Hope Springs Eternal: Betting Favorite, Contender and Longshot to Win the 2025 World Series

It should come as no surprise that the frontrunners are the Los Angeles Dodgers. The reigning champs are +275 to repeat with a few shiny new toys to play with come opening day. But are they the best value? The Yankees shot themselves in the foot but had a real shot to beat the Dodgers last season. And, at +800, they hold a lot of value in returning and enacting revenge on LA.

Moving past a rematch, teams like the Mets, Braves, Phillies, and Orioles are contenders with temptingly valuable 2025 World Series odds. If you are feeling really brave, a bet online on a longshot like the Rangers, Tigers, or Mariners might make your list of wagers to make this offseason.

While confidently picking a World Series winner this early is risky, I’m here to do just that and try to make sense of October baseball at the beginning of February.

Odds to Win the 2025 MLB World Series

• Los Angeles Dodgers +275
• New York Yankees +800
• Atlanta Braves +900
• New York Mets +1000
• Philadelphia Phillies +1100
• Baltimore Orioles +1400
• Houston Astros +1800
• San Diego Padres +2000
• Boston Red Sox +2000
• Texas Rangers +2500
• Chicago Cubs +2500
• Seattle Mariners +3000
• Cleveland Guardians +3000
• Detroit Tigers +3000
• Arizona Diamondbacks +3000
• Minnesota Twins +4000
• Kansas City Royals +4000
• Milwaukee Brewers +5000
• Tampa Bay Rays +6000
• Toronto Blue Jays +6000
• Cincinnati Reds +6500
• San Francisco Giants +7500
• St. Louis Cardinals +10000
• Pittsburgh Pirates +10000
• Oakland Athletics +15000
• Washington Nationals +15000
• Los Angeles Angels +15000
• Miami Marlins +25000
• Colorado Rockies +50000
• Chicago White Sox +50000

Betting on the 2025 Word Series: Favorites, Contenders and Longshots

The Favorite

The Dodgers looked at the offseason and said, “What budget?” First, they handed two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell a five-year, $182 million deal in November to ensure their Scrooge McDuck vault didn’t overflow. Then, they reeled in Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki because why not stack the deck even further?

And just when you thought they were done, they threw another $72 million at All-Star reliever Tanner Scott. Sure, he’s great, but at this point, they’re just flexing. Naturally, their odds moved +320 to +275.

But here’s the thing—going back-to-back in MLB isn’t exactly a walk in the ballpark. The last team to pull it off? The Yankees in their late-90s dynasty days. Before that, you’ve got to dig through the archives to find the Blue Jays in the early ’90s or the A’s and Reds tag-teaming the 70s.

So, while the Dodgers are throwing cash like they’re printing it, history says it’s not that simple. Then again, history also said they couldn’t buy a World Series… until they did.

Bet on the LA Dodgers to win the 2025 World Series (+275)

The Contender

The Yankees missed out on Juan Soto despite throwing a ridiculous 16-year, $760 million contract at him. But hey, who needs Soto when you can splurge on discount All-Stars? In true Yankees fashion, they pivoted to Max Fried (8 years, $218 million), Cody Bellinger (2 years, $52.5 million), Paul Goldschmidt (1 year, $12.5 million), and Devin Williams ($8.6 million), because clearly, quantity over Soto’s quality is the play here.

That’s 13 combined All-Star appearances and two MVPs. Sounds great, right? Sure, until you realize Goldschmidt is coming off his worst season, and Fried is just one awkward arm angle away from reminding Yankees fans of all the pitching injuries that ruined their dreams last year. And let’s not forget Gerrit Cole’s elbow scare from last spring—because Yankees rotations just love living on the edge.

At least the outfield is shaping up. Bellinger will patrol center, freeing up Aaron Judge to shift back to right (where he’s good defensively), while Jasson Dominguez tries to prove he’s more than just hype in left. This lineup is about balance, defense, and “hoping the new guys don’t implode.” If you are feeling lucky, our AL MVP odds have Aaron Judge to win the award at +300.

Spring training? Doesn’t count. But you better believe all eyes will be on Goldschmidt to see if he’s got anything left in the tank—or if MLB news outlets start reporting on Yankees fans screaming “Should’ve signed Soto” by May.

Bet on the NY Yankees to win the 2025 World Series

The Longshot

Playoffs? In Boston? It’s been a rare event lately, but at +2000, the Red Sox are a sneaky value play. After all, this team quietly went from a bottom-third rotation in 2023 to one of the top seven in 2024, thanks to pitching coach Andrew Bailey working his wizardry. Add Garrett Crochet to that mix, and suddenly, the Sox have a rotation that might keep them in games—and Vegas noticed, moving their MLB odds from +4000 to +2000 faster than you can say “Fenway Franks.”

On the offensive side, Jarren Duran turned into a star with an 8.7 WAR season, and if Boston can carry that momentum and make a few more savvy offseason moves, that five-game Wild Card gap doesn’t feel insurmountable. Fans are ready to riot if October baseball isn’t back soon, but this team’s got the pieces to make noise—if they can finally get out of their way.

Verdict

While betting against the Dodgers is a risky gambit, the value just isn’t there at +275. I’m sure their price will improve once the regular season starts, so if you are hell-bent on betting on LA, I suggest holding off. But, if you are ready to bet on a World Series prop today, I think the Yankees at +800 is a smart 2025 World Series prediction. Sure, they lost Soto, but they are arguably a better team than in 2024, and a World Series rematch isn’t as farfetched as it might sound.

Questions of the Day

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets