MLB 2017 Season: World Series Betting Odds, Projected Win Totals From Las Vegas

After ending their 108-year title drought, the Chicago Cubs are expected to be the best team in baseball for a second straight season. The defending champs have the best World Series odds and the highest projected win total before the start of the 2017 MLB regular season.

Chicago led the majors with 103 wins last year, following a 97-win 2015 campaign. The team's over/under for wins in 2017 is 96, putting them more than two games ahead of every other team.

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The Cubs’ biggest competition in the National League might come from the Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A.’s projected win total of 93.5 is second in MLB, and their World Series odds are the second-best in the NL. The Cubs’ championship odds are two times better than that of the Dodgers.

The Boston Red Sox are favored to meet Chicago in the World Series, and the two formerly “cursed” franchises have the same odds to win the title. The Cleveland Indians, however, are projected to win more regular-season games than Boston. The Indians nearly defeated the Cubs in last year’s World Series, falling short in extra innings of Game 7.

The Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers, Indians, Washington Nationals and Houston Astros all have projected win totals of 90 or more.

The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees both have +2500 World Series odds with win totals in the low 80s. St. Louis won 86 games in 2016, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010. The Yankees have won between 84 and 87 games in each of the last four years.

Several teams are considered to have virtually no chance of winning the World Series, but the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds are the biggest longshots. With +20000 championship odds, they’ll be fighting to stay out of last place in the NL Central.

The San Diego Padres are the only team with a projected win total of less than 70. San Diego’s over/under is 66 after recording six straight losing seasons.

Chicago Cubs World Series — The Chicago Cubs have the best odds to lead MLB in wins and win the 2017 World Series. Pictured: The Cubs celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field on November 2, 2016 in Cleveland. Getty Images

Below are the complete 2017 World Series odds, courtesy of Bovada.lv. Projected win totals come from the William Hill US Race & Sports Book in Las Vegas.

Chicago Cubs +450 (96)

Boston Red Sox +450 (92)

Los Angeles Dodgers +900 (93.5)

Cleveland Indians +900 (93)

Washington Nationals +1100 (91)

San Francisco Giants +1100 (88)

Houston Astros +1400 (90)

New York Mets +1400 (89)

Toronto Blue Jays +2200 (85.5)

St. Louis Cardinals +2500 (84.5)

New York Yankees +2500 (83.5)

Texas Rangers +2800 (83.5)