The World Series, also known as the “Fall Classic”, is Major League Baseball’s annual championship series. It begins in late October and can stretch into early November. Do you want to learn more about World Series betting? You are in the right place. This page contains valuable information to help you bet on 2026 World Series odds at top online sportsbooks like BetOnline.
Here, you can discover and explore the best World Series betting sites, types of World Series bets, World Series history, and basic information about the format of the World Series and MLB playoffs. Also, you can learn more about the other resources we have to help you with your World Series bets.
Where to Bet on the World Series
Because the World Series is one of the most popular sporting events on the U.S. sporting calendar every year, all reputable sports betting sites for U.S. players offer World Series odds to some degree. So, there is no shortage of good options if you want to wager on the next Fall Classic.
But what are the best World Series betting sites? We have taken the time to evaluate many top sportsbooks and narrow our list down to five books who hit it out of the park for World Series wagering and MLB betting in general.
To learn even more about BetOnline, Everygame, and our other favorite World Series betting sites, check out our sportsbook reviews.
What Is the World Series?
The World Series is a best-of-seven series between the American League champion and National League champion. It marks the end of the MLB playoffs, which currently consist of three rounds prior to the World Series.
What Is the Format of the MLB Playoffs?
Wild Card Round
The MLB playoffs begin with the Wild Card round. The Wild Card round consists of two best-of-three series in the AL and two in the NL.
What are the matchups for the Wild Card round? Here are the pairings for the two series in each league.
- No. 3 seed (division winner with the worst record) vs. No. 6 seed (wild card team with the worst record)
- No. 4 seed (wild card team with the best record) vs. No. 5 seed (wild card team with the second-best record)
In the Wild Card round, the higher seeds host every game.
Division Series Round (ALDS & NLDS)
The winners of each Wild Card series move on to join the two division winners from each league for the Division Series round. This round consists of four best-of-five series, two in the AL and two in the NL.
What are the matchups for the Division Series round? Here are the pairings for the two series in each league.
- No. 1 seed (division winner with the best record) vs. No. 4 seed or No. 5 seed
- No. 2 seed (division winner with the second-best record) vs. No. 3 seed or No. 6 seed
The Division Series features a 2-2-1 format. The higher seed hosts Game 1, Game 3, and Game 5 (if necessary) and the lower seed hosts Game 2 and Game 4 (if necessary).
This and the Wild Card round set the MLB playoffs apart from the NBA playoffs and NHL playoffs. All playoff series in the NBA and NHL are best-of-seven.
League Championship Series Round (ALCS & NLCS)
The Division Series winners in each league move on to the best-of-seven League Championship Series round, which consists of the American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series.
The League Championship Series features a 2-3-2 format. The team with the best regular season record hosts the first two and last two games, while the other team hosts the middle three games.
However, a wild-card team cannot have homefield advantage, even if they have a better regular-season record than the other team.
World Series
The winners of the League Championship Series move on to the World Series, which also features a 2-3-2 format. But unlike the League Championship Series round, a wild-card team can have home-field advantage in the World Series if they have the better regular-season record.
Since the first World Series in 1903, it has taken place every season except for 1904 and 1994.
In 1904, there was no World Series because the owner of the New York Giants, that year’s National League champion, refused to play the American League champion Boston Red Sox.
In 1994, there was no World Series due to the strike that started that August and went on until April 1995.
Following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win over the New York Yankees in the 2025 World Series, the American League now holds a 68-53 all-time edge in World Series wins.
The New York Yankees have won the most World Series titles, with their 27th and most recent title coming in 2009. The Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals (11) are the only two franchises with ten or more championships.
Five current MLB franchises have never won the World Series: the Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Tampa Bay Rays. Of that group, the Mariners, who lost to the Blue Jays in seven games in the 2025 ALCS, remain the only MLB team without a single World Series appearance.
How to Bet on the World Series in 2025
The World Series is a very popular event to bet on, like the Super Bowl, March Madness, NBA Finals, and other championship events in American sports.
There are several ways to bet on the World Series. You can bet on each individual game of the World Series in a variety of ways or place bets on World Series futures odds.
World Series Futures Betting
All year long, you can make futures bets on the World Series. Whether it is before the season, during the regular season, or during the MLB playoffs, you can bet on World Series futures odds.
Later in the regular season and during the MLB playoffs, you will often see expanded options for World Series futures betting. But the primary option for World Series futures betting is betting on who you think will win the World Series.
Let’s look at that kind of betting using an example of 2026 World Series winner odds from BetOnline:
Odds to Win the 2026 World Series
- Los Angeles Dodgers +275
- Toronto Blue Jays +800
- New York Yankees +900
- Seattle Mariners +1200
- Houston Astros +1400
- New York Mets +1400
- Philadelphia Phillies +1400
- San Diego Padres +1600
- Atlanta Braves +1800
- Boston Red Sox +1800
- Milwaukee Brewers +2200
- Chicago Cubs +2500
- Detroit Tigers +2500
- Cleveland Guardians +2800
- Texas Rangers +2800
- Baltimore Orioles +3300
Do you think the Los Angeles Dodgers will win the 2026 World Series? If you place a $100 bet on the Dodgers to win the World Series, a winning wager will yield a return of $450. You would receive your original $100 stake along with $350 in winnings for your successful wager.
