The 2025 MLB Season is officially underway, and the prospect of back-to-back championships has never seemed more likely for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Californian outfit has never successfully retained the World Series, not even in their days on the East Coast. Indeed, no team has successfully claimed consecutive titles since the Yankees’ famed three-peat at the turn of the millennium.
However, sports betting sites think that exactly that could happen in 2025. The latest online sports betting odds currently price the reigning champions as an incredibly short-priced +250 frontrunner to claim the World Series again at the end of this season. To put that into perspective, the Atlanta Braves are currently considered their closest rival, but they are way out at +850, with the Yankees well placed behind them at +900.
That said, there is plenty of betting action on the Dodgers. But it isn’t just whether or not they will end up with a ninth championship that has caught our eye. Here are the best betting props and futures ahead of the new season.
Dodgers to Have 21+ Wins by the End of April
One of the most exciting props entering the season is whether the Dodgers can notch 21 or more wins by the end of April, a feat they’re more than capable of achieving. The schedule plays to their favor early on, with matchups against the rebuilding Rockies, Pirates, and Padres looming in the campaign’s opening weeks. Their lineup has few rivals in the MLB, with stars like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman coming off stellar 2024 campaigns, even if they missed LA’s opener in Tokyo.
The addition of Shohei Ohtani to both the pitching rotation and lineup last season gave the Dodgers another potent weapon. The Japanese sensation had become known for electrifying two-way performances across Tinsel Town with the Angels. Still, with the bat, he truly shone, setting records aplenty and leading his side to win after win. We think he will do the same at the start of the 2025 season.
Last season, they managed 19 wins throughout the same time frame, with disappointing series losses to the Mets, Cubs, and Padres. However, Ohtani was still settling in back then. Now, he is up to speed and firing on all cylinders, which could spell bad news for the teams they face in the opening weeks of the 2025 campaign.
Shohei Ohtani to Hit 9+ Home Runs by the End of April
Ohtani was instrumental in the Angels’ offense before joining Los Angeles, where he now operates in the heart of one of MLB’s most feared batting orders. The Japanese sensation scintillated throughout 2024, managing 50 home runs and a slugging percentage in baseball’s top five. Not only that, but he became a history-maker, too.
Last year, the 30-year-old became the first player to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single campaign. His exploits led him to end the regular season with a stunning 54-59, and he was in a league of his own. Indeed, it’s a good job that he did because the Dodgers forked out a world record $700m to secure his services in the first place.
Ohtani is now in an environment at Dodger Stadium that maximizes his offensive output. With players like Smith and Freeman hitting ahead of him in the order, the record-setter will see plenty of pitches to drive. He also thrives in April, historically starting seasons red-hot and often ranking among April’s home-run leaders due to his pinpoint discipline and raw power.
At +125 odds, nine or more home runs in the first month feel like a solid value. Pair his jaw-dropping talent with trips to hitter-friendly parks like Coors Field early on, and Ohtani could very well blow past this number. Last year, he managed seven, and we can easily see him going two better.
Dodgers to Win the World Series Again
Why bet against a team that just hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy? The Dodgers remain well-oiled and are considered considerable favorites to secure back-to-back World Series titles. After soundly defeating the storied Yankees by four games to one in 2024, Los Angeles has retained all their superstars and is the team to beat.
Manager Dave Roberts has plenty to work with. Last year’s starting rotation, which included Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, is bolstered with Cy Young winner Blake Snell, Japanese rookie sensation Roki Sasaki, Dustin May, and later this season by Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, and Ohtani’s dual-threat brilliance. The back end of the bullpen is equally reliable, led by Blake Treinen; the bullpen includes Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech, Evan Philipps, and Brusdar Graterol
On the offensive side, the Dodgers have the perfect balance of experienced leaders and explosive upstarts. Betts and Freeman remain two of the toughest outs in baseball, while the team ranked first in runs scored per game last season, underscoring why they’re among MLB’s most potent lineups. Teoscar Hernandez and Kike Hernandez return to play, with Will Smith and Max Muncy giving the Dodgers a murderous lineup.
A bet on the Dodgers to win is on sustained excellence, and the short price of +250 reflects this. But just because they are such huge frontrunners, don’t be disheartened. They’re odds-on favorites for a reason: Los Angeles is set on repeating and solidifying its dynasty status.