The second half of the MLB season is about to begin, which means the postseason is slowly creeping up on us. With so many tight division races, the last half of the 2023 season should be as exciting as ever. Oddsmakers have set MLB odds to make the playoffs for every team, giving bettors something new to place a wager on.
There is no prize more significant than the World Series and the current betting favorites, the Atlanta Braves, have sprinted out to such an excellent record that their odds of making the postseason have been taken off the board at some sportsbooks.
However, there are still plenty of playoff spots to be locked up and division races to be won.
More MLB betting: 2023 World Series odds | MLB game betting lines | MLB Betting Promo Codes | MLB MVP Odds | Run Line Betting
Odds to Make the MLB Playoffs
There is still half the season left, meaning all playoff spots are up for grabs. Bettors can take advantage of that with a wager on the MLB odds to make the playoffs for each team. Some of the top US sports betting apps will offer odds for each team, except the teams that are way too far behind or are clearly going to make the postseason.
Here are the odds to make the MLB playoffs from some of our favorite mobile sportsbooks.
Team BetMGM: Bonus Code (TODAY) Caesars: Promo Code (TODAYFULL) DraftKings
Angels Yes: +600 | No: -900 Yes: +600 | No: -900 Yes: +750 | No: -1000
Astros Yes: -350 | No: +260 Yes: -310 | No: +240 OTB
Blue Jays Yes: -200 | No: +165 Yes: -205 | No: +170 Yes: -220 | No: +180
Brewers Yes: -150 | No: +125 Yes: -140 | No: +110 Yes: -145 | No: +120
Cardinals Yes: +1300 | No: -3000 Yes: +1700 | No: -4500 Yes: +1500 | No: -2500
Cubs Yes: +650 | No: -1000 Yes: +550 | No: -800 Yes: +650 | No: -900
Diamondbacks Yes: -190 | No: +155 Yes: -170 | No: +140 Yes: -170 | No: +145
Dodgers Yes: -1100 | No: +700 Yes: -900 | No: +600 Yes: -1100 | No: +800
Giants Yes: -125 | No: +105 Yes: -140 | No: +115 Yes: -125 | No: +105
Guardians Yes: +125 | No: -150 Yes: +150 | No: -180 Yes: +130 | No: -155
Mariners Yes: +310 | No: -400 Yes: +310 | No: -400 Yes: +265 | No: -320
Marlins Yes: -225 | No: +180 Yes: -220 | No: +180 Yes: -230 | No: +190
Mets Yes: +375 | No: -500 Yes: +400 | No: -550 Yes: +360 | No: -450
Orioles Yes: -300 | No: +240 Yes: -300 | No: +240 Yes: -295 | No: +245
Padres Yes: +310 | No: -400 Yes: +265 | No: -335 Yes: +300 | No: -370
Phillies Yes: -225 | No: +180 OTB Yes: -200 | No: +165
Pirates Yes: +2000 | No: -10000 Yes: +2500 | No: -10000 Yes: +2800 | No: -8000
Rangers Yes: -300 | No: +240 Yes: -260 | No: +210 Yes: -235 | No: +195
Rays Yes: -10000 | No: +3000 Yes: -10000 | No: +2000 Yes: -2500 | No: +1500
Red Sox Yes: +260 | No: -350 Yes: +260 | No: -330 Yes: +250 | No: -300
Reds Yes: +105 | No: -125 Yes: -105 | No: -125 Yes: +100 | No: -120
Tigers Yes: +1800 | No: -10000 Yes: +3000 | No: -15000 Yes: +2500 | No: -6000
Twins Yes: -145 | No: +120 Yes: -155 | No: +125 Yes: -145 | No: +120
White Sox Yes: +20000 | No: -5000 Yes: +2500 | No: -10000 Yes: +2200 | No: -5000
Yankees Yes: -165 | No: +140 Yes: -170 | No: +140 Yes: -155 | No: +130
Braves OTB Yes: -10000 | No: +2000 OTB
Royals OTB Yes: +4000 | No: -50000 OTB
Rockies OTB Yes: +4000 | No: -50000 OTB
Athletics OTB Yes: +10000 | No: -10000000 OTB
Nationals OTB Yes: +4000 | No: -50000 OTB
MLB Playoff Odds
Some teams have sprinted out to great records, and online sportsbooks have pulled their odds to make the playoffs. The Atlanta Braves are 8.5 games up in the NL East, which is the largest division lead in baseball. They also have the best record in MLB at 60-29, and as a result, BetMGM and DraftKings do not have postseason odds for Atlanta listed.
Conversely, teams that are way too far behind to make a run at the postseason have also been pulled off the board. It has been a tough year for the Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, and Kansas City Royals. Of those teams, the Rockies are the closest to the top spot in their division, but they are 18 games back of the Dodgers heading into the second half of the season.
If you are looking to place a bet on one of those teams to make the playoffs, first of all, we ask you to reconsider, but Caesars Sportsbook has odds to make the MLB playoffs for each team, no matter where they currently are in the standings.
Luckily, there are plenty of tight races in baseball for bettors to take advantage of, and we will break down each division race from the American and National Leagues.
AL Playoff Odds
AL East
The Tampa Bay Rays stormed out to the best record in baseball to start the season. They did so through elite pitching and a deep lineup that could hit many home runs. While they have cooled off significantly, the oddsmakers still expect them to make the postseason, with BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook offering a -10000 price on the Rays’ odds to make the playoffs.
However, the Baltimore Orioles have continued to be one of the best teams in baseball since Adley Rutschman got called up last season. Since his debut, Baltimore is 110-84, and with a hot end to the first half of the season, they find themselves only two games back of Tampa Bay.
What is most shocking about this division is that the bottom three teams — the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox — usually do the most damage in the division. While oddsmakers still give the Yankees and Blue Jays great odds to make the postseason, it is clear that they are a step below the Rays and Orioles.
Each team has a winning record, but the Red Sox are the only AL East club not favored to make a postseason appearance.
AL Central
There is no division in baseball worse than the AL Central. The entire season, the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins have been flip-flopping as the leader in the division, and most of the time, the team at the top has either been at .500 or just a game or two above.
Entering the All-Star break, the Guardians stand atop the Central, but with a 45-45 record, the reigning division champs have not been playing great baseball. The Twins have led the division for most of the season, but the offense has not been able to pick up a dynamite pitching staff, and they really stumbled down the stretch.
However, oddsmakers favor Minnesota over Cleveland to win the division and make the playoffs. Across the board, the Twins are the odds-on favorite to win the Central, while the Guardians are plus-money to even make the postseason. With the White Sox, Tigers, and Royals all but eliminated at this point, the Central is down to two teams. With how each club has looked, this may come down to the wire.
AL West
One of the season’s biggest surprises has come in the AL West, as the Texas Rangers have been atop the division for the entire season. They have done so with the best offense in baseball, which leads the league in runs (531), RBI (509), OBP (.341), BA (.274), wRC+ (122), and fWAR (22.3).
The pitching took a massive blow with Jacob deGrom out for the rest of the season, but they have been solid enough to keep this team at the top. The problem is that the defending World Series Champions, the Houston Astros, are one of the hottest teams in baseball after a tough start to the season. They are now only two games back of the Rangers, and they are heavily favored to make the postseason, with DraftKings‘ taking their odds off the board.
Luckily, the Rangers jumped out to such a big lead that they also are favored to make the playoffs. The division may be tough with Seattle and Los Angeles in it, but both teams are outside of the playoff race, and Los Angeles may be a candidate to completely tear it down, which includes trading Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
The Oakland A’s are also in this division, but, you know, they are just cashing checks until the end of the season.
Read More: AL MVP odds | NL MVP odds | AL Cy Young odds | NL Cy Young odds
NL Playoff Odds
NL East
What was once thought to be the best division in baseball has become the only division where the race to win is essentially over. The Atlanta Braves have been the best team in baseball, and there really is no one competing at their level right now.
Sure, the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies have been playing great baseball, but Atlanta is the only offense on par with the Rangers’, and the pitching staff has been equally as good. With the New York Mets completely falling apart this season, the Braves are the clear best team in the division and are virtually a lock to make the playoffs.
The Marlins and Phillies are both favored to make the postseason, but it is clear who the top dog in the NL East is.
NL Central
This has been quite possibly the biggest rollercoaster of a division this season. The Pittsburgh Pirates jumped out to a big lead after a 20-9 start, but they have since come crashing down to earth and are 8.5 games back of the division lead.
The top spot in the NL Central currently belongs to the Cincinnati Reds, who have instantly become one of the most likable teams in baseball thanks to their infusion of exciting young players. With guys like Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, and most importantly Elly De La Cruz, the Reds have found enough offensive firepower to compensate for a lack of pitching.
Right behind Cincinnati are the Milwaukee Brewers, who are only 1.0 games back and have a more experienced team, especially when it comes to tight division races. Thanks to the Cardinals deciding not to show up this year, this is a wide-open division race, and it looks like it will come down to the Brewers and Reds.
NL West
As many expected, the Los Angeles Dodgers are on top of the NL West heading into the second half of the season. What was completely unexpected, however, is that the Arizona Diamondbacks led the division for most of the season and are currently tied with the Dodgers for the division lead, with Los Angeles ahead by winning percentage.
The Diamondbacks will still begin the second half in a Wild Card spot, but the Dodgers have finally caught them after a hot start, and they are only 2.5 games up on the San Francisco Giants, who oddsmakers expect to also be in the postseason.
The San Diego Padres, one of the preseason darlings thanks to an NLCS run last year and one of the best rosters in baseball, have been an absolute disaster. They are 8.5 back of the Dodgers and Diamondbacks in the West and six games back of a Wild Card spot. There is still time to make up a lot of ground, but they have been one of — if not — the biggest disappointments in baseball and are now unlikely to make it back to the playoffs.
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