It’s an MLB dream matchup in the Fall Classic — Los Angeles vs. New York. The Dodgers vs. the Yankees. The league’s two most prized teams on the opposite ends of the country. We’re previewing the highly-anticipated matchup here so keep reading for three free bets for Dodgers vs. Yankees!
We begin our preview of the Dodgers-Yankees matchup with a hard look at the MLB World Series betting odds. These are available across the top MLB betting sites, and as it stands, Los Angeles are marginal favorites to win:
We got the matchup we deserved — and we’re not just talking brand value or market size. No, both clubs have been the best in baseball this season. Los Angeles won the most games in the National League this year (98). The Yankees did the same for the American League (94). And unlike previous years, no wild postseason upsets stopped the two trains from colliding.
The best individual players in the league will also be going at it. The one-on-one matchup everyone is talking about is Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge — the two likely MVP’s of their leagues this season. Unfortunately, we won’t see the pitching vs. hitting matchup as Ohtani remains sidelined from the mound this year. Three more MVPs will be a part of this matchup once you factor in previous winners Mookie Betta, Freddie Freeman, and Giancarlo Stanton.
Still, baseball is a game about the team matchups — pitching vs. hitting — not individual. It’s been said that pitching wins in October, but that’s being somewhat proven wrong by both teams thus far. During the regular season, the Yankees finished seventh in team ERA while the Dodgers were worse at 13th. Obviously, not bad pitching staffs but far from dominant ones.
This series will likely come down to which offense can light up the scoreboard more. Offensively, the teams finished second and third in the league in runs scored this year so there’s no shortage of firepower out of either of them. Knowing that, let’s move on to our World Series betting predictions.
We won’t be just making one bet for the World Series. No way, there’s simply too many opportunities out there. Instead, we’ve hand-picked three bets most worth taking right now. Here’s our choices:
It has to be mentioned: can we trust the Dodgers in a big-time moment like this one? So far, they’ve “exercised the demons” of years past — stunning playoff losses, usually in the opening round. However, we’re still not sold on this pitching staff. It’s really dire, mostly due to injuries. Tried-and-true arms like Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, and Gavin Stone, among others, are all unavailable.
Yes, they’ve skated by so far thanks to a high-powered offense and a deep bullpen, but it’s tough to rely on that against a club like the Yankees. For one, they feature two aces atop their lineup in Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon. Roughing them up won’t be an easy feat. Plus, New York has vastly improved its bullpen down the stretch after being the weak link most the year.
That reworked bullpen is why New York is playing its best baseball of the season right now. Batting, starting pitching, bullpen — it’s all working in tandem. It’s the main reason we’re inclined to pick them to win. The old adage of “getting hot at the right time” applies to the Bronx Bombers here.
We’re not going to lie, this prop bet is a crapshoot. This prop tasks bettors with guessing not just who wins, but in how many games. Not easy, but there’s ton of betting upside due to that difficult, hence the odds below:
Score | |||
---|---|---|---|
LA Dodgers 4-0 | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
LA Dodgers 4-1 | +600 | +600 | +600 |
LA Dodgers 4-2 | +400 | +400 | +400 |
LA Dodgers 4-3 | +475 | +475 | +475 |
NY Yankees 4-0 | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
NY Yankees 4-1 | +650 | +650 | +650 |
NY Yankees 4-2 | +550 | +550 | +550 |
NY Yankees 4-3 | +475 | +475 | +475 |
We’re going to rule out a Yankees sweep or a 4-1 series win. Despite our doubts about the Dodgers, this team is too good to put up that little of a challenge. No way.
So the choice comes down to six games or seven. We’re going with six, and this series ends at Yankees Stadium for Game 6 — a home celebration for the franchise’s 28th title, and first since 2009.
Here’s another run prop bet on who ends up the World Series MVP. The top betting options for MVP are as follows:
Player | |||
---|---|---|---|
Shohei Ohtani | +200 | +200 | +200 |
Aaron Judge | +400 | +400 | +400 |
Juan Soto | +500 | +500 | +500 |
Giancarlo Stanton | +800 | +800 | +800 |
Mookie Betts | +900 | +900 | +900 |
Max Muncy | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
Gerrit Cole | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
Given our prediction, we’re sticking to Yankees players here. In a bit of a surprise, we’re going to pick Stanton rather than Judge or Soto. He, like the team, is peaking at the perfect time. Stanton belted four homers in the ALCS on the way to an MVP award of his own. Given that, his +800 betting line feels way too cheap.
For betting on the World Series, we recommend one of the betting sites below. Any one of these bookies will offer the full gamut of bets for the showdown beyond the three we covered. Of course, they’ll have lines for every game too. Game 1 is Friday so you want to get on this sooner rather than later! A wide array of payment methods are available so you’re well-funded the whole series!
Eric was born and raised in Nevada — the center of gambling in the United States. Throw in his natural interest in sports, and Eric was destined to be a sports bettor. This came to a head once Eric turned 21. Already a working sports journalist while in college, Eric began betting at his local sportsbook. Despite massive losses (at first), Eric continued to chip away at wagering. Eventually, he got half-decent at it. Now Eric is a trusted betting analyst. Not only is he skilled at making picks, but also breaking down the state of the industry — legalization, revenue, and innovation.