World Series Odds Update: The Dodgers Are Runaway Preseason Favorites Win the 2022 Fall Classic

World Series Odds Update: The Dodgers Are Runaway Preseason Favorites Win the 2022 Fall Classic

Opening Day of the 2022 MLB season is just over one week away! After an unfortunate delay as the owners and players association bickered over financial terms and other inconveniences, the baseball season will finally commence on Thursday, April 7th. Even though the games have yet to begin, there are still plenty of ways for bettors to jump in on MLB betting odds and picks. The World Series futures odds market is always one of the most popular forms of preseason MLB betting action. 

Although the lockout cast a dark cloud over this MLB offseason, there were still plenty of notable free agent moves and trades that went down. The baseball landscape looks a whole lot different now than it did just a few months ago. Even the defending World Series Champion Atlanta Braves were involved in some of the most notable signings of the offseason. While some believe that this year’s Braves team could be even better, Atlanta is not viewed as the preseason favorite on the World Series odds board. 

The following article provides an update on the latest MLB betting odds to win the 2022 World Series with one week remaining before Opening Day. The breakdown is structured into pricing tiers to help readers get a feel for how the market values each team’s chances of winning the championship this season.

Click Here for the Latest World Series Odds

Preseason MLB World Series Betting Odds Update

Tier I — The Favorite: Dodgers +500 (Bet $100 to Win $500)

When it comes to the current World Series odds, it is the Los Angeles Dodgers and everyone else. Heck, L.A. manager Dave Roberts even went so far as to guarantee that his Dodgers would hoist the Commissioner's Trophy this fall. Considering how loaded the roster is, the pressure is on to deliver on that promise.

Being the title favorites is certainly nothing new for Los Angeles. It is a status that the Dodgers have held in each of the last several seasons. Despite this, L.A. only has one World Series ring to show for it. That 2020 championship also comes with the asterisk of being a shortened season with obscure scheduling and postseason formats. For the Dodgers to truly silence their doubters and critics, winning the World Series in a traditional season is vital.

Of course, the Dodgers almost made it back to the Fall Classic last year, losing to Atlanta in the NLCS. Almost all of the ridiculously talented roster from a year ago returns. While losing ace starting pitcher Max Scherzer hurts, L.A. still boasts a nasty trio of arms in Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, and Clayton Kershaw. The health of the latter will be key, and one can safely assume the Dodgers will be in the market to acquire additional pitching depth via midseason trades.

The real splash the Dodgers made this offseason came when they successfully lured longtime Atlanta Brave Freddie Freeman out to Southern California. In doing so, Los Angeles effectively poached the star player on the one team that beat them in last year’s postseason. Talk about making a statement! Freeman becomes the latest megastar in a lineup that already included Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Will Smith, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger and Trea Turner. 

Yeah, you get the gist. The Dodgers are LOADED offensively. This team has all the characteristics of the massive favorite they are in the preseason MLB World Series odds.

Place a first time wager of up to $1,100 and get it back with Caesars if it loses

Tier II — The Contenders

The Dodgers may be runaway World Series betting favorites, but there are plenty of viable contenders for the crown. While the majority of teams that fall in this tier participated in the MLB Postseason a year ago, this is not the case for all of them.

NL World Series Betting Contenders

Mets +1000 (Bet $100 to Win $1000)

The New York Mets are the betting market’s choice to be L.A.’s top competition in the National League. In fact, the Mets have garnered the most World Series futures bets of any team in baseball prior to the start of the season. That’s pretty impressive stuff for a team that didn't even make the postseason last year. Landing ace Max Scherzer, who pitched in the playoffs for the Dodgers a year ago, stands out as the Mets’ top free agency move of the offseason.

Braves +1200 (Bet $100 to Win $1200)

Behind the Mets, the defending champion Atlanta Braves also slot into this second tier of World Series odds. Although the Braves lost Freddie Freeman to the Dodgers, they managed to sign postseason hero Eddie Rosario to a fresh deal. Atlanta also added slugger Matt Olson and former Dodgers closer, Kenley Jansen. 

Brewers +1600 (Bet $100 to Win $1600)

The Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres are the final two NL teams in the “Contenders” tier. The Brewers in particular are intriguing. While Milwaukee failed to convert an NL Central Division title into playoff success last year, a stacked rotation that includes Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta will certainly have the Brew Crew in the mix once again.

Claim this Risk Free Bet of up to $1,100 with Caesars

AL World Series Betting Contenders

Astros +1000 (Bet $100 to Win $1000)

In the American League, the list of teams viewed as contenders starts with the defending pennant winners in the Houston Astros. What a lot of people may have forgotten about Houston’s postseason run is that it was accomplished without two dynamite starting pitchers. The Astros will definitely have Lance McCullers Jr. back, while Justin Verlander could very well be ready for Opening Day as well. Although star shortstop Carlos Correa departed this offseason, Jose Altuve will continue to lead an Astros lineup that still has plenty of pop.

