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The Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays enter the 2026 World Series with futures tickets that leave some sportsbooks facing losses, according to ESPN.
The exposure varies by sports betting operator: BetMGM reports Milwaukee as a losing result for its futures book, while a Tampa Bay championship would be a win.
Milwaukee opened the season at 35-1 to win the championship and Tampa Bay at 80-1, according to DraftKings lines cited by ESPN. Those prices ranked 14th and 22nd, respectively, before both teams reached the championship series.
Milwaukee’s Run Creates Futures Liability
Caesars Sportsbook said before the postseason that late-season betting had made Milwaukee a liability. That exposure remained heading into the World Series, although the Brewers’ earlier playoff results helped the operator in other markets.
“The Brewers are still a loss for the house overall on the World Series futures. They helped us out, though, on a game-to-game basis against the Dodgers, as well as knocking out the Padres, who were a big liability for us in the futures market,” Caesars head of baseball Eric Biggio told ESPN.
BetMGM likewise reported that Milwaukee would produce a loss for its futures book, but Tampa Bay would deliver a winning result. The contrast shows that the same championship outcome would not affect every operator alike.
At Hard Rock Bet, Brewers bettors were wagering more than twice the average Rays wager, leaving the sportsbook exposed to either team winning.
Florida Tickets Add to Hard Rock Bet’s Rays Exposure
Hard Rock Bet reported that 21.2% of its straight World Series tickets from Florida bettors backed Tampa Bay, compared with 7.7% in its other operating states. Those figures describe ticket share, not the share of dollars wagered.
“Rays fans, particularly in Florida, believed in their team long before October, and many locked in much longer odds earlier in the season. Those early tickets are a big reason Tampa Bay remains such a significant exposure for our book,” Hard Rock Bet spokesperson Jon Chapper told ESPN.
Chapper also reported a significant late surge in World Series money on Milwaukee.
Milwaukee was favored to win the series at -160, with Tampa Bay at +140, in the prices reported by ESPN.
Beyond potential payouts, Caesars also flagged a separate business concern: wagering volume. Biggio said eliminating the Dodgers and Yankees helped the house on a game-to-game basis, but was “not great for handle” overall.
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Source: As reported by ESPN.
