Top MLB betting storylines for 2026: Dodgers’ shadow looms large over futures
Fresh off of successful a second consecutive World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers did what they’ve completed greatest over the previous couple of years and signed a number of of essentially the most coveted free brokers available on the market. In December, they signed three-time Reliever of the Year Edwin Diaz. Then, in January, they scored arguably the offseason’s greatest prize, outfielder Kyle Tucker.
The Dodgers have already simply achieved World Series-favorite status following their championship win in October. The Tucker signing shot them from +375 at open to +250, and so they’ve since shortened additional to +230, in response to DraftKings traces. Assuming these odds maintain to Opening Day, they’d be the shortest for a World Series favourite going into the season because the 2003 New York Yankees (+200), beating out the 2025 Dodgers (+240) for that distinction.
There’s actually a degree of fatigue that comes with watching the identical crew dominate 12 months in and 12 months out… and but, there’s an plain gravitational pull that the Dodgers have on bettors, whether or not it is due to the perceived certainty of their success or their persevering model.
“It’s almost deflating when you hear the news that they signed the best free agent hitter, they signed the best free agent reliever. There’s a little kind of cynicism,” Caesars Sportsbook baseball lead Eric Biggio advised ESPN. “At the same time, I think it is good that one of the major-market teams is one of the best teams. That only increases control for the games, increases the ratings and whatnot. … As many as people love to hate them, I think it’s good for business.”
Biggio provides that the Dodgers-Yankees World Series in 2024 did “huge” numbers, and even the Dodgers’ win over the Toronto Blue Jays final 12 months produced “fantastic” motion. DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello additionally notes that Los Angeles successful MLB’s championship will not be a given and that the crew got here very near dropping to Toronto final October.
None of that has stopped bettors from backing the Dodgers to win a 3rd straight title. BetMGM studies that Los Angeles has attracted essentially the most tickets (14.0%) and deal with (31.9%) for the World Series, in addition to — by far — essentially the most deal with to win the National League (33.4%). The Dodgers (14.1%) solely have much less ticket share for the NL than the Chicago Cubs (14.6%).
According to Avello, many bettors at DraftKings noticed worth on the Dodgers early on: “I think we’ve kind of shut the door there at +230 because [the bettors] were thinking that +350 was a great price, and we did take quite a bit of money on them,” he mentioned.
Either means, Los Angeles’ quick pricing is probably going not going to offer sportsbooks a lot hassle, even when Dave Roberts’ crew does fulfill the three-peat. Instead, some extremely lengthy lengthy pictures such because the Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates are BetMGM’s largest liabilities, unlikely as they’re to win all of it. Avello additionally notes some outsized motion on the New York Mets from the NL as properly.
American heroes?
Given the Dodgers’ stranglehold on the National League, bookmakers and bettors alike acknowledge {that a} crew from the American League might be simply 4 wins away from stealing a championship away from LA within the World Series. To that finish, following the Dodgers, 4 of the following six World Series favorites are from the AL.
Of these prime groups, the one seemingly making essentially the most noise within the offseason has been the Seattle Marinerswho had been extremely near knocking off the Blue Jays within the ALCS for their first World Series look. Seattle opened at 14-1 for the title, moved to 13-1 by mid-January and sit at 12-1 because the season begins, the third-best odds on the board.
“A lot of love, a lot of money behind the Mariners to win the World Series, to win the American League pennant,” Biggio mentioned, noting them as one of many books’ prime liabilities. “I’m a little surprised. I thought we’d see a little more love on the Blue Jays, but really haven’t seen that much money on them. So a lot of money on the Mariners is our number one position. … They seem to have the best pitching in baseball, so it makes a lot of sense.”
After the Dodgers, BetMGM studies its second-most deal with backing Toronto and its third most backing Seattle for the World Series. BetMGM additionally noticed important curiosity within the Yankees and Detroit Tigerswhereas Caesars reported some legal responsibility with the Baltimore Orioles.
While the Blue Jays, Mariners and Orioles all shortened within the World Series markets over the offseason, the Yankees lengthened fairly considerably from +700 to 10-1, though that also places them second on the percentages board behind Los Angeles.
