2022 MLB World Series Odds and O/U Win Totals

The MLB season is delayed. Young superstars like Juan Soto, Ronald Acuña, Cody Bellinger, plus the veteran staples in the league like Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Max Scherzer are relegated to sitting at home waiting.

It sucks that we only got to see them for 60 games in 2020 and that the length of the season in 2022 is now up in the air.

Even passive baseball fans need to be rooting for this lockout to end so that the baseball betting season can begin. Never really been a baseball guy? This might change your mind:

You Should Bet on Baseball … Even if You’re Not a Fan

Baseball has a 162 game season – by far the longest of any pro sport. This provides more betting opportunities than any other sport.

The NFL is the biggest sports betting market in the world. It shouldn’t shock you to learn that it is the most profitable sport for the books. Vegas absolutely cleans up during the NFL season. Do you know why?

With just 16 games or less per week and several days in between to prepare, the brightest minds in Vegas have more than enough time to properly handicap the games with the world’s best computer models. Finding an edge during the NFL season can prove a fool’s errand.

In baseball you have 13, 14, 15 games every single night. The books have mere hours to do some quick handicapping and throw some lines out there before the next wave of games begins.

Each day, the average sports better has very few value opportunities on the Vegas betting sheet. The more bets Vegas offers, however, the more inaccuracies that will arise. The goal of every sports bettor is to find these weaknesses and exploit them.

Vegas puts out more offerings during the MLB season than any other time of the year.

The exact same reasons that many sports bettors avoid betting baseball are what makes the sport so profitable. There’s not a lot of time in between games to do research. The next day’s starting pitcher and the availability of key bullpen arms can drastically alter the odds of an upcoming game.

It’s a lot to keep straight in such a short period of time. It’s hard for the player, but it’s hard for the bookies, too. Learns the ins and outs of this sport and you’ll be rewarded more handsomely than you thought possible.

Breaking Down the MLB’s Best (and worst) Preseason Futures Bets

Los Angeles Dodgers (+700) – O/U Win Total: 95

2021 Season – 106-56 – 2nd in NL West – Lost in NLCS to ATL

Making a Case for a Dodgers Championship in 2022 – LA has played in the World Series 3 of the past 5 years – winning the thing in 2020. Dem Bums enter 2022 as WS favorites despite losing Max Scherzer, Corey Seager, and Kenley Jansen to free agency – a departing trio that would sink most franchises.

Mookie Betts still anchors this outfield while 26-year-old Cody Bellinger is just 2 seasons removed from his breakout 2019 campaign where he exploded with a .305/47/115/121 line.

Trea Turner stays in the infield alongside utility man Chris Taylor and emerging prospect Gavin Lux. Both of the Dodgers’ catchers – Will Smith and Austin Barners – return in 2022.

Pitching-wise, LA is still flush with arms – boasting the likes of Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, Blake Treinen, and Phil Bickford.

The Dodgers have bullied the National League with some of the best arms and bats in the game over the past several seasons. While the 2022 version of this squad is admittedly weaker than the crew assembled for the stretch run in 2021, there is no reason to give another team a better shot than LA at reaching the promised land.

Houston Astros (+850) – O/U Win Total: 92

2021 Season – 95-67 – 1st in AL West – Lost in WS to ATL

Making a Case for an Astros Championship in 2022 – The ‘Stros have reached the AL Championship Series each of the past 5 seasons – reaching the World Series 3 times and winning 1 ring. Houston is the class of the American League.

Returning their core, there is no reason to think the Astros will fall off.

Toronto Blue Jays (+850) – O/U Win Total: 91

2021 Season – 91-71 – 4th in AL East

Making a Case for a Blue Jays Championship in 2022 – Toronto acquired Twins’ right-hander Jose Berrios at the deadline last season and retained him into 2022.

This move gives Toronto a formidable 1-2-3 punch with Kevin Gausman and Hyun-Jin Ryu. In the Jays’ pen are terrific options such as Yimi Garcia and Jordan Romano.

