Excitement is building for the return of the full 162-game MLB regular season schedule and postseason run to a World Series title. The middle of February marks the return of spring training leading up to MLB Opening Day on Thursday, April 1. The middle of this month also marks the best time of the year to find some solid value in BetOnline sportsbook’s MLB futures odds to win the 2021 World Series.
MLB World Series Futures- The Best of the Best
Los Angeles Dodgers +350
Betting the Dodgers to repeat as World Series Champions comes down to believing they can finally live up to expectations two seasons in a row. The front office in Los Angeles has put together a team that has won the NL West the last eight seasons. The Dodgers have made three trips to the World Series in the past four years. All the pieces remain in place to sustain this high level of success.
New York Yankees +700
The Yankees get the never-ending benefit of the doubt when it comes to betting MLB futures. They were seven games behind Tampa Bay in the abbreviated AL East standings at 33-27 in 2020 and eliminated in the ALDS. The team’s last World Series title was in 2009, which also was its last trip to the Fall Classic. The Yankees made a few splashy moves during the offseason but not enough to add a ton of value to their 2021 World Series futures odds.
San Diego Padres +850
This team could be the most interesting on the board playing in the same division at the Dodgers. San Diego is onto something after winning 37 of 60 games last year. Competing head-to-head against Los Angeles over 162 games will be the true test. The Padres have been extremely active in putting all the pieces together over the past few years. This is a team worth taking a flyer on at attractive odds, but it still maybe a year or two away from displacing the Dodgers as the NL’s best team.
MLB World Series Futures- The Best of the Rest
Chicago White Sox +900
The White Sox should win the AL Central in 2021 to create a clear path to the ALDS and beyond. In the absence of one dominant team in the American League, they could also win their first pennant since winning the 2005 World Series. Anything can happen in a best-of-seven series to add value to these odds. This team remains one of the most talented in baseball, behind some up-and-coming superstars. If the breaks all fall its way, Chicago is the top value pick for the best of the rest.
New York Mets +900
Winning the NL East is a strong possibility for the Mets. Getting past the Dodgers to win the NL Pennant (or even San Diego) is, at best, a reach. On paper, putting this New York team in the Top 5 of the World Series futures list makes some sense. Yet, those +900 odds are driven by pure speculation from the betting public. Mets fans and bettors are getting a bit ahead of themselves to drive down the value in those odds.
Atlanta Braves +1100
Over the past three seasons, the Braves have been one of the more consistent MLB teams. They have three NL Division titles to their credit during this span. However, Atlanta has yet to prove it has what it takes to win it all. I like this betting value more than the Mets, but that is about as far as it goes.