Betting on World Series Games
During the World Series, you can also bet on each game. Let’s look at the kinds of World Series betting you can do on each game.
Moneyline Betting
Moneyline bets are wagers placed on who you feel will win a particular game. Let’s look at a hypothetical example. Say the Mariners are hosting the Dodgers in a World Series game. Here’s what the moneyline could look like for that matchup.
- Los Angeles Dodgers +115
- Seattle Mariners -135
If you think the Mariners will win the game, then you would place a bet on Mariners -135. If the Mariners win by any margin, your bet wins as well.
Total Betting
Total bets, which are also known as over/under bets, are wagers placed on how many combined runs–or whatever measure of scoring is used in the particular sport you are betting on–will be scored in a given matchup.
Let’s look at a hypothetical total for the above matchup between the Dodgers and Mariners.
- Over 8 (-120)
- Under 8 (+100)
Do you think the two teams will combine for nine or more runs? If you do, you will bet the over. If the final score is 6-3 Mariners, your wager would be a winner.
Do you think that the two teams will combine for eight or fewer runs? If you do, your bet will be on the under. If the final score is 5-3 Mariners, your wager would be a winner.
Run Line Betting
A run line bet is a wager placed on the scoring margin in a baseball matchup. Run line betting is baseball’s version of point spread betting.
Let’s look at run line betting using the same hypothetical World Series matchup.
- Los Angeles Dodgers +1.5 (-165)
- Seattle Mariners -1.5 (+135)
Do you think the Mariners will win by two or more runs. If so, your bet is Mariners -1.5 at odds of +135. If the final score is 5-3 Mariners, then your bet wins.
Do you think the Dodgers will lose by one run or win the game? If so, your bet will be Dodgers +1.5. If the final score is 5-4 Mariners, then your wager would be a winner.
Prop Betting
Prop bets are wagers that are not necessarily directly linked to the above outcomes.
What are some popular MLB prop bets available at sportsbooks such as BetOnline and Lucky Rebel?
Home run props and strikeout props are two of the most popular types of MLB player props. With those two props, you can bet on if a specific player will hit a home run or how many strikeouts one of the listed starting pitchers will have.
For team and game props, two popular options are which team will score first and if there will be runs in the first inning. NRFI (no runs first inning) and YRFI (yes runs first inning) betting has a very dedicated following.
Let’s look at a few MLB prop bet examples using the Dodgers vs Yankees scenario and Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Blake Snell Strikeouts
- Blake Snell Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-120)
- Blake Snell Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-110)
If Snell has seven or more strikeouts, the over would be the winner. If Snell has six or fewer strikeouts, the under would be the winner.
Let’s look at another example, using NRFI/YRFI betting.
Will There Be Runs in the First Inning?
- Yes (-105)
- No (-115)
If even one run is scored in the first inning, “Yes” bets would win. If no runs are scored in the first inning, “No” bets would win.
Live Betting
Live betting has become one of the most popular ways to bet on the World Series and other events and sports.
With live betting, you can bet on the moneyline, total, run line, props, and more while the action is going on. Among other things, live betting enables you to hedge bets that are not looking so good or confidently but responsibly bet more on a desired outcome.
World Series Betting Tips & Strategy
While there are some universal betting principles to keep in mind whether you are betting in April or October, wagering on the World Series is not the same as wagering on regular-season baseball.
With shorter rotations, increased bullpen usage, and every matchup magnified, even small edges matter when betting on the World Series. These quick strategy notes can help you spot value, anticipate momentum swings, and make smarter bets throughout the Fall Classic.
Prioritize Pitching Form Over Reputation
Pitching depth wins championships. Instead of relying on name value, evaluate recent starts, pitch counts, and bullpen fatigue.
If a team enters the late stages of a game with a fresh bullpen whose most reliable late-inning arms available, it can tip the scales of a tight game. Therefore, pitching form and depth are key factors in moneyline or live betting decisions.
Leverage Home-Field Success and Momentum
The World Series uses a 2-3-2 format, giving one team three straight home games mid-series. This can tilt the advantage from one team to the other, especially with favorable pitching matchups.
If the series is not a significant mismatch, consider target the home team in Games 3–5 when crowd energy and routine advantage peak.
Weather Should Guide Totals Betting
Late-October conditions can suppress offense, especially in colder temperatures or when wind blows inward.
This often makes the under the better pick for World Series over/under bets. However, if winds are blowing out, the possibility of home runs and a high-scoring game will increase and potentially make the over a strong play.
Line Shopping Pays Long-Term Dividends
Even small odds differences matter. If you consistently find -105 odds instead of -110 or -110 instead of -115, you can get a bankroll boost across even just a series.