Offensively, the Jays are set to shine in 2022. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. turns 23 this month and is projected to be an MVP candidate with high-end projections suggesting a 50-dinger season is well within the realm of possibility.

Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette, George Springer, and Teoscar Hernandez round out a talented lineup capable of keeping pace with any offense in the American League.

New York Mets (+1000) – O/U Win Total: 88.5

2021 Season – 77-85 – 3rd in NL East

Making a Case for a Mets Championship in 2022 – The Mets have been a solid ballclub over the past several seasons – posting a winning record in 2019 and leading the NL East for much of the 2021 season before ultimately collapsing in September.

“We’re one piece away, we’re one piece away,” insist loyal Queens residents. This offseason, the Mets got that piece.

New York inked Max Scherzer to a deal worth $7 million more per season than Gerrit Cole’s record-setting deal in 2020. This move gives the Mets the undisputed best 1-2 punch in the league with Jacob deGrom one night and Scherzer the next.

New York retains Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo from last season while making another splash in free agency and acquiring the talents of Starling Marte.

Marte stole an MLB-leading 47 bags in 2021 while “Polar Bear” Pete Alonso clubbed 37 homers and drove in 94 last year.

The Mets have outstanding starting pitching to accompany an enviable mix of power and speed in the lineup. Could this be the year?

New York Yankees (+1000) – O/U Win Total: 93

2021 Season – 92-70 – T-2nd in AL East – Lost in ALWC to BOS

Making a Case for a Yankees Championship in 2022 – The Yankees have had the pieces to win a ‘Ship for several seasons running but have failed to return to the World Series since winning it all in 2009.

Could 2022 be the year? New York returns the arms of Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, Chad Green, and Aroldis Chapman. The Yankees should finally have Luis Severino healthy for an entire season.

Offensively, New York hit the 6th-most home runs in baseball last year but struggled to score without the long ball – ranking just 19th in total runs scored.

The Pinstripers return their core hitters while now getting a full season out of Joey Gallo – a 2021 deadline acquisition from the Rangers. The health of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton is the governor of the 2022 Yankees’ season.

This team will go as far as this dynamic duo can carry them.

Chicago White Sox (+1100) – O/U Win Total: 91.5

2021 Season – 93-69 – 1st in AL Central – Lost in ALDS to HOU

Making a Case for a White Sox Championship in 2022 – Chicago’s been the favorite in the AL Central for a number of years now but has been a 1st-round exit in the playoffs each of the last 2 years.

When healthy, the Sox lineup is the scariest in the American League. Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada, Jose Abreu, Yasmani Grandal. There are no easy outs on the Southside.

Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito pace the ChiSox on the mound. Chicago needs consistent contributions from Dylan Cease, Dallas Keuchel, and Michael Kopech if they are to win 90 games and make a deep postseason run.

Pitching will once again determine how far into October the White Sox can play.

San Diego Padres (+1200) – O/U Win Total: 91.5

2021 Season – 79-83 – 3rd in NL West

Making a Case for a Padres Championship in 2022 – Experts are predicting the best season yet for San Diego in 2022. After years of rebuilding, the Padres’ time to win has finally dawned.

Fernando Tatis Jr fell short in the 2021 NL MVP race to Bryce Harper last season but figures to be right back there again. The 23-year-old Dominican product has 30-30 potential to complement excellent defense.

The Friars have slowly been acquiring pitchers over the years and now have a rotation they feel can go toe-to-toe with any staff in the National League. Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, and Mike Clevinger combine for a career record of 212-173 with a sterling 3.57 ERA.

The Padres could easily win 90 games if this rotation pitches to their career marks. 90 wins would be the most in San Diego since 2010. The Friars have not won the NL West since winning 88 games in 2006.

Atlanta Braves (+1400) – O/U Win Total: 88

2021 Season – 88-73 – 1st in NL East – Won WS

Making a Case for a Braves Championship in 2022 – Winning back-to-back ships is a tall task. The Braves are probably losing Freddie Freeman, although he is yet to sign elsewhere so he may be returning. Current odds on Bovada list Atlanta as Freeman’s most likely 2022 destination.

