World Series 2015 Betting Odds: Dodgers, Yankees, Tigers Chances To Win Baseball Title

Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers might be the biggest threat to the Kansas City Royals in the American League. Reuters

The National League favorite at the start of the 2015 MLB season is still looking like the most likely candidate to reach the World Series, but the current American League favorite wasn’t expected by oddsmakers to be the AL’s top team after nearly 70 games. With just one week left in June, the Washington Nationals and the Kansas City Royals have the top odds to meet in the Fall Classic.

Kansas City lost to the San Francisco Giants in last year’s World Series, but after winning their first pennant since 1985, eight AL teams began the year with better championship odds than the Royals. Starting the season with a 40-28 record, only the Nationals have been given a better chance to win the title. Kansas City ranks second in the AL in batting average, and no bullpen in all of baseball has a better ERA.

Washington doesn’t have the best record in the NL, but they are still the World Series favorites. Led by MVP candidate Bryce Harper and potential Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer, the Nationals have bounced back from a slow start to win 38 of their first 71 games.

The Los Angeles Dodgers barely trailed Washington as the World Series favorites to start the season, and they are tied with the Royals for the second-best championship odds in baseball. L.A. sits atop the NL West with just a one-game lead. Reigning NL MVP Clayton Kershaw has been good, but he isn’t among the favorites to win the Cy Young award. Zack Greinke has actually been better, and his 1.70 ERA is the best in MLB.

The St. Louis Cardinals only have the fourth-best odds, despite leading MLB with a 46-24 record. They’ve won with the best pitching in the majors, posting a 2.72 ERA through 70 games. Nineteen teams have scored more runs than the Cardinals, and 21 have hit more home runs.

Five of the six teams with the best title odds are in the NL, including the Chicago Cubs, who haven’t won the World Series since 1908. They are 39-30, but still in third place in the NL Central.

The Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Houston Astros are considered to be Kansas City’s biggest competition in the AL. Detroit was expected to be one of the league’s top teams, and the Yankees are fighting for first in a highly competitive AL East. But Houston is MLB’s biggest surprise, going 42-31 and leading the AL West after winning just 70 games in 2014.

The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in fourth place in the AL East with 28/1 championship odds. They lead the AL with a plus-80 run differential.

The Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers are tied for the worst championship odds. They’ve combined to win 52 games, just six more than the league-leading Cardinals.

Below are the complete World Series odds, courtesy of Bovada.lv.

Washington Nationals 7/1

Kansas City Royals 15/2

Los Angeles Dodgers 15/2

St. Louis Cardinals 8/1

San Francisco Giants 11/1

Chicago Cubs 12/1

Detroit Tigers 14/1

Pittsburgh Pirates 14/1

Houston Astros 16/1

New York Yankees 20/1

Tampa Bay Rays 22/1