World Series 2024 Betting Odds: Dodgers the Favorite

It’s hard to believe we’re past the midway point of the 2024 MLB season. Back in March, I picked the Dodgers and Astros to face off in the World Series. The Dodgers, the preseason favorite, still sit at the top of the odds board despite having seven starting pitchers on the injured list. Houston came out of the gate flat but undeterred by their slow start and having five legit starting pitchers on the injured list themselves, have the third-best record in baseball over the last 30 games at 20-10, behind two surging teams in the Mets and Red Sox. 

At FanDuel Sportsbook, there are only five clubs listed at 10/1 or lower: Dodgers +320, Phillies +420, Yankees +550, Orioles +700, and Braves +800. Here’s where FanDuel opened those teams in March:

Here are the current odds from FanDuel:

There’s a wide gap after the Braves, with both the Twins and Guardians at 18/1 and two AL West clubs, Houston and Seattle, both listed at 20/1. You don’t often find value at the top of the board with the favorites but what makes this a little tougher is the elite farm systems both the Dodgers and Orioles possess. They’re two of the biggest favorites to improve before the MLB trade deadline. Both clubs have reportedly been in discussions with the Chicago White Sox about All-Star lefty starter Garrett Crochet. The Orioles haven’t suffered the volume of starting pitcher injuries as the Dodgers and ‘Stros but have lost three starting arms in Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells to elbow injuries this season. Most of the teams with playoff aspirations need a starting pitcher or two and a bat. It will certainly be a seller’s market with a couple of available players creating a bidding war in the trade market.

Let’s go through some of the clubs and see if there’s a bet I want to make.

2024 World Series Odds

Los Angeles Dodgers +320

The Dodgers are still hanging around their opening number of +320 to raise the Commissioner’s Trophy in October. It’s hard to imagine the Dodgers not making a deep playoff run despite having Walker Buehler, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Yoshinobu Yamamoto currently on the injured list. But this isn’t a number I can get behind, even with plans of adding talent before the deadline. 

Philadelphia Phillies +420

The Phils have the second-most wins after 96 games in team history. While the lineup has plenty of pop, their rotation has been one of the best in baseball. Despite Philly being a well-rounded club, this number isn’t long enough for me to bet with three months of games to go. 

Cleveland Guardians/Minnesota Twins +1800

I’ve grouped these two clubs together because one of them is guaranteed a spot coming out of the AL Central (sorry, Royals and Tigers fans). It’s probably a toss-up if the other club clinches a Wild Card spot but I don’t see either team improving much at the deadline or making a deep postseason run with the lack of top-end starting pitching talent, despite the dominant bullpens. 

Boston Red Sox +4000

The Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball, but I’m not confident in ownership loosening the purse strings and getting the pieces needed to make a postseason run.

Arizona Diamondbacks +5000

While the Dbacks shocked the world last year as the NL representative in the World Series, it’s tough to see a team currently lined at 40/1 or 50/1 making a deep postseason run without greatly improving at the deadline. The Dbacks won’t need to trade for starting arms, as the rotation should get a boost with the return of Eduardo Rodríguez, Merrill Kelly and maybe even Jordan Montgomery. Arizona is tied with the Padres for second place in the NL West, seven games behind Los Angeles. They’re not a team I really want to bet on to make a playoff run for the second season in a row. 

World Series Best Bet

Baltimore Orioles +700

There’s not a bet on the board that I love, but if I were forced to pick one, it’d be the Orioles. Back in 2019 I picked the Orioles to win the 2025 World Series, so I don’t want to stray from that prediction. Their odds have been cut in half from March, maybe I’m being a homer here, but we know they’re going to improve at the deadline. GM Mike Elias will most likely acquire a top-end starting pitcher, a right-handed bat and a relief arm to solidify a taxed bullpen. The O’s currently sit one game ahead of the Yankees in the AL East; the division is pretty much a toss-up, but it’s hard to see the second-place team not clinching a Wild Card spot as they have the third- and fourth-best records in baseball. 

While I don’t have an official bet, I’m curious to see what the market looks like after the deadline. We’ll have clarity on the buyers and sellers, and the deadline winners and losers. I think it’s likely, if they’re able to stay healthy of course, that the Orioles’ odds will be shorter July 31 than they are today. Whatever you decide to bet, make sure you use the FTN’s Prop Shop to find the best number available. Not only does it pull the best prices for props but in the futures market as well.