Yankees Betting Odds: What Are New York's 2015 World Series Chances?

The New York Yankees entered the 2015 MLB season with lower expectations than what they’re used to, but find themselves in the middle of one of their best seasons in recent years. With just two months to go until the playoffs, the Yankees have emerged as one of the favorites to win the 2015 World Series.

Through 107 games, the Yankees are 15 games over .500 with a 4.5-game lead in the American League East. They only trail the Kansas City Royals by two games for the AL’s best record, and it would be a surprise if they didn’t at least earn a wild-card berth.

Kansas City has been the World Series favorite for some time, but they are the only AL team with better odds than the Yankees. New York (8/1) has the third-best overall championship betting odds at Bovada.lv, tying them with the St. Louis Cardinals, who lead MLB with a 69-39 record.

The Toronto Blue Jays also have 8/1 odds, and they will likely give the Yankees their biggest competition in the division. The team added Troy Tulowitzki and David Price before the trade deadline, winning eight straight games to put them six games over .500. The Yankees have 13 games remaining with the Blue Jays this season.

Surprising performances by the Yankees’ veterans have made New York one of the best teams in baseball. After missing all of last season, Alex Rodriguez has hit 24 home runs with an .388 on-base percentage. Mark Teixeira has been banged up over the last few seasons, but his 29 home runs and 76 RBI lead the team.

The Yankees weren’t even considered to be in the top half of AL teams on Opening Day. Their 35/1 World Series odds ranked 18th in MLB and 10th in the AL. Even the New York Mets had better title odds to start the season.

New York entered the All-Star break in first place, but they’ve really established themselves as a playoff team in the second half. Heading into the All-Star Game, the Yankees’ 16-1 odds ranked them ninth in all of baseball and fourth in the AL.

After failing to reach the postseason just once since the 1994 strike, the Yankees have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. They last won a World Series in 2009.