How many teams make the MLB playoffs?

Twelve teams make the MLB playoffs — six from each league. The postseason begins with a best-of-three Wild Card Series, where the three lowest-seeded teams in each league compete. Winners move on to the Division Series, followed by the League Championship Series, and finally the World Series.

What bets are best in the MLB Playoffs?

There are many great betting options in the MLB playoffs. This depends on the game, but it’s best to use a variety of markets.

Will Vegas MLB playoff odds shift?

Yes, Vegas MLB playoff odds shift during the series. Game odds will shift leading up to the first pitch.

Should you utilize multiple sportsbooks for MLB playoffs?

Yes, you should utilize multiple sportsbooks for the MLB playoffs. This is because every sportsbook has different oddsmakers. You may be able to find more value on one sportsbook over another.

Who are the best teams to bet in the MLB playoffs?

Big market teams typically have an advantage in the MLB postseason. This is because they have more money to spend on players. In baseball, money wins, so this is another important idea to remember for MLB betting.

Best MLB Playoff Bets - Baseball Playoff Odds 2025 🥇

With the MLB regular season entering its final stretch in late July, playoff races are heating up across both leagues. The postseason may still be a couple of months away, but now is the perfect time to start evaluating World Series contenders and spotting value in the futures markets.

Betting on the MLB Playoffs can be tricky — from navigating shifting odds to understanding the new postseason format — and that’s exactly why we’ve created this guide. Whether you’re looking for the MLB playoffs betting odds or wondering how to wager in the postseason, this page will help you prepare to bet smart this October.

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Odds To Win The 2025 World Series

MLB playoff odds shift throughout the season, reflecting team performance, injuries, and schedule strength. While some teams emerge as clear-cut favorites, it’s important to approach these odds with caution. Don’t overcommit based on hype — taking a measured approach can help you avoid costly mistakes.

MLB World Series Winners Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers	+220	+220	+220
Philadelphia Phillies	+850	+850	+850
New York Mets	+900	+900	+900
New York Yankees	+900	+900	+900
Detroit Tigers	+1000	+1000	+1000
Houston Astros	+1200	+1200	+1200
Chicago Cubs	+1300	+1300	+1300
Toronto Blue Jays	+1500	+1500	+1500
Seattle Mariners	+1600	+1600	+1600
Milwaukee Brewers	+1600	+1600	+1600
Boston Red Sox	+2600	+2600	+2600
San Diego Padres	+3900	+3900	+3900
Texas Rangers	+3000	+3000	+3000
Tampa Bay Rays	+10000	+10000	+10000

Last updated on: August 11, 2025

Favorites often offer little value in futures bets just to make the postseason. However, they can present strong value when betting on outcomes like winning the World Series or a league pennant. With about two months left in the season, odds tend to stabilize — and while some teams may lose momentum late, they’ve usually shown enough for bettors to evaluate their true potential.

MLB playoff odds and tips

The MLB playoff format is constricting, so it’s hard to make the postseason. Only twelve of 30 teams punch their ticket to play meaningful baseball in October, so it’s not easy to succeed. You must keep this fact in mind as a bettor.

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If a team is in a tight playoff race, it could be best to hold off on a future bet unless you have confidence in the team. You can look at many stats to determine if Vegas MLB playoff betting odds are accurate, but consistency is the main thing you should examine.

Teams that win at the end of the year define consistency. This should always be considered when betting MLB or wagering in the MLB World Series. Additionally, pitching is critical to view when considering who will make the playoffs.

High-powered offenses often fluctuate throughout the season, but pitching tends to be steadier. A team cannot win without scoring, so pitching is very important when looking at the postseason.

If you consider this, good things will happen when betting on who will make the MLB playoffs. Odds change every day from sportsbooks, but consistency does not usually falter with the best teams in the sport.

How to Bet on MLB Playoffs

Betting on who will make the MLB playoffs and the actual postseason are two different things. When looking at who will make the playoffs, strength of schedule and division toughness are essential. In the playoffs, some teams have more accessible roads, which is highlighted in October.

