelphia's run to the NLCS, before losing to Arizona. "But their recent play has made us shorten them up a bit.  They’re currently a small loser for us. But I would imagine that liability will grow should they keep this up."

Pitching has played a big role in the Phillies' surge. In 11 of those wins, Philly allowed three runs or less. Egeland is particularly impressed with the starting rotation.

"Zack Wheeler is right up there again in the conversation for Cy Young.  It’s crazy to think he doesn’t have one, with his consistency since coming over to Philly," Egeland said. "The emergence of Ranger Suarez has done wonders for this team’s outlook. Wheeler, Suarez and Aaron Nola is quite the rotation."

It certainly doesn't hurt to have Bryce Harper & Co. providing plenty of offensive firepower, too. The Phillies scored five or more runs in 13 of their wins during the hot streak.

"The Phillies are at the top of the league in just about every important metric, for both hitting and pitching. That’s a pretty decent recipe for success, if you ask me," Egeland said. "I would’ve put the Phillies a tier below the Braves and Dodgers a month ago. But they’re playing their way into the upper echelon of teams in the NL.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if this success continues."

Home of the Braves

From mid-to-late April, the Atlanta Braves went on a 10-1 run. In that span, Atlanta had win streaks of six games and four games sandwiched around one loss.

Back in the fall, BetMGM opened the Braves as the +650 favorite in World Series futures odds. But that was before the L.A. Dodgers' massive December deal to land Shohei Ohtani. Atlanta (20-9) has been No. 2 on the odds board since then and, as noted above, is currently +425 to Los Angeles' +300.

"The Braves would currently be a pretty good result for us. But we’re definitely taking a decent amount of action on them," BetMGM trader Hal Egeland said. "They’re the second-most bet team. following the Dodgers, But with where the Braves are positioned price-wise, I think they’ll be good for us heading into the playoffs."

Atlanta was playing .700-plus baseball through much of the first month, but a 1-5 slide dragged the Braves under .700. However, the Braves immediately followed with a 4-0 run and are 26-14 through May 15.

L.A. Story

Los Angeles is just looking to move past the sports betting scandal involving Ohtani's interpreter. The story broke in late March, clouding the beginning of the season. Ippei Mizuhara is expected to plead guilty to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to cover gambling debts.

The Dodgers, who opened +800 in November, were up-and-down over much of April. But L.A. (29-16 through May 15) went on a six-game win streak in late April and a seven-game tear the first week of May. As noted above, Los Angeles is the +300 favorite in BetMGM's World Series odds.

"The Dodgers are a small loser for us. But we were a loser on them before all of the offseason acquisitions," Egeland said, alluding to Ohtani and others who bolstered an already strong roster. "We opened up at Dodgers +800 to win it all, so we took a decent amount of action on them early on. Had we been at this price (+300) from the beginning, I’d imagine we’d be a small winner on them.

"We’ll see action on the Dodgers regardless of their roster, but that’s obviously compounded with all the star power. Now as the favorite, I don’t anticipate massive liability adding up. But I don’t think we’ll be cheering for them in the postseason."

Cleveland Rocks

The Cleveland Guardians are perhaps one of the more surprising teams in the first month of play. Cleveland got out of the gate with an 8-2 start, then went on an 8-1 run from April 14-23.

At 27-17 through May 12, the Guardians have the third-best mark in the AL, behind only New York (30-15) and Baltimore (27-14).

Cleveland opened +5000 in BetMGM's World Series odds market and was +6600 heading into the regular season. In mid-April, the Guardians climbed back to +5000. By April 23, Cleveland moved into +4000, and the Guardians are now +3000.

That makes Cleveland the co-10th choice at BetMGM, joined by the Chicago Cubs. But the Guardians aren't capturing most bettors' imaginations yet.

"We’ve certainly seen increased interest in the Guardians the first month of the season, but not as much as I would have anticipated. I guess it’s due to the time of year," Egeland said. "But when the Reds got hot last year, we saw a flood of Reds money coming in. That just hasn’t been the same case for the Guardians."

All that said, Egeland also isn't so sure Cleveland can maintain its pace, whether among MLB leaders or within the AL Central.

"I have my own personal doubts with the Guardians going forward. It’s not even necessarily about their roster," he said. "The Tigers and Royals are both improved from last year, and the Twins are starting to turn it around.

"I think it’s going to be a very competitive division, which I think will be important for them to win to make a significant run."

Trending Teams

Last season, the only team with fewer wins than the Kansas City Royals (56-106) was the now-nomadic Oakland A's (50-112). This season, the Royals are a juggernaut by comparison, already at 26-19 through May 15.

Some World Series futures bettors have taken note. In November, BetMGM opened the Royals as hefty +20000 long shots (200/1). Kansas City has since cut those odds by two-thirds, sitting at +6600.

"The Royals are certainly a trending team. They were the hot team in the offseason and have gotten off to a great start," Egeland said. "However, they won 56 games last year. It’d be tough for me to imagine a turnaround like that in one year.

"They’re a very exciting team with playoff aspirations for sure. But I think that’s all you can hope for this year for the Royals."

Unlike Kansas City, Baltimore is not a surprising team, but it's a very good one again. The Orioles had a surprisingly stellar 2023 campaign, going 101-61 in the regular season. But they got swept 3-0 by Texas in an AL Divisional Series.

A month and a half into this season, the Orioles are 27-14. That's behind only the Phillies and Yankees in all of MLB. After opening +1600, Baltimore is the +1000 co-fourth choice on BetMGM's World Series odds board, joining Philly at that price.

"We continue to take money on the Orioles. They have a never-ending supply of young, exciting talent, and that seems to do the trick when it comes to futures bettors," Egeland said. "As I mentioned earlier with the Reds from last year, there’s nothing a fanbase loves more than young potential.

"The Orioles will be a loser for us this year, should they win it all.  There’s no denying that."

Ticket Takers and Money Makers

When factoring in retail betting and digital action (online/mobile wagering), the Dodgers, Braves and New York Yankees are 1-2-3 in money count at BetMGM. Two of those three are expected trouble spots in the sportsbook's risk room.

"We'll definitely be rooting against the Orioles and Dodgers. We’ll also be rooting against the Yankees, as their liability is starting to creep up," Egeland said.

New York is the +650 third choice in odds to win the World Series. The Yankees have cut their odds by more than half, after opening +1600 in November.

Egeland pointed to a trio of teams BetMGM is rooting for at the moment.

"We’re pretty well positioned on the Rangers, Phillies and Braves, for teams that I consider contenders," Egeland said.

Texas, the defending World Series champion, is a middling 23-22 through May 15. The Rangers are the +1600 co-sixth choice in odds to win the World Series.

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Patrick Everson

Patrick Everson is a senior reporter for VegasInsider. Based in Las Vegas since 1994, he's worked in the sports betting journalism/content space for more than a decade. He's most known for his deep roster of contacts behind sportsbook counters, providing readers and viewers with the ins-and-outs of how events are being bet. He's also a thought leader in the sports betting space, often appearing on or moderating panels at national conferences. More from Patrick Everson