Last year the Braves were top-10 in home runs hit and runs scored while ranking 12th in batting average with a .244 team mark. Atlanta also boasted a top-10 team ERA and WHIP while ranking 13th in pitcher walk rate.

Milwaukee Brewers (+1500) – O/U Win Total: 88.5

2021 Season – 95-67 – 1st in NL Central – Lost in NLDS to ATL

Making a Case for a Brewers Championship in 2022 – Milwaukee’s best feature is the weak division in which they play. The Brewers should encounter little resistance en route to their 3rd NL Central title in 5 years.

The Brew Crew has tremendous pitching but was held back last season by subpar hitting. The million dollar question in Milwaukee is what will get Christian Yelich back into his MVP-winning 2018 form.

Tampa Bay Rays (+1500) – O/U Win Total: 89.5

2021 Season – 100-62 – 1st in AL East – Lost in ALDS to BOS

Making a Case for a Rays Championship in 2022 – Tampa emerged victorious in a stacked AL East division in 2021. Corey Kluber replaces Blake Snell in a strong rotation while the rest of the lineup remains virtually unchanged.

21-year-old Wander Franco is one of the highest-touted prospects in baseball. Entering his 2nd season as starting shortstop in Tampa, Franco has the ability to propel the Rays back into the World Series with a breakout season.

Boston Red Sox (+2000) – O/U Win Total: 90

2021 Season – 92-70 – T-2nd in AL East – Lost in ALDS to HOU

Making a Case for a Red Sox Championship in 2022 – The Sox have a winning pedigree, an experienced manager, and a talented returning core of players. Staying healthy in the loaded AL East division may prove difficult.

Los Angeles Angels (+2000) – O/U Win Total: 84

2021 Season – 77-85 – 4th in AL West

Making a Case for an Angels Championship in 2022 – The Angels have Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. How long will LA waste this generational talent?

San Francisco Giants (+2200) – O/U Win Total: 85.5

2021 Season – 107-55 – 1st in NL West – Lost in NLDS to LAD

Making a Case for a Giants Championship in 2022 – The Giants were the best team in all of baseball for 99% of the 2021 MLB season. Will the 2021 Giants follow the path of the 2001 Seattle Mariners and totally fall off the table or will San Fran find themselves right back in the thick of the postseason hunt in 2022?

St. Louis Cardinals (+2500) – O/U Win Total: 85.5

2021 Season – 90-72 – 2nd in NL Central – Lost in NLWC to LAD

Making a Case for a Cardinals Championship in 2022 – Each season the Cardinals get written off as “too old” and then surpass expectations. Last year was no different as St. Louis surprised us with a trip to the National League Wild Card and a heartbreakingly close 3-1 loss to the Dodgers.

So I’ll be the first to say it. The Cardinals are too old to win in 2022 … you’re welcome Cards fans.

Philadelphia Phillies (+3500) – O/U Win Total: 86

2021 Season – 82-80 – 2nd in NL East

Making a Case for a Phillies Championship in 2022 – J.T. Realmuto is the best hitting catcher in the game, Rhys Hoskins can mash, Jean Segura has the skill to win a batting title, Alec Bohm has gobs of potential, and Bryce Harper is a bona fide star.

The offense is solid in Philly. Pitching is the concern entering 2022. Can a rotation of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, and Kyle Gibson win the NL East? If they pitch well, the Phillies should be right around 90 wins this season.

Seattle Mariners (+3500) – O/U Win Total: 84.5

2021 Season – 90-72 – 2nd in AL West

Making a Case for a Mariners Championship in 2022 – Despite the best efforts from their front office to hold them back, Seattle compiled a 90-win season with a 2nd-place finish in the AL West.

This team’s resilience is unreal.

