With the start of the 2021 MLB regular season about six weeks away from its April 1 start date, it’s time to take a look at the early odds to win the 2021 World Series. Whether you like one of the top favorites on the board or a team with longer odds, you’re about to get some expert MLB betting insight that will help you in your quest to cash in early and often all season long. Let’s jump right into action so you can plan ahead your bets and place them against their World Series odds.
Early MLB Betting Odds for the 2021 World Series
Let’s get started in reverse order with the longest of long shots and their dark horse counterparts.
Log Shots and Dark Horses
- Milwaukee Brewers +7000
- Miami Marlins +10000
- Arizona Diamondbacks +15000
- Kansas City Royals +15000
- San Francisco Giants +15000
- Seattle Mariners +15000
- Texas Rangers +15000
- Baltimore Orioles +20000
- Detroit Tigers +20000
- Colorado Rockies +25000
- Pittsburgh Pirates +30000
Milwaukee (29-31) looks mediocre in every way imaginable even if Christian Yelich does bounce back from his horrendous 2020 season. Miami (31-29) looks like a team on the way up, if the Marlins are still a couple of years away from really contending. Arizona (25-35) is light years away from challenging in the NL West.
Kansas City (26-34) is back to being the cellar dwellers they were before winning it all in 2015. The Giants (29-31) are nowhere near the same team that won titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014 – and nowhere near the Dodgers – or Padres – these days. Seattle (27-33) needs better pitching – again. Texas (22-38) needs more pitching – again.
I suspect a 75-year-old Jim Palmer, 64-year-old Eddie Murray and 60-year-old Cal Ripken would still be more fun to watch than what we see in Baltimore (25-35) these days. Hell, the Hall of Famers could still start for the Orioles for that matter. Detroit (23-35) is bereft of talent and Colorado is in the beginning stages of a rebuild after moving on from superstar Nolan Arenado. Pittsburgh was the worst team in all of baseball – and it wasn’t even close.
Next up, we have contenders and pretenders.
Contenders or Pretenders
- Los Angeles Angels +4000
- Washington Nationals +4500
- Cincinnati Reds +4500
- Philadelphia Phillies +5000
- Chicago Cubs +5500
- Boston Red Sox +6000
- Cleveland Indians +6500
Analysis: Out of this group, I’m going with Washington (26-34) as my most likely contender. The 2019 World Series champs might have struggled last season, but they still have plenty of talent up and down the lineup. More importantly, when you have two aces like Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer, you should always have a chance to contend. My biggest pretender is Philadelphia. My poor, hometown Phillies apparently are going to keep trying to contend with mediocre arms everywhere, an overpaid star and not much else. Oh yeah…and Joe Girardi is in over his head.
Now let’s take a look at the teams that should be lurking for a playoff berth all season.
They Should Be Lurking
- Toronto Blue Jays +2000
- St. Louis Cardinals +2200
- Oakland Athletics +2500
- Tampa Bay Rays +2800
Analysis: Tampa Bay won the AL East last year, bite moved Blake Snell. Ugh! Still, the Rays will not only lurk, but challenge for consecutive division titles. Toronto is right there with New York and Tampa Bay and has a player in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that could soon reach superstar status sooner rather than later. Oakland won the AL West over Houston and it was no fluke. The A’s have been in the playoffs in three straight seasons and six of the last nine seasons overall. St. Louis made some nice offseason moves starting with the acquisition of star third baseman Nolan Arenado. Out of this group, I expect big things out of Oakland, first and foremost, although, truthfully, all four teams in this group could end up in the playoffs.
Each of the following teams is expected to contend for something big, like a berth in the World Series.
They’re Supposed To Contend
- New York Mets +925
- Chicago White Sox +925
- Atlanta Braves +950
- Minnesota Twins +1550
- Houston Astros +1800
Analysis: The Braves were my pick to win the 2020 World Series and I’m coming back with Atlanta as my top pick in this group of teams that are supposed to contend in 2021. The Braves have plenty of talent on the roster, starting with the ageless Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr.. Atlanta has won three straight NL East titles and is loaded with talented arms starting with gifted right-hander Ian Anderson.
Now, let’s look at the top favorites on the odds board.
The Top Favorites
- Los Angeles Dodgers +330
- New York Yankees +515
- San Diego Padres +750
The World Series champion Dodgers are completely and utterly loaded. After winning it all last season, all LA did was add NL MVP winner Trevor Bauer in free agency. The Yankees are prohibitive favorites to win the AL pennant for the second straight season after failing to get it done a year ago. The San Diego Padres are young, talented and fearless – kind of like blossoming superstar Fernando Tatis Jr.
LA looks like a sure-fire lock to reach the NLCS at the very least, if not the World Series while the Padres will have their hands full trying to get past the Dodgers in their own division let alone the NL playoffs. The Yankees are going to be very good, but don’t pencil the Yankees as AL pennant winners just yet.
I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?
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