Compare prices across at least two or three sportsbooks before locking in your bets. Line shopping is a valuable part of a successful sports betting experience.
Use Alternate Run Lines for Bigger Payouts
If you expect a comfortable win behind an ace or dominant matchup, consider using -2.5 or -3.5 run lines instead of the standard -1.5.
These alternate lines increase risk, so we recommend being careful about how much of your bankroll you allocate to these bets or how often you do them. But if you use them well, they offer significantly better payout potential than -1.5 run lines.
World Series Odds and Picks
Compare Odds for Every World Series Game at Betting News
Throughout the MLB season, our MLB betting experts offer up predictions and expert picks for top baseball matchups, as well as their takes on the latest headlines and MLB futures odds.
Beyond this, we do our part to steer you in the right direction with your World Series bets or choosing the right sportsbook in other ways. That includes our reviews of sportsbooks, betting tools, and picks services, as well as guides on types of bets and betting strategy.
It also includes the MLB game odds we offer for every game. We take odds from BetOnline, Bovada, and other top sportsbooks and stick them in one nice, neat place. This means that you do not have to look a million different places to track line movement or do your line shopping.
Get World Series Expert and Consensus Picks at Betting News
When it’s time for the Fall Classic festivities, Betting News will have both expert picks and consensus picks for every game of the World Series matchup.
Our MLB betting experts have been watching the games, crunching the numbers, tracking the trends, and betting on the names and games all season long, so you can trust their picks and research. Have you seen Colby Marchio? That’s the face and mustache of an honest, knowledgeable man. You don’t have to tail every pick, but you can trust that he knows his stuff.
In addition to our MLB expert picks, we also offer MLB consensus picks for every game on the MLB schedule, including every game of the playoffs and World Series.
Moneyline, spread (run line), and total picks are aggregated from reputable and renowned sports betting industry sources, and they are combined with our collected odds to form the consensus ML, RL, and O/U picks for every game. These picks are not foolproof and guaranteed to hit 100 percent of the time, but they can be a valuable supplement to your World Series betting research.
Recent World Series Winners and MVPs (2006-Present)
| Year | Champion | Opponent | Result | World Series MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) | Toronto Blue Jays (AL) | 4-3 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) |
| 2024 | Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) | New York Yankees (AL) | 4-1 | Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) |
| 2023 | Texas Rangers (AL) | Arizona Diamondbacks (NL) | 4-1 | Corey Seager (Rangers) |
| 2022 | Houston Astros (AL) | Philadelphia Phillies (NL) | 4-2 | Jeremy Peña (Astros) |
| 2021 | Atlanta Braves (NL) | Houston Astros (AL) | 4-2 | Jorge Soler (Braves) |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) | Tampa Bay Rays (AL) | 4-2 | Corey Seager (Dodgers) |
| 2019 | Washington Nationals (NL) | Houston Astros (AL) | 4-3 | Stephen Strasburg (Nationals) |
| 2018 | Boston Red Sox (AL) | Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) | 4-1 | Steve Pearce (Red Sox) |
| 2017 | Houston Astros (AL) | Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) | 4-3 | George Springer (Astros) |
| 2016 | Chicago Cubs (NL) | Cleveland Indians (AL) | 4-3 | Ben Zobrist (Cubs) |
| 2015 | Kansas City Royals (AL) | New York Mets (NL) | 4-1 | Salvador Pérez (Royals) |
| 2014 | San Francisco Giants (NL) | Kansas City Royals (AL) | 4-3 | Madison Bumgarner (Giants) |
| 2013 | Boston Red Sox (AL) | St. Louis Cardinals (NL) | 4-2 | David Ortiz (Red Sox) |
| 2012 | San Francisco Giants (NL) | Detroit Tigers (AL) | 4-0 | Pablo Sandoval (Giants) |
| 2011 | St. Louis Cardinals (NL) | Texas Rangers (AL) | 4-3 | David Freese (Cardinals) |
| 2010 | San Francisco Giants (NL) | Texas Rangers (AL) | 4-1 | Edgar Rentería (Giants) |
| 2009 | New York Yankees (AL) | Philadelphia Phillies (NL) | 4-2 | Hideki Matsui (Yankees) |
| 2008 | Philadelphia Phillies (NL) | Tampa Bay Rays (AL) | 4-1 | Cole Hamels (Phillies) |
| 2007 | Boston Red Sox (AL) | Colorado Rockies (NL) | 4-0 | Mike Lowell (Red Sox) |
| 2006 | St. Louis Cardinals (NL) | Detroit Tigers (AL) | 4-1 | David Eckstein (Cardinals) |
Other Sports Betting Information
Now that you know what kind of World Series bets you can place, you should be well on your way to maximize your chances of World Series betting success.
And while you are still here, check out our other sports betting guides to learn more about baseball betting, how to pick the right sportsbook, and more.
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- Common Sports Betting Mistakes Made by Beginners
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