Cincinnati Reds (+4000) – O/U Win Total: 77.5

2021 Season – 83-79 – 3rd in NL Central

Making a Case for a Reds Championship in 2022 – There’s not a ton to like about Cincy entering 2022 but there aren’t any major red flags either. Every season there is one team who evades everyone’s radar in the preseason and then is right there come October. Why can’t the Reds be that team in 2022?

Detroit Tigers (+4500) – O/U Win Total: 77.5

2021 Season – 77-85 – 3rd in AL Central

Making a Case for a Tigers Championship in 2022 – See our thoughts on the 2022 Tigers here!

Minnesota Twins (+6600) – O/U Win Total: 74

2021 Season – 73-89 – 5th in AL Central

Making a Case for a Twins Championship in 2022 – Minnesota has fallen off hard, but this team is only 1 season removed from being AL Central favorites with the pieces to make a deep postseason run.

Former #2 overall pick Byron Buxton could win an MVP award and lead the Twins into the playoffs under one condition – he remains healthy for an entire season. This is something Buxton seems unable to do.

Oakland Athletics (+7000) – O/U Win Total: 79

2021 Season – 86-76 – 3rd in AL East

Making a Case for an A’s Championship in 2022 – The A’s are the White Sox of the West – a team who is always good enough to make the postseason but never special enough to advance.

The Astros are the clear leader of the AL West. The A’s need to be careful or Seattle will replace them as the division’s #2.

Oakland can absolutely mash dingers. Get some semi-decent pitching in there and the A’s could once again reach the postseason as a 4 or 5 seed.

Cleveland In****s (+8000) – O/U Win Total: 76.5

2021 Season – 80-82 – 2nd in AL Central

Making a Case for an In****s Championship in 2022 – New name, new team. The Guardians will be extra motivated to do well in their inaugural season under the new brand.

Miami Marlins (+8000) – O/U Win Total: 76

2021 Season – 67-95 – 4th in NL East

Making a Case for a Marlins Championship in 2022 – With Derek Jeter out, the leadership is now unified in their goal. Let’s see if that can translate into a championship for a team with a glorified AAA roster.

Texas Rangers (+8000) – O/U Win Total: 71.5

2021 Season – 60-102 – 5th in AL West

Making a Case for a Rangers Championship in 2022 – Texas has spent over half a billion dollars this offseason – bringing in some legit marquee talent – and still figures to be a non-factor in the AL West.

The Rangers have gobbled up several of the biggest free agents available this winter – signing an entire new double-play combo in Corey Seager and Marcus Semien and adding a frontline arm to the rotation in Jon Gray.

This new infusion of talent gels with the Rangers’ young core of Nick Solak and Adolis Garcia. Together, management is hopeful that Texas can put a competitive team on the field in 2022 after finishing with the 2nd-worst record in the American League (60-102) a season prior.

If the Rangers are to go all the way and win a Ship, they’ll need career years from both Seager and Semien. Pitching is the main concern in Arlington. Jon Gray will need to win upwards of 20 games while the Rangers will need major productivity out of Taylor Hearn and Dane Dunning.

Kansas City Royals (+9000) – O/U Win Total: 76

2021 Season – 74-88 – 4th in AL Central

Making a Case for a Royals Championship in 2022 – The saving grace for Kansas City is the weak division in which they play. With only 1 legit contender ahead of them, it is not insane to think KC could wind up being in the mix in September.

While it is hard to see the Royals winning 95+ games, anything can happen if KC grabs 1st place with 86-88 wins and gets home field in a 3-game series.

Chicago Cubs (+10000) – O/U Win Total: 72.5

2021 Season – 71-91 – 4th in NL Central

Making a Case for a Cubs Championship in 2022 – The Cubbies sold all of their best players. There is nothing yet. This is, however, the magical Chicago Cubs. With the curse lifted, maybe some of that magic can help the lovable losers out of a jam here.

Washington Nationals (+10000) – O/U Win Total: 68.5

2021 Season – 65-97 – 5th in NL East

Making a Case for a Nationals Championship in 2022 – Dave Martinez is a miracle worker.

