With Opening Day right around the corner, which MLB team is the favorite to win the 2017 World Series?
A bet on the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series finally paid off last season, and as a result, the Cubbies are among the favorites to win it all again in 2017.
At 4.5-to-1 odds, Chicago and the Boston Red Sox are the co-favorites to win the 2017 World Series prior to Opening Day, according to online sports book Bovada. For those unaware to the system, that means a $100 bet on the Cubs to repeat would bring back a $450 profit if the defending World Champions successfully defend their crown.
Complete odds to win the 2017 World Series (according to Bovada, as of March 27, 2017)
- Boston Red Sox +450 (4.5-to-1)
- Chicago Cubs +450 (4.5-to-1)
- Cleveland Indians +900 (9-to-1)
- Los Angeles Dodgers +1000 (10-to-1)
- San Francisco Giants +1100 (11-to-1)
- Washington Nationals +1100 (11-to-1)
- Houston Astros +1400 (14-to-1)
- New York Mets +1400 (14-to-1)
- Louis Cardinals +2200 (22-to-1)
- Toronto Blue Jays +2200 (22-to-1)
- Detroit Tigers +2500 (25-to-1)
- New York Yankees +2500 (25-to-1)
- Texas Rangers +2800 (28-to-1)
- Baltimore Orioles +3300 (33-to-1)
- Kansas City Royals +3300 (33-to-1)
- Seattle Mariners +3300 (33-to-1)
- Colorado Rockies +4000 (40-to-1)
- Los Angeles Angels +4000 (40-to-1)
- Pittsburgh Pirates +5000 (50-to-1)
- Arizona Diamondbacks +7500 (75-to-1)
- Atlanta Braves +7500 (75-to-1)
- Miami Marlins +7500 (75-to-1)
- Chicago White Sox +10000 (100-to-1)
- Tampa Bay Rays +10000 (100-to-1)
- Minnesota Twins +12500 (125-to-1)
- Oakland Athletics +15000 (150-to-1)
- Philadelphia Phillies +15000 (150-to-1)
- San Diego Padres +15000 (150-to-1)
- Cincinnati Reds +20000 (200-to-1)
- Milwaukee Brewers +20000 (200-to-1)
Bettors looking for value may take the Dodgers to win at 10-to-1 odds, given many of the computer projections systems (including PECOTA from Baseball Prospectus) are slightly higher on the Dodgers than the Cubs. Sports Illustrated also recently predicted Los Angeles to break a title streak that dates back 1988.
Next: 30 MLB breakout candidates for 2017
Looking for a Leicester City-style long shot? Both the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds are listed at 200-to-1 while the San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland A’s aren’t much better at 150-to-1. Still, a $100 bet on the Brew Crew would bring back $2,000 in profit if the impossible were to happen.