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Dodgers remain favorites to win World Series.


May 28, 2024 EST


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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 others aren’t far behind, including the hard-charging Philadelphia Phillies as Memorial Day weekend closes.

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

Braves Down a Man

The Atlanta Braves were parked at the No. 2 choice in World Series futures odds for months, ever since the Los Angeles Dodgers landed Shohei Ohtani. A 10-1 stretch from mid-to-late April stretch helped solidify that position.

May was bumpier for the Braves, but they still held strong on the odds board behind the favored Dodgers. Until Sunday, when star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. suffered a complete tear of his ACL while running the bases during an 8-1 win at Pittsburgh.

It was a noncontact injury, and Acuna will miss the rest of the season. Atlanta’s World Series odds didn’t nosedive, but there was bookmaker reaction.

“When he initially went down, we immediately moved the Braves from +475 to +525, and the Phillies from +700 to +625. This morning, we went further. The Braves are now +800 and the Phillies +525.”

So for the moment, Atlanta and Philadelphia switched places. The Braves dropped from the No. 2 to No. 4 choice, while the Phillies leapt the New York Yankees to move into No. 2.

Atlanta is 30-20 through May 26. As for scorching-hot Philadelphia …

Phenomenal Phillies

As the MLB season hits Memorial Day, no team is running hotter than the Philadelphia Phillies. From April 25-May 23, the Phillies went 22-4. That includes a seven-game win streak in the middle of that stretch and a six-game win streak at the end of the run.

Through May 26, Philadelphia is 38-16 (.704), the only team in the majors playing above .700 baseball. The Phillies were already near the top in odds to win the World Series. With the shuffling due to the Acuna injury, Philly gained a little more ground.

“In the past [six weeks], we’ve moved the Phillies from +1300 to +525.  During that time, their fourth in both tickets and money, only trailing the Yankees, Dodgers and Orioles,” BetMGM trader Hal Egeland said.

“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 15 wins during that 22-4 spree, 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 17 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.”

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. (33-22 through May 27) went on a six-game win streak in late April and a seven-game tear the first week of May. 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 two 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 are on a nine-game win streak as part of a 12-1 run through games of May 26. At 36-17, Cleveland has the best record in the AL.

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, went to +3000 shortly thereafter, then moved into +2500 Memorial Day weekend..

That makes Cleveland the co-ninth choice at BetMGM, joined by the Minnesota Twins. 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

Maikel Garcia and the Royals are having a big turnaround year. (Getty)

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 34-21 through May 27. Kansas City recently had a seven-game win streak.

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 all the way down to +4000.

“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.

As June approaches, the Orioles are 34-18. After opening +1600, Baltimore is the +1000 fifth choice on BetMGM’s World Series odds board.

“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 went on an 11-1 run from mid-to-late May and is 37-18 overall. The Pinstripes are the +550 third choice in odds to win the World Series. The Yankees have cut their odds by almost two-thirds, 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 disappointing sub-.500 team through May 27, at 25-29. Still, the Rangers are the +2200 eighth choice in odds to win the World Series.

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