Baseball was there first. As the wide world of sports was gradually turning from amateur to professional in the 19th Century, baseball made it official in 1871 with the founding of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players.
And when people invariably wanted to bet on the games, baseball became home to the first prop bets on record for pro sports – placed right there in the stands while the games were in progress.
We’ve come a long way, baby. MLB World Series odds are now available 24/7 throughout the year, and thanks to the internet, you can bet on baseball from pretty much anywhere on the planet.
Speaking of which, the 2025 World Series is exactly what it says on the tin; Friday’s opener sees the Fall Classic leave American soil for the first time in over 30 years, and the most important players from both clubs are from all over the map.
We just might see some new records set for baseball predictions this October.
MLB World Series Game 1 Odds
At the very least, we’ll see a World Series matchup that’s never happened before: the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Dodgers (98-70, minus-9.54 betting units including the postseason) are more than familiar with this stage; they’re the reigning champions, and the 2020 champions as well.
As for the Blue Jays (97-69, plus-16.77 units), this is their first trip to the Fall Classic since they won their second of back-to-back titles in 1993, courtesy of Joe Carter’s famous sayonara home run at the former SkyDome.
That iconic stadium will be the venue for Friday’s opener, Toronto having earned home-field advantage for the World Series as the No. 1 seed in the American League – Los Angeles slipped to No. 3 in the National League as the division winner with the worst record.
Still, that hasn’t stopped bettors from making L.A. the heavy –148 favorite in the MLB World Series for October 24. We even have reports of sharp action and some really big money landing on the Dodgers for Game 1.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays (TOR +134)
Friday, October 24, 2025 – 08:00 PM EDT
It’s hard to argue with success.
The Dodgers had a few shaky moments during the regular season, but they’re healthy at exactly the right time, with Shohei Ohtani returning to the mound to join Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow in the starting rotation.
All four were dominant in their four-game NLCS sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, which L.A. won by a combined score of 15-4.
The Blue Jays, on the other hand, are limping towards the finish line. They needed the full seven games to put away the evenly matched Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.
Shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) missed that series for Toronto, although he’s expected to return in some capacity for the World Series; starting pitcher Jose Berrios (elbow) is done for the season, leaving the Jays without one of their best arms at the worst possible time.
Which puts Toronto in a bit of a bind heading into Game 1. The Dodgers have already announced Snell and Yamamoto will start the first two games, as they did during the NLDS; the Jays have yet to officially name their starter for Friday as we go to press. Has that stopped the sportsbooks from posting their usual slate of World Series odds? Of course not.
The Jays opened as +134 home dogs, with a total of 7.5 runs and the Under favored at –121.
What We’ve Covered and Next Steps
We have until Friday’s first pitch to bet on Game 1, so there’s no rush – but timing is indeed everything when it comes to sports betting.
The sooner you figure out whether Toronto will start Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage or someone else, the sooner you’ll be able to judge whether the current baseball odds are worth hammering.
Keep a close eye on those MLB World Series odds today to see how the larger betting market is reacting, and tap/click here for the complete list of Bookmakers Review World Series picks.
Bookmakers Review Goes Deep
The baseball odds you see above from BetOnline were accurate at the open – they’re usually the first book to hit the MLB odds board here at Bookmakers Review.
But will that be the best price for your chosen bet by the time you read this? Perhaps; the more betting accounts you have, the easier it will be for you to shop around, so spend a moment with our sportsbook reviews to see which locations best fit your MLB betting needs.
May the sphere be with you for Game 1.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
