The National League playoffs have opened with a familiar name on the wagering board. At the onset, the Los Angeles Dodgers have opened as the baseball betting odds favorite to win the National League pennant. While that is standard operating procedure for MLB gambling, it is also not a certain way for bettors to profit. With the expansion of the wild card format, the MLB playoffs have become much more unpredictable. Since the 2013 season, the Dodgers have made the postseason every year. Yet Los Angeles has only three National League pennants in the span.
2024 National League Championship Odds:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +175 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +23 |
| San Diego Padres | +550 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | +800 |
| Atlanta Braves | +800 |
| New York Mets | +950 |
Los Angeles’ most recent NL pennant was in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. It is worth mentioning that in the past two seasons, the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks were surprise NL champions.
Los Angeles Dodgers
While the Dodgers won the National League West by a comfortable margin, they failed to produce a sportsbook profit. Los Angeles is consistently the most expensive team on the board because of its public popularity. Especially when they play at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are a strong offensive club that ranked 2nd for run production and 3rd for home runs. Los Angeles has a strong bullpen that ranked 4th for earned run average. Shohei Ohtani is the marquee man on the Dodgers with 134 runs, 38 doubles, 54 home runs, and 130 runs batted in.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have grown from an upstart MLB odds team to one that is part of the power establishment. Now, Philadelphia is one of the most complete teams in baseball. The Phillies ranked 5th for run production and 1st for earned run average. Kyle Schwarber powers the Phillies with 110 runs, 22 doubles, 38 home runs, and 104 runs batted in. Also, Bryce Harper added 85 runs, 42 doubles, 30 home runs, and 87 runs batted in. Zack Wheeler is one of the best starters in the game with a record of 16-7 with a 2.57 earned run average.
San Diego Padres
The Padres were the second most profitable team this season. Yet San Diego finished five games behind the Dodgers in the National League West. The Padres are solid but not dominant in any aspect of the game. And their comparative anonymity helps enhance their value. Robert Suarez saved 36 games with a 2.77 earned run average and a record of 9-3 in 2024. Namely, Manny Machado led the attack with 77 runs, 30 doubles, 29 home runs, and 105 runs batted in.
Milwaukee Brewers
Consider that no team wins more money with less notoriety than the Milwaukee Brewers. The Crew was the top moneymaker on the board this season and easily won the National League Central. Of great concern for the Brewers is a starting staff that ranked 29th for quality starts. But the Milwaukee bullpen ranked 2nd in MLB for earned run average. Willy Adames led the offense with 93 runs, 33 doubles, 32 home runs, and 112 runs batted in.
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta barely made the playoffs but deserves credit for overcoming numerous key injuries. However, Atlanta gushed red ink because of its inconsistent play coupled with its enormous popularity with squares. The Braves ranked fourth for home runs and second for staff earned run average.
New York Mets
In like manner to Atlanta, the Braves barely made the postseason. But unlike the Braves, New York was one of the most profitable teams in the league. The Mets have an erratic bullpen but are solid at run production.