Yankees overtake Dodgers as World Series favorites

The Yankees enter July as World Series favorites at +400 at Caesars Sportsbook, followed by the Dodgers at +450. This is the first time since July 24, 2020 that the Dodgers are underdogs for the World Series during the regular season.

The Yankees started the season among contenders with a 12-1 record, but have hit a torrid streak over the last two months. The Yankees posted the best record in MLB at 22-6 (.786) in June, their best winning percentage in a calendar month since September 1964, and own the best record in baseball at 56-21 (.727). It is the sixth time the Yankees have started July with a winning percentage of .700 or better. The previous five times they won the World Series.

“The Yankees becoming the new favorite was a combination of two things … performance and money,” Eric Biggio, baseball operations leader at Caesars Sportsbook, said in a company statement. “After every big win, it seems like all the Yankees’ futures money is on the betting ticker. And how can you blame them? They’ve definitely got it made.”

The Yankees have attracted 45 World Series bets of at least $1,000 at Caesars Sportsbook, including a $20,000 wager placed earlier in the season in Nevada at odds of 10-1. The only team that has attracted more bets of more than $1,000? The New York Mets, who have 46. The odds of the Mets winning the World Series are 7-1, behind only the Yankees, Dodgers and Astros (+550). At Caesars Sportsbook in New York, the Mets and Yankees corner 66% of the money wagered on the odds to win the World Series.

“The fact that the Yankees are so good definitely increases the handle on the futures group,” Biggio added. “I think it’s a dream scenario for bookmakers and TV ratings. Both New York teams are in contention, as are the Dodgers and Astros. I’m sure MLB executives have to be chortling. Anything that’s good for the ratings is probably also good for the bookies. The Yankees are always going to get some extra money, so if we had a World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers, for example, the betting would be through the roof.”