Colorado Rockies (+15000) – O/U Win Total: 71

2021 Season – 74-87 – 4th in NL West

Making a Case for a Rockies Championship in 2022 – The thin air should allow the Rockies to club 6 home runs per game … I don’t know. Grasping at straws here.

Baltimore Orioles (+20000) – O/U Win Total: 60.5

2021 Season – 52-110 – 5th in AL East

Making a Case for an Orioles Championship in 2022 – “At least we’re not the Pirates,” is the rally cry in Baltimore. At (+20000), the O’s hold the longest odds to win the World Series in the American League. This means they have a 200-1 chance of pulling it off, though, so what needs to happen?

Last year, pitching was a glaring weakness in Mobtown. The O’s staff held the highest ERA in the league at a brow-raising 5.84. The only move Baltimore has made to address this issue is acquiring the former-Ranger Jordan Lyles.

The 6’5 righty won 10 games last season in Arlington with a 5.15 ERA that lined right up with his career ERA of 5.21. If Jordan Lyles is the answer, Baltimore is in for another long season.

The O’s have a couple of studs waiting in the wings in Adley Rutschman (24 y.o. catcher) and Grayson Rodriguez (22 y.o. pitcher). These guys figure to break into the bigs sometime during the middle of 2022.

If Baltimore is to flip the script, make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and win the 2022 World Series, here is what needs to happen:

Centerfielder Cedric Mullins needs to build on his All-Star 2021 campaign. A 20/20 season is good but the O’s desperately need a superstar to anchor the lineup. They need Mullins to hit .280 and deliver 30/30 production.

Ryan Mountcastle needs to mature quickly at the plate and hit 40 bombs. Adley Rutschman needs to come up in June and contend for Rookie of the Year.

Even if all this happens, the O’s will still stink without some pitching. Jordan Lyles better break out. John Means better contend for Cy Young. The bullpen better … oh boy … the O’s need a lot of complete games.

Arizona Diamondbacks (+20000) – O/U Win Total: 65

2021 Season – 52-110 – 5th in NL West

Making a Case for a Diamondbacks Championship in 2022 – Other teams will be dead tired after long trips in the hot sun to the desert. The Dbacks capitalize on the best home-field advantage in baseball.

Pittsburgh Pirates (+25000) – O/U Win Total: 65

2021 Season – 61-101 – 5th in NL Central

Making a Case for a Pirates Championship in 2022 – Let’s remember that Pittsburgh was not the worst team in the MLB last season. The Diamondbacks, Orioles, and Rangers were all worse. This isn’t rock bottom. It is, however, a setback season as Pittsburgh has not lost 100 games since 2010.

The Pirates are smack in the middle of a rebuild but have managed to amass some young talent in the organization – namely Henry Davis (22 y.o. catcher, #22 in MLB), Quinn Priester (21 y.o. pitcher, #49 in MLB), Oneil Cruz (23 y.o. infielder, #52 in MLB), and Nick Gonzales (22 y.o. 2nd basemen, #62 in MLB), and Liover Peguero (21 y.o. shortstop, #85 in MLB).

Holding 5 prospects inside the top 100 is an accomplishment but it won’t help Pittsburgh win this season. Instead, current Major Leaguers Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes will be tasked with pulling the Pirates up from the cellar in 2022.

Hayes showed promise after a stellar campaign in the shortened COVID season – hitting .376 with 5 home runs and 11 RBIs in 24 games. He failed to deliver on this promise – posting a 2021 line to forget – .257 with 6 homers and 38 RBIs in 96 games.

Utility man Bryan Reynolds balled out in 2021, however, making his first All-Star team with a line of .302/24/90/93.

So many things need to break the Pirates way if they are to have a chance in 2022. Ke’Bryan Hayes needs to maintain his 2020 pace for the entire year. Reynolds needs to double down on his All-Star campaign and win a Silver Slugger.

On the mound, Pittsburgh needs major contributions from Wil Crowe and Mitch Keller with Nick Mears channeling his inner Mariano Rivera in the 9th inning.

The Pirates play in a weak division. Anything is possible.