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However, most of the time, playoff contests are fairly even. It’s difficult to make the MLB postseason because of the rigorous schedule, so teams who earn a ticket are battle-tested. When looking at the playoffs, you need to consider a few things.

Here are the most important factors that you must examine as a bettor in the MLB playoffs.

Home Field Advantage

Baseball is not like football in the sense that home-field is critical every week of the season. There are 162 games on an MLB calendar, and many times, stadiums are not filled during the regular season unless it’s in a major market like New York or Boston. Home field is applicable in MLB during the regular season, but it usually should not change your bet. In football, it’s a completely different story. Although, in the postseason, home-field advantage is critical. Playoff baseball is a time when fans come alive, and it can be challenging to win in October because of this fact. Home field should be the first thing you look at for MLB postseason betting, but it’s important to note. Some of the toughest stadiums in MLB to compete in belong to the Yankees, Red Sox, Astros, Dodgers, and Mets.

Pitching Matchups

The pitching matchup is the primary thing you should view before placing a bet on the MLB postseason. A great pitcher can shut down a potent offense and, in the playoffs, managers always throw their best wings. Five-man rotations drop to three men in many cases because it’s all about winning games. Over seven games, a team will see aces multiple times. When a team’s ace is on the mound, it’s hard to bet against a club. When numerous stars are slated to pitch, things become very interesting.

Offensive Matchups

Even though pitching is more important than hitting to winning games, a powerful offense is still critical for success. If a team can attack a pitcher, they will win postseason games. Although, it can be difficult to rely on an offense delivering. This is because no pitcher is the same. It’s hard to win battles against different pitchers in every postseason game, but talented offenses tend to strike at the right times. Teams with players who are able to find the clutch hit prevail in October. When teams are clutch at the plate and have strong pitching, they are great betting options.

MLB Playoff Betting Lines

Postseason lines tend to fluctuate drastically, and this is critical to remember. If you lock in a bet earlier rather than closer to the first pitch, it could increase your payout. Yet, there is a risk-taking this strategy because something may happen, causing your bet to fail.

You need to find the balance between betting an early MLB playoff betting line and holding on until you know the starter on the bump. It’s smart to follow beat writers and consume as much inside information as possible to outsmart sportsbooks.

This is a strategy that handicappers utilize to win consistently. The more information you know, the better you will perform when betting on sports.

Study, Study, Study

Baseball is a game that involves advanced analytics. You should take advantage of these numbers to place educated bets. Baseball analytics tell you a lot about who is going to win games in the postseason.

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Many websites help you compare pitcher vs. hitter statistics. These are not certain, but they are better than nothing when betting on the postseason. When done correctly, wagering can take a lot of hours, so always put in the time. If you are not studying and placing bets, you are doing something wrong.

This strategy will hurt your chances of winning big on the MLB playoffs.

Consider Momentum

Wild Card games in the MLB are now played as a best-of-three series. These matchups can be intense and unpredictable, but teams that advance often carry significant momentum into the Division Series. With multiple rounds in the MLB playoffs, that early surge of confidence and cohesion can make a real difference as the stakes get higher.

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This is something you should note. It’s not the most important thing to remember while betting on the MLB postseason, but it’s still essential.

MLB Postseason Format

The MLB postseason format is vital to know if you are looking to bet on the MLB postseason or if you want to wager division winners. There are six divisions in MLB across two leagues.

The American and National League both have three divisions. There is the AL East, West, and Central. The National League has the same division names.

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There are five clubs in every group which totals 30 in the league. Every division receives one automatic bid to the MLB playoffs. Two Wild Card teams come out of every league.

The Wild Card teams compete in a one-game playoff, with the winner taking on the highest seed in their league. The division series are five games in length, and the championship series are seven.

The winners of the American and National Leagues face off in the World Series. This is a seven-game series played in a 2-3-2 format. Anything can happen in October, so it’s essential to understand the postseason format to prepare your bets during the month.