Major League Baseball

World Series odds: Championship futures for every team, best bets

Updated Apr. 6, 2022 11:03 a.m. ET

After a lockout threatened to cancel the 2022 season, Major League Baseball bettors can rejoice now that Opening Day is finally here!

Not only is America's Favorite Pastime back, but this year brings post-season expansion with a 12-team playoff. Those extra teams can only mean one thing — more teams than ever have a chance to compete for the elusive World Series title.

Will the powerful Los Angeles Dodgers live up to the overwhelming hype and fulfill Dave Robert's prediction to win it all? Can the Houston Astros shake off the negative commentary and silence the critics? Or will the New York Yankees end the third-longest title drought in franchise history and bring the coveted trophy back to NYC?

These lines will change throughout the season, but let's dive into the championship odds for each team ahead of the most fabled day in American sports lore, Opening Day (with all odds via FOX Bet).

ODDS TO WIN 2022 WORLD SERIES*

- The Dodgers have won 820 games and eight straight NL West titles in the last decade, therefore it's no surprise they find themselves as the league-wide favorite at +500. The addition of Freddie Freeman gives this team not only the best batting lineup in the league this season but puts them in contention for the best lineup of all time.

- The defending champion Atlanta Braves are still sitting high following their amazing Series run in 2021. Yes, the loss of Freeman hurts, but the signing of Matt Olson and the mid-season (hopefully) return of Ronald Acuña Jr. from a torn ACL should keep this offensive juggernaut humming along. At +1400, the winners of four straight NL East titles present great value.

- After four AL West titles, five straight ALCS appearances and three pennants in the past five seasons, the Houston Astros are no strangers to success. However, they are familiar with controversy as well as the sign-stealing of 2017 still looms in the background of all those accomplishments. Tied with the New York Yankees at +1000, they have the third-shortest odds to win the Fall Classic. If you can't silence the critics you might as well keep 'em angry by continuing to win.

- Although it's a new season, we still have the same old story for the New York Yankees: another powerful lineup, another chance to right the ship and another team with short odds to win the title, this time at +1000. Is this the year this veteran group finally delivers for their legion of fans?

As for best bets, both FOX Sports MLB experts Ben Verlander and Jake Mintz are crushing on Toronto.

Ben Verlander: "I love this Blue Jays team led by 23-year-old Vlad Jr. They lost Ray and Semien in free agency but made up for it with their offseason moves and got better in other areas. The pitching staff has quickly become one of the best in baseball, with the addition of Kevin Gausman, and adding Matt Chapman, MLB's best defender, at third base was a perfect move for Toronto. I like this team to win a tightly contested AL East. And I like them to win the 2022 World Series."

Jake Mintz: "And if the Canadian government continues its COVID policy, which precludes unvaccinated individuals from entering the country, that could provide the Jays with a huge home-field advantage by restricting unvaccinated players from playing in Toronto. That's a bit of good karma for a team that spent the past two years in Dunedin, Florida, and Buffalo, New York."

PICK: Blue Jays (+900 at FOX Bet) to win the World Series

Read here for the FOX Sports MLB crew's predictions for the 2022 season.

Do you like your team's title odds? If so, make sure you place your World Series futures bets at FOX Bet!

Play FOX Super 6 every week for your chance to win thousands of dollars every week. Just download the Super 6 app and make your picks today!

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