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The World Series doesn’t happen until late October but you don’t have to wait until then to bet on it. MLB futures odds, including World Series odds, are available year-round at legal online sportsbooks.
As soon as the World Series is won, odds for the following season are posted. These odds are constantly adjusted over the next 12 months based on team transactions, on-field play, hype and injuries. You can also wait to bet on the World Series on a game-by-game basis.
Below find all the ways you can bet on the World Series in Florida plus live World Series betting odds direct from Florida online sportsbooks.
Current World Series odds at Florida online sportsbooks
Below find odds for the World Series direct from top Florida sportsbooks. Futures odds for next year’s World Series open right after the previous champ is crowned and shift based on signings, trades, injuries, momentum, team performance etc. During the World Series you’ll find live game and prop odds. Click on any odds to go directly to the sportsbook, claim your top sportsbook promo and get your World Series bets in.
How MLB World Series betting works
World Series Futures bets
Like with most sporting events, there are multiple ways to bet on the World Series. The most common, year-round way to bet on the World Series is through the futures market.
Immediately following the conclusion of the World Series, futures odds for next season’s World Series winner are posted. Odds are set based on the perceived strength level of each team. Odds are then adjusted over the course of the off-season based on player transactions such as trades, releases and free agent signings. During the season, odds adjust based on team performance.
The better a team is, the lower its odds. For example, coming off a World Series appearance, the bet on the Tampa Bay Rays might be listed as +1200 (12-1) to win the World Series in the futures market. On the other hand, the bet on the Miami Marlins, a less formidable team, might be listed as closer to +4000 (40-1).
The oddsmakers are implying the Rays have a much better chance of winning the World Series than the Marlins. You’ll be compensated accordingly. Using the odds above as an example, a $100 bet on the Rays would pay out $1,200 while a $100 bet on the Marlins would pay out $4,000.
The futures market pays out at the conclusion of the World Series. Once a champion is crowned, sportsbooks will pay out any winning futures bets. If the season or World Series is cancelled for any reason, such as a global pandemic or work stoppage, futures bets are refunded.
World Series Game-by-Game bets
Say you don’t want to attempt and predict the future. Then, you can wait until the World Series matchup is set before betting on the Fall Classic. If the Rays make it to the World Series against the Dodgers again, you can wait until right before the series begins to make your bets.
Odds will be lower than they were in the futures market because there’s no longer a lack of certainty. However, on the plus side, you know your bet will be between two teams actually participating in the game.
Once the teams are set, you can bet on the World Series in many ways. You can bet on:
- Each game individually as if it were a regular season game.
- Which team you think will win before the series begins.
There are plenty of props with an expanded market due to the magnitude of the World Series. If you want to get specific, you can bet on the exact series score for a nice potential payout.
If none of this interests you, you can also live bet the World Series. Maybe you want to see how the pitchers look against the first few batters they face. Just like regular season baseball, you can live bet the World Series with the odds being adjusted based on what’s already happened in the game.
What is the World series moneyline?
The World Series moneyline is the exact same thing as a regular season baseball moneyline. Remember, it’s a normal baseball game but with a lot more on the line.
The moneyline is set based on the presumptive probability of each team winning that game. It varies based upon factors such as home-field advantage, starting pitching and the strength of each team’s lineup.
If the Rays are playing the Mets in the World Series, Tampa Bay might be -130 favorites at Hard Rock Florida to win game one. The Mets would then be +110 underdogs. This means the oddsmakers view the Rays as more likely than not to win the game. In order to make a profit of $100 by betting the Rays, you’d need to risk $130. Conversely, a $100 wager on the Mets would net you a profit of $110 if they win the game.
Moneyline odds will adjust during the game based on what’s already happened. If the Rays fall behind early, you can bet them as an underdog on the moneyline through live betting.
What is the World Series run line?
The run line is baseball’s version of spread betting. Due to the relatively low-scoring and high-variance nature of the sport, the run line is almost always listed as 1.5 runs. In most cases, the favorite covering the 1.5 run spread is a plus-money underdog.
You are simply betting whether you think the favorite will win the game by multiple runs or whether the underdog will keep the margin of victory at one run or even win the game outright.
The Rays might be -130 favorites at BetMGM Florida to win the game against the Mets, but they could be +150 underdogs to cover the 1.5 run spread.
This could change if you live bet the run line. If the Rays jump out to a 3-0 lead, the run line may now be listed as 3.5 runs rather than 1.5 runs. Oddsmakers are adjusting the odds for what has already happened in the game.
Betting the World Series over/under
Betting over/unders is popular in every sport, and the World Series is no different. If you can’t pick a winning team but expect a low-scoring game between two good pitchers, you might be more inclined to bet under the total rather than picking a team on the moneyline.
Sportsbooks like Caesars will list a total number of runs, and you simply have to pick whether the teams will combine for over or under that amount of runs. If the Rays play the Mets, the total might be listed at 7.5 runs with both the over and under being listed at -110. In this situation, a $110 risk on the under would net you a $100 profit if the game comes in at seven runs or fewer.
Like other markets, the total will change during the game. If teams explode for some runs early, the live total will be higher than it was before the game. At the same time, if the pitchers are mowing down hitters, the total will be lower than it was before the first pitch.
What is the World Series ‘first five inning’ bet?