Yankees +1100 (Bet $100 to Win $1100)

Blue Jays +1200 (Bet $100 to Win $1200)

A trio of AL East Division teams land in the “Contenders” tier. The top two in terms of the World Series odds are the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. This offseason saw the Yankees retool a star-studded lineup by acquiring Josh Donaldson. New York also agreed to a new deal to keep last year’s trade deadline acquisition Anthony Rizzo in the Bronx. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays are drawing plenty of buzz in the MLB betting market as a young team poised to take the next step. Slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will lead a loaded lineup. Toronto also improved its rotation in the offseason by signing Kevin Gausman.  

Rays +1700 (Bet $100 to Win $1700)

The third AL East team is none other than the defending division champion Tampa Bay Rays. Despite their small market budget, the Rays continue to overachieve on an annual basis. Also in the “Contenders” tier is last year’s AL Central Champion Chicago White Sox. The Southsiders mostly maintained last year’s roster which ran away with the division but faltered down the stretch and in the playoffs. An additional bat was added to the mix in the form of veteran infielder Josh Harrison.

Tier III — The Sleepers

Everyone loves a good sleepers pick, especially when it comes to MLB betting futures to win the World Series. Tier III is devoted to the teams who could crash the party this season.

Red Sox +2500 (Bet $100 to Win $2500)

On the heels of reaching the ALCS last year, it may seem odd to view the Boston Red Sox as a “Sleeper”. Well, Boston’s pitching continues to leave a lot to be desired in terms of personnel. It will be up to the offense to carry the Red Sox back to the postseason again. Landing Trevor Story in free agency will certainly help that project along.

Giants +2800 (Bet $100 to Win $2800)

Behind the Red Sox sits a San Francisco Giants team that finished with the best record in all of baseball a season ago. Their reward was getting ousted in the NLDS by the Dodgers. Needless to say, the World Series odds market is showing the Giants a whole lot more respect ahead of the 2022 season than a year ago. 

Also landing in the “Sleepers” tier are the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, and Minnesota Twins. Each of these teams has the talent capable of achieving big things this season. Whether or not they can keep pace with the World Series betting favorites and top contenders is another story. Of these five teams, only the Cardinals made it to the postseason last year.

Claim this $1,000 RISK FREE bet from FanDuel

Tier IV — The Longshot Hopefuls

In this tier, we find several teams who are listed as longshots on the preseason World Series odds board. While a championship-caliber season would be a surprise from any of these franchises, each has reason to be hopeful ahead of Opening Day.

Tigers +6500 (Bet $100 to Win $6500)

On the heels of a season in which they surprised many, the Detroit Tigers head up the “Longshot Hopefuls” tier. Given that Detroit resides in the mediocre AL Central Division, this is truly a longshot sleeper to snag a postseason berth. The Tigers’ top maneuver in the offseason was signing slugger Javier Baez. 

Marlins +8000 (Bet $100 to Win $8000)

Aside from Detroit, the only other team in this tier with World Series odds set shorter than 100-1 is the Miami Marlins. Thinking of the Marlins as having any hope of contending is a fairly novel idea given the franchise’s recent history. However, an electric starting staff led by Sandy Alcantara could carry Miami to a surprise playoff spot. The Marlins also signed slugger Jorge Soler away from the Braves to provide a much-needed boost to the offense.

The rest of this tier sees seven teams jumbled together with World Series betting odds priced in the triple-digits. The Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Guardians, and Texas Rangers all come in at 100-1. The Kansas City Royals, who were a sharp pick a year ago, sit at 120-1 odds. Rounding out the tier are the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, and Washington Nationals at 150-1. Obviously, it would be a surprise to see any of these teams emerge as a legitimate championship contender this season. However, each has pieces in place to offer some hope for a sneaky run this MLB season.

Tier V — The Better Luck Next Years

When it comes to betting on the preseason MLB World Series odds, the four teams in this last tier are worth avoiding altogether. Trust us, your money would be better spent on something else.

Of the foursome, the Colorado Rockies offer the most intrigue. That being said, signing Kris Bryant is not enough to transform this team into a legitimate contender. The home-road splits that the Rockies had a year ago were historic in nature. If Colorado can perform any better away from the altitude at Coors Field, perhaps they can hang around in the NL Wild Card race into September.

As far as the rest of this tier, don’t expect much. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a staff ace in Madison Bumgarner and an exciting young talent in Ketel Marte. Other than that, the cupboard is quite bare in the desert. As for the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates, it may be another three years before either franchise even sniffs a winning record. Such is life when you make bad trades (*cough* Chris Archer) and sign players to awful contracts (*cough cough* Chris Davis).

Click Here for the Best Sportsbook Promotions Available in Your State