Many bettors need to take the Dodgers out of the equation fully by betting the American League-winning market. BetMGM senior dealer Hal Egeland mentioned that the e-book’s AL-winner market has practically twice as many bets because the NL-winner market does.
Once once more, the Mariners are widespread there, attracting a number one 39.7% of deal with at BetMGM, adopted by the Tigers, who’ve 15.7% of the cash and a number one 24.5% of the tickets.
Full assist
One of the very best indicators of how the betting markets really feel a couple of crew is just by their win totals for the season. Going into the 2026 marketing campaign, a number of developments have emerged.
While the Dodgers, unsurprisingly, have the league’s highest win whole at 102.5, per DraftKings traces, many bettors are balking at that top quantity, with Egeland saying that lower than 20% of tickets and deal with in that particular market are on the over at 103.5 with BetMGM.
Instead, bettors need to groups such because the Orioles, who made some very splashy strikes this offseason by signing first baseman Pete Alonso and buying and selling for beginning pitcher Shane Baz. Those transactions and public assist pushed them from 77.5 wins in November to 86.5, in response to Caesars traces. DraftKings additionally studies strong assist for Baltimore.
The Mariners have additionally been widespread within the win-total markets, even at their excessive whole of 89.5 wins, per DraftKings. BetMGM took a giant $450,000 wager on Seattle to achieve at the least 90 wins at -110 odds, in addition to a $300,000 wager to win the AL West at +100 odds.
However, among the greatest alternatives for win totals are for groups with low expectations. Going into the 2026 marketing campaign, these groups are primarily the Pirates and the White Sox, who sit at 78.5 wins and 67.5 wins, respectively, per DraftKings traces. Chicago has the second-shortest odds to have the worst file within the league at +700, however that also far outpaces the Rockies at -400.
On the flip aspect, the St. Louis Cardinals‘beneath has been hammered by bettors amid a weak offseason that included minimal acquisitions and the buying and selling away of third baseman Nolan Arenado. Biggio famous that Caesars opened the Cards at 75.5 wins and moved them right down to 69.5, among the many lowest within the league.
“You always have high regard for that organization, and they never seem to have a bad year,” he mentioned. “Well, this year, the bettors are definitely down on the Cardinals.”
From WBC to MVP?
The 2026 MLB preseason appeared quite a bit completely different than most years with many star gamers competing within the World Baseball Classic. The worldwide match put playoff-style baseball on show early within the 12 months and gave a jolt to baseball betting that exceeded all expectations from bookmakers.
“The World Baseball Classic did really well,” Avello mentioned. “The handle on the games was much better than I expected it would be, and it’s a good prelude into baseball.”
The WBC additionally put a highlight on a number of well-known gamers, in addition to some lesser-known gamers, giving them consideration within the awards futures markets.
Near the highest of that listing is Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthonywho starred for Team USA and has fifth-best 14-1 odds to win the AL MVP at DraftKings. BetMGM studies important ticket share backing him, in addition to different Team USA stars Bobby Witt Jr.. (+500) and Gunnar Henderson (15-1). Caesars’ Biggio additionally mentions some outsized motion on Nick Kurtzwho’s creeping up into the favourite dialog with 15-1 odds at DraftKings.
On the NL aspect, Juan Soto (+900), Ronald Acuna Jr.. (10-1) and Bryce Harper (25-1) have additionally acquired some consideration from bettors after some massive moments within the WBC. But, because it tends to go together with the Dodgers, they’re all chasing Shohei Ohtani at an astounding -145. BetMGM studies an enormous 65.2% of the deal with backing the Japanese famous person to win his fifth MVP award.
While the AL Cy Young betting is unfold out throughout a number of completely different arms, there may be little debate who everybody’s favourite is for the NL Cy Young. Paul Skenescontemporary off a Rookie of the Year and a Cy Young in consecutive seasons, is the favourite available in the market at +210, and Avello says bettors are usually not holding again on betting him. At BetMGM, the exceptional 23-year-old leads NL Cy Young betting by each bets and deal with.