Baseball has changed a lot over the past few decades, and the biggest switch might be the deployment of pitchers. In the past, starting pitchers took the ball and went very deep into games, often finishing them. Now, we expect starting pitchers to get through the lineup a few times and go only five or six innings.
For that reason, the first five inning market has become very popular among World Series bettors. It’s the exact same thing as betting on a normal game, but just pretend the game is over after five innings. You can watch the beginning of the game, and anything that happens in the sixth inning or later has no impact on your bet. This allows bettors to handicap the starting pitcher rather than relying on the bullpen to close the door.
You can bet which team you think will be winning after five innings, the total number of runs in the first five innings and whether the favorite will cover the run line through five innings. With this market being more reliant on the starting pitchers, they’re often easier to handicap.
Popular World Series bets: team and player props
Prop betting has become a popular alternative to betting on the game itself. It allows sports bettors to handicap factors that occur in the game without tying themselves to the result of the game itself.
The World Series offers an expanded list of props due to the magnitude of the event. Sportsbooks offer more of a selection than a typical regular season game. While it’s not quite at the level of the Super Bowl, you should be able to find props that appeal to you. Some popular props include:
- Run In First Inning: Do you only have time to watch the first inning of the game? Do you want immediate action? This is a bettor’s dream for instant gratification. Simply bet whether you think there will be a run scored by either team in the first inning.
- Team To Score First: Which team will get on the board first? The road team will usually be favored in this market as its players bat first while the home team gets last licks.
- Team Totals: Will a certain team go over or under its listed team total for runs? There are also team total markets for other stats like hits.
- Pitcher Strikeouts: Will the starting pitcher’s strikeout total be over or under the listed total?
- Batter Props: Will a certain batter record a hit? Will he record over or under 1.5 total bases? Will he score a run?
Recent World Series betting trends
The World Series has been contested 116 times in history, with the American League winning 66 compared to the National League’s 50. However, over recent years, the parity between the two leagues is obvious.
The National League has won back-to-back World Series with the Washington Nationals winning in 2019 and the Los Angeles Dodgers winning in 2020. Since 2010, the NL has won seven World Series compared to four for the AL.
No team has won back-to-back World Series in the last 20 years. The last team to string together wins was the New York Yankees, who won three straight from 1998 to 2000.
World Series matchups have also been very competitive in recent years. There hasn’t been a sweep since 2012. Six of the last eight World Series have gone at least six games.
Vegas World Series odds
For a long time, sports bettors looked toward Las Vegas to find out the odds for sporting events such as the World Series.
However, with the legalization of sports betting across the country, Vegas odds are not much different than the odds found in states such as Florida.
Most oddsmakers use computer algorithms, models and analytics to set MLB baseball lines. With consistent information, the World Series betting lines are similar across the betting marketplace.
Biggest bets on the World Series
With sports betting now legal in many states across the country, it’s no surprise there are millions of dollars bet on the World Series every year. There have been notable large bets in recent years.
One such example is Jim McIngvale. McIngvale is known as “Mattress Mack” as he owns a retail chain of mattress stores in Texas. He offers promotions at his stores that allow customers to get a free mattress if the Astros win the World Series.
In recent years, with the success of the Astros, Mattress Mack has bet tens of millions of dollars on the Astros in order to hedge his position. In 2017, the hedging paid off. However, in 2019, he came out on the losing end.
Greatest World Series moments in Florida history
Both the Miami Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays have made the World Series twice in their history. The Rays lost in both of their appearances, while the Marlins won in their two trips to the Fall Classic.
In 1997, a deciding Game Seven was held at Pro Player Stadium between the Marlins and Cleveland Indians. Game Seven went to extra innings where Edgar Renteria hit a walk-off single to make the Marlins the World Champions.
In 2003, the Marlins won the World Series at Yankee Stadium. However, there were memorable moments in Miami. In Game Four, Alex Gonzalez hit a walk-off home run in the 12th inning to even the series at two games a piece. Then, in Game Five, the Marlins rode a solid performance from Brad Penny en route to a 3-2 series lead.
In 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays were beaten by the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. The Rays’ lone win of the series came in front of the home crowd in Game Two behind a solid pitching performance from James Shields.
In 2020, the Rays made the World Series against the LA Dodgers, but the event was held at a neutral field in Arlington, Texas. The most memorable moment for the Rays was their walk-off win in Game Four thanks to a Brett Phillips hit. The Dodgers won in six games.
More MLB futures odds
The World Series is not the only way to get involved in the baseball futures market. Here are some other options:
- MVP: Both the American League and National League have a Most Valuable Player, given to the most outstanding and impactful player.
- Rookie of the Year: Which newcomer will have the biggest impact in both of the two leagues?
- Cy Young: Who will be the best pitcher in the American League and National Leagues?
- Manager of the Year: Which manager will get credited for making the biggest impact on their team?
- Gold Gloves: Gold Gloves are given to the best defensive player at every position in each league.
- Win Totals: Each team has a listed number of wins. Will they go over or under that amount of wins during the season?
Sportsbook rules for betting on World Series
When betting on baseball, knowing the rules for postponed and suspended games is crucial. If the game is postponed due to weather, you will receive a refund on your bet. If the game begins with a delay but plays all the way through, your bet is valid. Finally, if the game starts but then becomes suspended, your bet will be valid as long as the game resumes within a reasonable timeframe. Games do not need to go a full nine innings to count as official.