World Series betting: Astros are big favorites over Phillies as BetMGM roots for a Philadelphia win

The Houston Astros are significant favorites to win the World Series.

Houston enters Friday night’s Game 1 at -190 at BetMGM to win the team’s second World Series in the last six years. Houston won the 2017 World Series and lost in 2019 to the Washington Nationals and a season ago to the Atlanta Braves.

The Astros face an NL East opponent in 2022 again as the Philadelphia Phillies are at +155 to win the franchise’s first World Series since 2008. Philadelphia made the World Series the following season but lost in six games to the New York Yankees.

BetMGM is rooting for a Phillies win too.

“The best outcome for the sportsbook is the Phillies winning the World Series,” BetMGM’s Halvor Egeland said.

BetMGM’s odds for an Astros win don’t deviate much in exact outcome betting either. While an Astros sweep is at +750, the odds for an Astros win in five, six or seven games are each at +400.

The book sees the most likely outcome for the Phillies as a win in either six or seven games. Both of those are at +600. A Phillies sweep is at +1400 — by far the most unlikely outcome ahead of the series.

If you’re confident the series is going to go to seven games, you can bet a seven-game series at +250. A series of six games or fewer is at -350. Betting a sweep in either direction is at +600 while betting a six or seven-game series on the over/under of 5.5 is at -165 and a four or five game series is at +135.

The book is also offering four Game 1 and series win props. An Astros Game 1 win and a World Series win is the favorite at -115 while a Phillies Game 1 win and World Series win is at +300. If you think the Astros win Game 1 and Philly wins the series, you can get that outcome at +550 and the opposite outcome — a Phillies win in Game 1 and an Astros series win — at +425. Justin Verlander is starting Game 1 for the Astros while Aaron Nola is Philadelphia’s Game 1 starter.