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2022 World Series betting: The Dodgers, not the Braves, open as the favorites

Nick Bromberg
·College football and motorsports writer
·4-min read

The Atlanta Braves aren’t going to enter the 2022 season as the betting favorites for the World Series.

The Braves won the 2021 World Series on Tuesday night after beating the Houston Astros in Game 6. The World Series title capped a remarkable second-half turnaround for the Braves after the team made some trade deadline additions and took advantage of a disappointing National League East to win the division and storm through the playoffs.

The Braves open at +1000 and as the No. 3 favorite to win the 2022 title at BetMGM. Atlanta trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers (+500) and the Astros (+800) and are tied with the New York Yankees.

All four of those teams made the playoffs in 2021. The Braves beat the Dodgers in the NLCS to advance to the World Series. But L.A. opens as the favorite, thanks to a stacked roster that returns Mookie Betts and Trea Turner and has the financial ability to add free agents.

The impending free agency period means it’s incredibly early to place a World Series bet. Teams are going to attempt to reshape their rosters ahead of the season in the coming months. But that also means you can find value among the futures odds. Here are a couple of our favorite value plays ahead of the offseason along with a couple of teams you should stay away from.

Consider a bet

The Padres added former Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin. He’s one of the best managers in baseball and inherits a roster that’s exceptionally talented. The Padres’ odds would be better if they weren’t in a division with the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, but with two wild-card spots available, San Diego is still an enticing bet as long as the franchise keeps adding talent.

Here’s another team that will have a new manager next season. Oliver Marmol takes over after the team parted ways with Mike Shildt at the end of the season. St. Louis got into the postseason in 2021, thanks to a torrid September win streak, but it’s worth noting that the team underperformed for most of the season. With a lineup that contains Tyler O’Neill, Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, the Cardinals are once again set to be at the top of the NL Central with the Milwaukee Brewers. A full season of Jack Flaherty could be the difference between the wild card and the division title this time.

Stay far, far away

The Mets are at No. 11 on the board for the World Series and there’s nothing that makes us think they’re close to being worth betting at +2000. New York may add a free agent or two to bolster the team but it also has to find a general manager. The team parted ways with acting GM Zack Scott earlier this week and hasn’t yet found a permanent replacement.

  • Oakland Athletics (+4000)

With Melvin’s departure, Oakland could be in the midst of another teardown this offseason. The 2021 season broke a streak of three consecutive playoff appearances despite a record of 86-76, and that lack of a postseason appearance may lead to a couple more seasons without a postseason. While Oakland has made the playoffs 11 times since 2000, it has also missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons on three different occasions. We think that 2022 will mark the fourth time that happens.

Odds for every team

  • Los Angeles Dodgers (+500)

  • Houston Astros (+800)

  • Atlanta Braves (+1000)

  • New York Yankees (+1000)

  • Chicago White Sox (+1200)

  • Tampa Bay Rays (+1200)

  • San Diego Padres (+1600)

  • Milwaukee Brewers (+1600)

  • San Francisco Giants (+1600)

  • Toronto Blue Jays (+1600)

  • Boston Red Sox (+1800)

  • New York Mets (+2000)

  • St. Louis Cardinals (+3000)

  • Philadelphia Phillies (+3500)

  • Oakland Athletics (+4000)

  • Cincinnati Reds (+4000)

  • Seattle Mariners (+4000)

  • Cleveland Guardians (+5000)

  • Los Angeles Angels (+5000)

  • Detroit Tigers (+5000)

  • Washington Nationals (+6600)

  • Kansas City Royals (+6600)

  • Colorado Rockies (+8000)

  • Minnesota Twins (+8000)

  • Miami Marlins (+8000)

  • Chicago Cubs (+10000)

  • Pittsburgh Pirates (+15000)

  • Texas Rangers (+15000)

  • Baltimore Orioles (+15000)

  • Arizona Diamondbacks (+15000)