MLB Championship Futures Betting Odds

Odds Shark

25 October 2023

We finally made it. The 2023 World Series is set to begin this Friday in Arlington, where the Rangers and D-backs will battle for baseball's highest honor.

This MLB postseason has been wild. None of the favorited clubs made it to the end; instead, Texas hacked its way to a championship berth, while the D-backs never stopped believing.

As of Wednesday, the Rangers are -170 favorites over the Diamondbacks (+150) in this best-of-seven series.

Who Is Favored To Win The 2023 World Series?

Odds as of Oct. 25

If you want help breaking down what these numbers and odds How To Bet On Baseball guide. Or you can just tail (or fade) our picks for the 2023 season:

How the Rangers Win The World Series

Grip and rip. Texas' dominant offense has been the key to its success all season, and that played true in the ALCS, when Adolis García and Corey Seager unloaded for some timely homers. García's success is especially notable, as he became the first player in MLB history with 15 RBI in a single playoff series.

Beyond the deadly offense, the Rangers will need their few key starters to keep shoving. Nate Eovaldi's been utterly fantastic in four playoff starts this year, working a 2.42 ERA in 26.2 innings. Jordan Montgomery and Max Scherzer will need steady outings, too, if Texas wants those precious early leads.

How The Diamondbacks win the World Series

The D-Backs' bats have spontaneously caught fire, but Arizona have won far more games with its run-prevention department. Closer Paul Sewald has six saves, zero earned runs, and a sparkling 11:1 strikeout:walk ratio.

Everyone knows leverage arms can make or break a postseason — just look at how Craig Kimbrel fumbled the Phillies' World Series chances. Arizona has received just enough of a contribution from its offense and starting pitching. After that, the bullpen dominates. That recipe has carried the 84-win D-Backs to their first World Series appearance since 2001.

Key Players To Watch In the 2023 World Series

Ketel Marte, 2B, D-Backs

The NLCS MVP, Marte set a record Tuesday by continuing his 16-game hit streak, the longest such streak to begin a postseason career.

Marte has been the Snakes' hottest hitter by far, mashing a mix of singles and extra-base hits in big spots. If I'm prop betting this series, I'd back the 30-year-old to keep cooking.

Adolis García, OF, Texas Rangers

I already mentioned García's brilliance, but this part bears repeating: he is the hottest hitter on planet Earth right now. The stocky Dominican has mashed seven home runs this postseason, with five coming in the ALCS.

García's astronomical slash line (.327/.352/.750) is one thing, but it's his ferocity at the dish that makes me believe. "El Bombi" is confident and intimidating at the plate. He didn't flinch in his hit-by-pitch altercation with Astros reliever Bryan Abreau, and I doubt the Snakes will stand any chance of getting under his skin.

Bet García everything — homers, extra bases, RBI.

Last 10 World Series Champions

The biggest long shot to win the World Series in the last decade was the 2015 Kansas City Royals.

The Royals were coming off a season in which they dominated all the way to the World Series (not losing a single playoff game on the AL side of the bracket) and then pushed the eventual champion Giants to seven games for the title. However, they weren’t getting much respect in preseason odds the next year as KC’s +3300 Opening Day odds to win the title placed the team 17th on the board at the time.

MLB Teams with the Most World Series Titles

The New York Yankees have easily the most World Series in MLB history. However, it's been a while since the Bronx Bombers added to their total. The Yankees last won a World Series in 2009, defeating the Phillies in six games.

MLB Teams That Have Never Won a World Series

Six MLB franchises have yet to win a World Series. The Seattle Mariners are the only team that’s never even been to a World Series final despite having some of the league’s best-ever players like Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Ichiro Suzuki.

World Series Betting Trends

What Are MLB Futures?

When you visit your sportsbook of choice, you’ll see an option to bet on which team will win the World Series. This kind of bet is a futures wager, which means you’re betting on events that will happen in time. Oddsmakers release action on the Fall Classic before the season starts and adjust the lines as teams surge and stumble in the standings.

You would see odds listed like this:

How To Read World Series Odds

Unlike a moneyline bet, where there would be a clear favorite and underdog, the team with the lowest MLB World Series odds is the closest thing to a fave. In this case, it’s the Dodgers and Yankees. The team with the highest odds would be the closest thing to a dog. Here, it’s the Twins.

If you were to bet $100 on the Twins at the beginning of the season and they won the World Series, you’d get a payout of $1,600 – your original $100 is returned, along with your winnings of $1,500. On the other hand, the same bet amount on the Dodgers would give you a payout of $475 – you get your $100 back, plus your loot of $375.

Our Odds Calculator can help you determine how much you’d pocket depending on the odds and the amount bet.

The earlier you can make a futures bet the better because you’ll see higher returns since MLB World Series odds ebb and flow depending on a team’s overall performance, injuries to key staff, and how they stack up against the rest of their division.