World Series Betting and Odds
Few events in professional sports carry the long and storied history of the World Series. Since 1903, the World Series has capped the professional baseball season by determining a champion between the National League and American League of Major League Baseball. The World Series is filled with memories, history, and heroic moments which make for an incredible viewing and betting experience.
Qualifying for the World Series
Before 1969, the American League and National League each determined their champion and World Series representative through the best end-of-season record. For the 1969 season, each league was divided into an East and West division, and the playoff format was born. In 1994, Major League Baseball added a Central Division and the Wild Card, expanding the playoffs.
In 2022, Major League Baseball moved to a 12-team format with six teams competing in each league. Winners of each division are given the top three seeds, while slots four through six are awarded to the next-best records among Wild Card teams. The top two division winners are given automatic berths in the Division Series, while the third division winner and three wild card teams compete in a best-of-three Wild Card Round. The winners of the Wild Card Round move on to face the top division winners in the Division Series, each determined in a best-of-five format. The winners of the Division Series face each other in their respective League Championship series: the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and the National League Championship Series (NLCS). League Championship Series are determined in a best-of-seven format, with the winners qualifying for the World Series.
The World Series is played in a 2-3-2 format—meaning, the first two games of the series are played at the site of the team with home-field advantage, Game 3, Game 4 and Game 5 are played at the site of the team without home-field advantage, with Game 6 and Game 7 played at the home-field site. Home-field advantage is given to the team with the better regular-season record.
With so many games to capture a fan’s attention, the odds to win the World Series can add excitement to every bettor’s experience. To get season long MLB odds and for more information on Major League Baseball, visit the DraftKings Sportsbook MLB page.
Types of Bets Available for the World Series
The MLB World Series odds aren’t the only way to place wagers on baseball’s championship spectacular. There are a variety of different ways to place bets on the World Series and the performances of its biggest stars.
For information to help you place your first baseball bet, visit the DraftKings Baseball Betting Guide.
Run Line
Within the World Series odds, you can place a spread bet. A spread bet is known as a run line bet in baseball and is set as the amount by which a team is favored to win.
If a team is listed as +1.5, it means they are the underdog. If the Boston Red Sox are playing the New York Mets, and the Red Sox are listed at -1.5 and you bet on the Red Sox, they would need to win by at least two runs for a successful wager. If the Mets are listed at +1.5, they need to either lose by just one run or win the game to cover the run line.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is as simple as choosing a winner. When reading the moneyline odds, the odds are formatted to indicate how much will be returned on a $100 wager. If you choose the Chicago Cubs to win with odds of +200, a winning wager would return you $300 (your original $100 bet plus the +200 odds).
Total
Over/under bets are also known as totals. Total bets give you the opportunity to bet on the combined run total between both teams. If the total for a game between the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves is 7.5, and a bettor selects the over, the two teams involved would need to combine for eight runs or more to win that bet. If you think the game will be low-scoring, you would bet the under—if you’re thinking it’s a night for home run-hitting fireworks, the over would make sense.
Player props
Player prop bets give you the opportunity to follow the performance of your favorite baseball stars. Prop bets are wagers on a player’s performance or on a specific achievement. Player props might give you the opportunity to bet on a home run by your favorite slugger or the number of strikeouts by your team’s ace pitcher.
Parlay bets
A parlay bet on the World Series is a combination of several bets but requires each to be successful for a payout. For example, if you bet $100 for the White Sox to win and for Jake Burger to hit a home run, both events would need to occur for a payout. For parlay bets, you can include a variety of bets on one ticket—run lines, moneyline bets, and props can all be pulled together into a parlay bet. The payouts for a parlay bet can be substantial, but all conditions have to be met to win.
World Series FAQs
When does the 2023 World Series begin?
The 2023 World Series begins after the completion of the National League Championship Series and American League Championship Series. This season, the postseason is scheduled to begin on October 3, 2023—which would slate the World Series for the last week of October and potentially spill into the first week of November.
Where and when is the World Series held?
The World Series is sometimes referred to as the “Fall Classic” in reference to its annual placement in the season’s calendar. Traditionally, the World Series occurs near the end of October each season and is held at the home stadiums of the National League and American League champions.
Who won the 2022 World Series?
The 2022 World Series saw the American League champion Houston Astros play the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. The series went six games, with the Astros winning the series four games to two, and winning the deciding Game 6 by a score of 4-1.