Dodgers start as title faves; Mets drive wagering
- Joined ESPN in 2014
- Journalist covering gambling industry since 2008
Oddsmakers believe the Los Angeles Dodgers are in a class by themselves entering the Major League Baseball season.
The Dodgers, at 5-1 at Caesars Sportsbook, are the clear-cut favorites to win the World Series, with an implied probability of nearly double that of any other team. The Toronto Blue Jays, at 9-1, are the only other team with World Series odds better than 10-1.
The Dodgers, however, aren’t the most popular bet on the board at Caesars. More bets have been placed — and more money wagered — on the New York Mets (at 14-1) to win the World Series than any other team.
After they won 106 games last year and added former MVP Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers’ 2022 win total at Caesars was sitting at 98.5 entering Opening Day, seven games higher than the next team in the National League. Los Angeles features four former MVPs for the second straight season and, according to Caesars’ odds, has three of the top six candidates to win NL MVP in Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freeman.
“You’re looking at a Dodger team that’s projected to win 100 games,” Eric Biggio, head baseball trader for Caesars Sportsbook, said in a statement. “I don’t see how they don’t get near there.”
The Houston Astros are 10-1 to win the World Series, followed by the Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves, who are each 11-1. The New York Yankees are next at 12-1.
The Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates have the longest World Series odds, each at 300-1. Despite their long odds, the Orioles have attracted more bets to win the World Series than 10 other teams at Caesars.
At Caesars, Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, at 13-4, is the favorite to win American League MVP, while Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals is the NL MVP favorite at 3-1.
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is the favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award at 7-2, and the Mets’ Max Scherzer is the NL Cy Young favorite at 5-1.
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the favorite to hit the most home runs at Caesars Sportsbook.
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