It seems like just yesterday the 2021 MLB season was firing up. Somehow, though, we're nearing the three-quarter mark of the schedule. And what better way to celebrate this benchmark than with 2021 MLB betting picks that include updated World Series odds and predictions?
Here's an overview of the latest World Series odds for all 30 teams, which come courtesy of BetOnline and are accurate as of August 9, 2021:
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Houston Astros | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Chicago White Sox | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| San Francisco Giants | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| San Diego Padres | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Boston Red Sox | +1500 | +1500 | +1500 |
| Oakland Athletics | +1500 | +1500 | +1500 |
| New York Yankees | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +1700 | +1700 | +1700 |
| New York Mets | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Atlanta Braves | +3000 | +3000 | +3000 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +3000 | +3000 | +3000 |
| Seattle Mariners | +6600 | +6600 | +6600 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +6600 | +6600 | +6600 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +8000 | +8000 | +8000 |
| Cleveland Indians | +15000 | +15000 | +15000 |
| Washington Nationals | +25000 | +25000 | +25000 |
| Chicago Cubs | +40000 | +40000 | +40000 |
| Detroit Tigers | +50000 | +50000 | +50000 |
| Miami Marlins | +50000 | +50000 | +50000 |
| Kansas City Royals | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 |
| Detroit Tigers | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 |
| Texas Rangers | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 |
| Colorado Rockies | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 |
| Baltimore Orioles | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 |
Remember to double-check these MLB odds before deciding on any specific wager. Baseball futures change daily depending on the outcomes to certain games and how much of the season has already been played. These World Series betting lines will invariably shift at BetOnline and all the other top online sportsbooks.
2021 World Series Betting Breakdown
Before we get to our prediction, we're going to take a gander at some of the biggest betting topics and discussions that are floating around the baseball sphere.
These issues are important as it pertains to understanding the best bets, and answering the most pressing questions is always a good way to add fresh spins to what is otherwise—and justifiably—a recurring exercise in providing World Series picks.
Should The Los Angeles Dodgers Be Betting Favorites?
Reigning champions always curry a level of favor with oddsmakers so long as they don't blow up their roster. The Los Angeles Dodgers (+300) not only fall under this umbrella, but they followed up their 2020 World Series by landing multiple stars over the offseason. As owners of the National League's second-best record—and MLB's largest run differential—they are once again viable options to win it all.
At the same time, it's important to note that baseball betting odds are also a reflection of the market. Sportsbooks must account for heavy influxes of action on certain teams so they can hedge potential losses. The more popular a World Series pick is, the less lucrative their odds are going to be.
This explains why so many glamour markets across multiple sports—New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc.—see many reserved odds even when they don't necessarily have any business being the favorites. While this isn't entirely at play with the Dodgers, because they're so good, they are getting a little bit of a bump because of the market in which they play.
Indeed, statistically speaking, they are probably one of the three or four best options to take home the 2021 World Series. Currently, though, they are the absolute favorite, with no other National League team laying better than 8-to-1 odds. That feels off.
If Not The Dodgers, Then Who Should Be Favorites?
Just to be clear, the answer to this question does not necessarily align with our eventual World Series pick. We're merely trying to identify which team is actually the best in major league baseball at this very second.
Many will make a case for the Houston Astros (+500) or Chicago White Sox (+500). That's ultimately fine. But the honor should actually belong to the San Francisco Giants (+800).
In many ways, this comes out of nowhere. Very few expected the Giants to be this good. But it's not a pick that comes completely out of the blue. The season is nearly 75 percent of the way done. The Giants have been this good for a while. They own the National League's best record and MLB's highest winning percentage overall, and they're killing it in the fundamental metrics department.
Sure, some teams are delivering lower ERAs and scoring more runs per game. But the Giants are winning battles on the margins. Their pitching staff neither walks a lot of batters nor gives up a ton of home runs, and they rank inside the top four of on base plus slugging percentage.
Better Bet: San Diego Padres or Boston Red Sox
It's a tad surprising to see the Boston Red Sox (+1500) as high on the World Series pecking order as they are right now. They have no doubt scrapped and clawed all year, but they are at best an average offensive team and already surrendering ground to the surging New York Yankees (+1500).
The San Diego Padres (+1200) also fall on the surprising end of the spectrum, albeit for different reasons. Their statistical profile is that of a co-favorite, not a team hovering outside the top five.
Yes, their midseason malaise is a tad concerning. They have slipped to fourth place in the National League. But they still rank sixth in on-base percentage, fourth in collective ERA and sixth in strikeouts delivered per nine innings. They aren't just the better bet when compared to the Red Sox, Yankees, Oakland Athletics (+1500), Milwaukee Brewers (+1000) or Tampa Bay Rays (+800). They deserve more championship consideration, period.
2021 World Series Pick
Fittingly enough, our World Series pick is the Padres.
Some people will point to the underachieving nature of their offense. We're not worried about it. They have never needed to amass a tun of home runs to score, and we believe their offense will only continue to improve given the relatively limited miles on their best players.
Most of the primary World Series contenders are dealing with rosters on the older end. The Padres, however, sport the eighth youngest batting order in the league. Their overall batting average, which already ranks inside the top 10, should continue to climb and we don't much worry about how they'll fare in prospective postseason matchups with the Dodgers or Giants.
OSB World Series Prediction: Padres (+1200)
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