MLB 2024 World Series predictions, odds and best expert bets

Updated: October 1, 2024, 7:32 a.m. ET

The MLB regular season is officially over and that means only one thing: postseason baseball. The regular season ended Monday night after the Braves and Mets split the doubleheader, meaning both teams went to the postseason and the Diamondbacks were eliminated. There are 12 teams left, all with the same goal, but it won't be easy. Not surprisingly, with their star-studded lineup, the Dodgers are the World Series favorite, closely followed by Bryce Harper and the Phillies and Aaron Judge and the Yankees. But could there be a repeat of last season and a dark horse at the helm?

There's a lot to do, so let's not waste any more time. Let's take a look at the current World Series odds, a postseason preview, and my best World Series bets. For a more immediate analysis, check out ours MLB Tips for the Wild Card round and EVERY game during the playoffs.

2024 MLB World Series odds

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook and available at time of publication.

• Los Angeles Dodgers +350
• Philadelphia Phillies +380
• New York Yankees +450
• Houston Astros +850
• Cleveland Guardians +1100
• San Diego Padres +1100
• Baltimore Orioles +1300
• Milwaukee Brewers +2000
• New York Mets +2300
• Atlanta Braves +2300
• Kansas City Royals +3000
• Detroit Tigers +3000

Remember that you should shop around at different sportsbooks depending on which team you want to choose. For example, the Phillies are +380 on FanDuel but +475 on DraftKings.

2024 MLB Postseason Preview

Was there any doubt that the Dodgers would be the favorite? It's been that way all season, so it was no surprise to see Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers with sky-high expectations. But there are a lot of questions surrounding their starting rotation after the season because…it's not great. Could this open the door for the Phillies, Padres or Brewers to steal the National League pennant? These three teams certainly have a better postseason rotation, so it comes down to whether offense or pitching is more important in the postseason.

I don't even have to think about this answer: pitching. For example, look at last postseason. The Dodgers were expected to top the standings, but they were swept in the first round by knocking out Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller and Lance Lynn in three games. And the teams that went deep into the postseason? The Phillies had Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez, while the Diamondbacks had Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt. Pitching means everything in the postseason. So which teams have the balance between a solid starting rotation and an above-average lineup? In this way you eliminate the contenders and contenders.

We have MLB wild card predictions for EVERY series, including a +460 pick!

Best bet on the 2024 MLB World Series: Philadelphia Phillies (+475)

Odds are available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publication

The Phillies have everything you could want in a postseason team. First, they have the best postseason rotation of any team: Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez. Wheeler has been in the Cy Young discussion since Opening Day and got even better as the season went on, considering he posted a 1.62 ERA in August and a 2.23 ERA in September. His buddy is Aaron Nola, who had a solid 2024 season and let's not forget his dominance in the 2023 postseason. Nola was 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in four starts last postseason and played a crucial role in getting the Phillies to the NLCS.

Next up is the unsung hero of the rotation – Cristopher Sanchez. The left-hander had a breakout 2024 season when he posted a 3.32 ERA in 31 starts. He's also been incredible at home, posting a 2.21 ERA and 0.97 WHIP at Citizens Bank Park this season. So expect the Phillies to make sure he's in the starting lineup at home. And finally, Ranger Suarez was almost perfect in the first half of the season. He dealt with some injuries in the second half, but is primed for October, posting a 1.23 ERA in the 2022 postseason and a 1.93 ERA in 2023.

Secondly, what's not to love about their cast? The Phillies finished the regular season 4th in batting average, 5th in on-base percentage, 5th in OPS and 8th in wRC+. A big reason for their success is their eliteness at the top, but also the depth at the back of their lineup. I expect their postseason lineup to be Schwarber, Turner, Harper, Bohm, Castellanos, Realmuto, Stott, Marsh and Rojas. This might just be the best lineup in the postseason. And finally the bank. I'm talking about Citizens Bank Park, which arguably offers the best home field advantage in the postseason. It's extremely difficult for other teams to succeed in Philly while the Phillies benefit from the energy. They've proven they can make the postseason, and with their team even stronger this year, I'm drawn to the Phillies again.

Discover our expert MLB predictions for every match during the playoffs

Best Longshot Pick of the 2024 MLB World Series: San Diego Padres (+1200)

Available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publication

It's crazy to consider the Padres a longshot, but given these odds, that's how I'd classify them. San Diego came close to taking the NL West from the Dodgers in the final week of the regular season, but came up just short. They enter the postseason as the NL's top wild card and have a best-of-3 series against the Braves. Since Michael King, Dylan Cease and Joe Musgrove are the Padres' top three armies, I like their chances of winning two games against Atlanta.

If the Padres win the Wild Card round, they will face the Dodgers in the NLDS. And it's not that I don't like the Dodgers, but I think their postseason rotation will be their downfall. Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are a great one-two punch and should be able to win them a game or two. However, Walker Buehler and Landon Knack struggled in the regular season and could be a problem in the postseason. In short, I believe the Padres could beat the Dodgers in a best-of-5 series.

That leaves the NLCS and then the American League pennant winner, but those teams should be afraid of the Padres. San Diego has a premier 1-2-3 punch in the rotation and arguably the best bullpen in the postseason with Jason Adam, Tanner Scott, Yuki Matsui, Adrian Morejon and Robert Suarez. And at the plate, the Padres have a phenomenal lineup full of contact hitters (Luis Arraez), power hitters (Fernando Tatis Jr.) and clutch hitters (Jackson Merrill). I expected the Padres to be under +1000, so getting them at 12/1 is very valuable.

Read our Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres prediction for Game 1 of their Wild Card Series