William Hill listed the New York Yankees as the betting favorite to win the 2020 World Series at 4/1 odds. The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers are the other top favorites on the board, with the Astros at 5/1 odds and the Dodgers at 6/1 odds.
The Yankees saw their numbers bump to 4/1 odds to ship the World Series after they signed Gerrit Cole, a right-hander and top free agent, to a nine-year deal worth $324 million. The Yankees lost the 2019 ALCS to the Astros when they were out-dueled by the team’s trio of aces that included Cole, Justin Verlander, and Zack Greinke.
The Astros won the American League pennant twice in the last two seasons, with a victory in 2017 and a runner-up finish this season.
2020 World Series Odds – Top-5 Teams
NY Yankees 4/1
Houston Astros 5/1
LA Dodgers 6/1
Atlanta Braves 12/1
Washington Nationals 14/1Odds via William Hill
The Washington Nationals won the 2019 World Series, but they’re only 14/1 odds to repeat. History is against the Nationals because only 13 teams won consecutive championships since 1907. No teams have won back-to-back titles since the Yankees secured a three-peat in 2000.
In the last 50 years, only four teams won consecutive World Series crowns: the Oakland A’s (1972, 1973, 1974), the NY Yankees (1977, 1978), the Toronto Blue Jays (1992, 1993), and the Yankees again (1998, 1999, 2000).
American League: Yanks and Astros, Favs Again
According to oddsmakers, the Yankees and Astros will be the two big dogs in the American League this season. The Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians are the other two top AL teams on the board.
Even though the Astros lost Cole to free agency, they are right behind the Yankees at 5/1 odds. They lost an ace, but still have two others in the rotation, including Verlander, who seems to get better with age. Verlander edged out Cole for the AL Cy Young.
The Red Sox won the 2018 World Series and stumbled into the 2019 season with a World Series hangover. Fans all over New England expected the Sox to snap out of their funk and make a run for another title. That never happened. The Red Sox are always popular betting favorites, and they’re currently 14/1 odds to win the World Series.
National League: Dodgers, Phillies, Braves
The Dodgers appeared in the World Series in consecutive years in 2017 and 2018, yet they lost both times. They were the consensus betting favorites to win the World Series heading into 2019. After securing 106 wins and the best record in baseball during the 2019 season, the Dodgers went into the postseason as one of the co-favorites to win the World Series. Their run fell short when they were picked off by the Washington Nationals.
The Dodgers are 6/1 odds to win the 2020 World Series as the top NL team on the board, behind the Yankees and Astros. The suits running MLB and their broadcast partners would love to see a vintage World Series involving the Dodgers and Yankees.
Gerrit Cole grew up in Orange County and attended college at UCLA, where be eventually became the number one pick in the MLB Draft. The Dodgers thought they had a shot at landing Cole due to his SoCal roots. However, they overlooked the simple fact that Cole grew up a rabid Yankees fan, and that the Yankees were willing to break the bank to secure Cole’s services.
The Atlanta Braves won the NL East, but flew under the radar last season because they won their division without much drama. The Braves are 20/1 odds to win the World Series this year, but they’re going to have competition in 2020 with the Philadelphia Phillies adding a couple of key free agents, including pitcher Zack Wheeler and shortstop Didi Gregorius. The Phillies are also 20/1 odds to win the World Series.
The Cubbies, Cheap Owners, and Everyone Else
The Chicago Cubs are always World Series betting favorites due to the blind and fervent faith of their legion of fans. The Cubs imploded at the end of last season and promptly fired Joe Maddon. The Cubbies have a new skipper, David Ross, who helped win the Cubbies their first World Series in a century a few seasons earlier. The Cubs are currently 20/1 odds to win the championship.
2020 World Series Betting Odds (All Teams)
New York Yankees 4/1
Houston Astros 5/1
Los Angeles Dodgers 6/1
Atlanta Braves 12/1
Washington Nationals 14/1
Boston Red Sox 14/1
Cleveland Indians 16/1
St. Louis Cardinals
Philadelphia Phillies 20/1
Chicago Cubs 20/1
Minnesota Twins 20/1
New York Mets 20/1
Tampa Bay Rays 20/1
Milwaukee Brewers 25/1
Oakland A’s 28/1
San Diego Padres 40/1
Chicago White Sox 50/1
Cincinnati Reds 50/1
Los Angeles Angels 66/1
Arizona Diamondbacks 66/1
Toronto Blue Jays 66/1
Texas Rangers 80/1
Colorado Rockies 100/1
San Francisco Giants 100/1
Pittsburgh Pirates 200/1
Seattle Mariners 200/1
Baltimore Orioles 500/1
Miami Marlins 500/1
Detroit Tigers 500/1
Kansas City Royals 500/1Odds via William Hill
The four worst teams in the majors last season are also widely known as the cheapest teams in baseball. The Orioles, Marlins, Tigers, and Royals fielded some of the lowest payrolls in MLB, and their poor attendance reflected their talent levels. It’s no surprise that oddsmakers listed all four teams as the highest long shots on the board at 500/1.