Dodgers Lead World Series Odds as Yanks and Mariners Follow
The Dodgers are favored to win the World Series, with bettors showing strong interest. The Yankees and Mariners are also in the mix as contenders.
As the 2026 Major League Baseball season begins, both bettors and bookmakers are in agreement that the Los Angeles Dodgers are the team to beat in their quest for a third consecutive World Series title.
According to DraftKings, the Dodgers have +230 odds to win the championship this season, marking the shortest odds for a preseason World Series favorite since the 2003 New York Yankees, who had +200 odds. This figure also surpasses the 2025 Dodgers’ opening odds of +240.
Los Angeles opened the betting line at +375, but those odds improved significantly after the team acquired prominent offseason additions, including closer Edwin Diaz and outfielder Kyle Tucker. The Dodgers have attracted considerable interest from bettors, who view the initial lines as advantageous.
DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello stated, “The bettors were [taking the Dodgers] when we had them at 350, 330, and 300. I think we've kind of shut the door there at +230.” The Dodgers are the top choice to win both the World Series and the National League, with BetMGM reporting that 31.9% of the betting money is backing Los Angeles, compared to just 8.2% for last season’s runners-up, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Those not betting on the Dodgers are mainly focusing on the American League, considering that a team from this league could potentially steal the championship in the World Series, as Toronto nearly did last October. After the Dodgers, four of the next six teams on the odds board are from the American League, with only the New York Mets (13-1) and Philadelphia Phillies (16-1) from the National League.
The New York Yankees lead among American League teams at 10-1, although this represents a significant increase from their initial line of +700. The reigning AL champion Blue Jays are now at 15-1, improving from their opening odds of 20-1 due to notable offseason changes and increased bettor interest.
However, the public's attention has largely shifted to the Seattle Mariners, who narrowly missed their first World Series appearance last season. The Mariners opened at 14-1 to win the title and have since moved to 12-1, making them the third favorite behind the Dodgers and Yankees.
Eric Biggio, Caesars Sportsbook baseball lead, remarked, “You definitely get a little more bang for your buck with the American League teams. A lot of love, a lot of money behind the Mariners to win the World Series and the American League pennant.” He noted that they pose the sportsbook's largest realistic championship liability.
The Mariners have received the third-highest betting volume to win the World Series at both BetMGM and DraftKings, along with the most money wagered to win the AL. BetMGM has also recorded a significant $450,000 bet on the Mariners to exceed 89.5 wins at -110 odds, as well as a $300,000 wager for them to win the AL West at +100 odds.
BetMGM senior trader Hal Egeland pointed out that the AL winner market has nearly double the number of tickets compared to the NL winner market. Despite some baseball fans disliking the idea of a Dodgers-dominated league, Biggio highlighted that Caesars' MLB handle tends to improve when a big-market team like the Dodgers is competitive, especially in matchups against other large markets like New York and Toronto: “As much as people love to hate them, I think it's good for business.”