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2024 World Series Predictions with Betting Odds and Expert Picks

by Mike Allen - 10/22/2024

World Series predictions Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers

The October Classic is finally here, and we have the arguably most intriguing and hopefully competitive possible matchup. There is no discussion, however, about which two teams' superstars shine the brightest.

He may not be pitching this year, but the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani is a once-in-a-lifetime type of athlete. Stealing 59 bases while sending 54 balls into the stratosphere has never been done before.

Countering Ohtani will be an even larger man, the biggest in baseball, the 6'7" 285 lb Aaron Judge, who finished the 2024 regular season just .01 away from winning the Triple Crown!

For now, we can let these two cancel one another out. Mookie Betts may be a whole 100 pounds smaller than Judge, but every bit as efficient putting the barrel on the ball. Freddie Freeman is in the lineup, and five extra days of rest, ice, compression, and elevation should have that ankle good enough to play first and jog into several stand-up doubles throughout the World Series.

For New York, it's been Giancarlo Stanton leading the way in the postseason. However, it was Juan Soto, who penned "El Fin" for the New York Mets with a go-ahead homerun in the 10th, sealing the ACLS for his team. You can get Soto at 5-1 odds to win the World Series MVP right now, but first, let's pick a winner. Then, before you go, check out our best bet of the World Series for the total number of games. 

Doc’s Sports offers MLB expert picks for every game on our baseball predictions page.

World Series Betting Odds

Los Angeles Dodgers (-125) vs New York Yankees (+105)

The 2024 World Series will be played in a 2-3-2 format, should we play the full seven games. Games 1 and 2 will be played in Los Angeles, with Games 3 and 4 in New York. From there, Game 5 will be in New York, and Games 6 and 7, if needed, will be back in LA. I've never been a fan of this. I like the 2-2-1-1-1 better but those 6-hour flights will add up, and nobody wants to see jet-lagged baseball.

I do, however, favor the team that starts the World Series at home because the circumstances shift after each result. That's what the books see here as well. It's an even series, but the Dodgers are slight favorites due to home-field advantage.

There is more to it, though. Clearly, to get to the World Series, you need to be playing good baseball. Both teams won their respective championship series, but against who?

The Cleveland Guardians and the Kansas City Royals were good tests for New York, but the Dodgers dispatched the Padres and the Mets, the two hottest teams in baseball, in back-to-back series.

This matchup is just too good. While both teams have incredibly top-heavy lineups, it's the Dodgers' role players like the Hernandez "Brothers" Kiki and Teoscar who have been more productive than the Yankees' Austin Wells and Alex Verdugo, who are hitting a combined 9/64 in the postseason.

So, we are leaning toward LA? Don't touch that dial. The Yankees have the better starting pitching. Gerrit Cole will be on the mound in Game for New York. He's the most talented and accomplished pitcher in the World Series with Clayton Kershaw inactive.

It's the Yanks' closer who I love, though. Luke Weaver has been virtually untouchable in the postseason.

What about LA’s pitching? Who knows? They threw four shutouts but gave up 6 runs/game in their other 7 contests. Both bullpens are decent, but I would give the edge to the Yanks because LA doesn’t have a bonafide closer.

Yankee pitching has been much better overall as they're carrying an ERA a full run better than the Dodgers heading into the World Series, and that's with playing fewer games.

East Coast vs West Coast, analytics vs old school, Ohtani vs Judge...Any way you want to frame it, the 2024 World Series looks like a lot of fun for all.

Pick: Yankees (+105)

World Series Total Games

Over 5.5 Games: -185

Under 5.5 Games: +155

Over 6.5 Games: +195

Under 6.5 Games: -240

The books are telling you that home-field advantage has made the Dodgers slight betting favorites to win. That means this World Series is pretty even. Breaking it down has echoed that sentiment. Why not let that work for us instead of against us?

Take the near 2-1 betting odds for this World Series to go over 6.5 games…if that's your style. We can get it to go 6 or 7 games, though, at an inexpensive (-185). This number will get bet up soon. I would grab it now.

Pick: Over 5.5 Games (-185)

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