Trades solidify Dodgers' strong betting odds, boost Red Sox

By acquiring the perceived crown jewel of the MLB trade deadline in two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, the Los Angeles Dodgers reasserted themselves as the clear betting favorite for the World Series, with bettors and bookmakers alike reaffirming that belief.

Immediately following the acquisition of Skubal on Saturday, Los Angeles moved from +190 to +150 to win this season's championship, though the number has since lengthened slightly to +160 as of midday Tuesday, according to DraftKings odds. That puts the Dodgers way ahead of the next closest team on the World Series odds board, the New York Yankees at +600.

Bettors are buying into the seeming inevitability of a third consecutive championship for the Dodgers: Since Saturday, L.A. has garnered the most tickets and handle to win the World Series at multiple sportsbooks.

It adds to a seasonlong fervor surrounding Los Angeles, as Caesars Sportsbook's head of baseball Eric Biggio notes. "Not only in the futures, but on a day-to-day basis, they almost always have the most tickets written on them," he said.

"Even with the Dodgers sitting at a historically short World Series price for early August, they've been the most popular team among bettors since acquiring Tarik Skubal," DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello told ESPN over email. "Normally, odds this short can cool betting activity, but the Dodgers' combination of star power, depth and another blockbuster addition has only generated more interest from bettors."

Given the short odds, though, BetMGM senior trading manager Christian Cipollini said that "the Dodgers are not currently a liability for the sportsbook but that could change."

The only other National League teams getting any kind of love from bettors around the deadline -- for the championship and the pennant -- are the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies, who both racked up 8.9% of the handle to win the NL at BetMGM since Saturday, with the Brewers also attracting some big money in the World Series market. On deadline day at DraftKings, Milwaukee lengthened very slightly from +900 to +950, while Philadelphia shortened from 20-1 to 18-1.

Meanwhile, in the American League, the Boston Red Sox made arguably the second-biggest move of the deadline by acquiring three-time All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles. That, along with a historic hot streak since late June, made the Red Sox one of the biggest odds movers and most popular futures picks of the deadline.

Since Saturday, Boston has attracted the second-most World Series handle at DraftKings and the most AL pennant handle at BetMGM. The Red Sox are down to 15-1 title odds after entering deadline day at 17-1 and being as long as 150-1 earlier in the summer, per DraftKings lines.

Avello noted "significant interest" in Boston between the hot play and big transactions. Biggio also noted the moves Caesars had to make on the Red Sox, but does not list them as a liability with the sportsbook.

That honor mostly belongs to the Chicago White Sox, who Biggio notes are "by far" Caesars' largest caution after they opened the season with 400-1 World Series odds; Chicago is also one of the largest liabilities at BetMGM. At DraftKings, the White Sox have achieved their shortest odds of the season at 30-1, improving from 40-1 a week prior.

One other team that notably improved its standing with bookmakers and bettors was the Houston Astros. The Astros didn't make the loudest moves of the trade deadline -- with the biggest being the acquisition of outfielder Daulton Varsho -- but their recent hot streak has propelled them from 35-1 to 22-1 in the span of about a week. Biggio says Caesars had Houston at 60-1 just a week and a half prior.br/]