Connect with us

Published

on

With their second straight World Series title and third championship in six seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers have built a dynasty that seemingly can’t be stopped. According to bookmakers, it may not.

The Dodgers opened as the consensus favorite to win another World Series in 2026, showing +375 odds at ESPN BET. Next come the New York Yankees at a relatively distant +700 before another somewhat significant drop to the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies at +1200.

On paper, sportsbooks see a Dodgers core that is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of MLB. DraftKings sportsbook director Johnny Avello said the unique talent of the team’s lineup, even at the bottom, and an impeccable pitching staff keep Los Angeles in the outright-favorite conversation every season.

“Every year, it seems like we’ve been putting up the Dodgers as the favorite and we’ve been putting up just about the same price, like somewhere between +350 and +450,” Avello told ESPN. “There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be the favorite every year as long as they’re going to continue to keep putting a team like this out there.”

The World Series runner-up Toronto Blue Jays check in with +2000 odds to win it all in 2026, tied with the Chicago Cubs for 11th on ESPN BET’s board. It’s a significant improvement from their +6000 odds entering the 2025 campaign, which would have made them the longest preseason underdog to win a World Series since 2003 had they pulled it off against the Dodgers.

With Toronto leading 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning in Saturday night’s epic Game 7, Los Angeles was +750 on the live money line at ESPN BET. Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who locked up the championship in the 11th inning after several stellar starting performances, was awarded World Series MVP after entering the series as a +3500 underdog to do so.

“The Dodgers were the most bet team to win the World Series and many bettors were happy to see the team win back-to-back championships,” BetMGM senior trader Matthew Rasp said in an email release. “LA opened as favorites to three-peat and we expect the Dodgers to be heavily supported by bettors once again.”

DraftKings, which opened its 2026 World Series market in recent weeks, said the Dodgers already are garnering 40% of the wagers and 25% of the handle to win another championship; the Blue Jays are second in the book’s rankings with 12% of bets and 22% of money.

Los Angeles was extremely well-supported by the betting public throughout the 2025 season: Going into the divisional round, ESPN BET said it had three times as many bets on the Dodgers to win the World Series than any other team.

At the bottom of the 2026 World Series odds board lie the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies, both sporting astounding 500-1 odds. Both teams have become popular fade targets for bettors throughout recent seasons.

Continue Reading

Sports

USC QB pulls off fake punt wearing No. 80 jersey

Published

on

By

USC QB pulls off fake punt wearing No. 80 jersey

LOS ANGELES — No. 20 USC pulled off a remarkable fake punt against Northwestern in Friday night’s 38-17 win by sending out third-string quarterback Sam Huard in the same uniform number as the Trojans’ punter.

Wearing a No. 80 jersey, Huard came on the field with the punt team in the second quarter and completed a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines. The first down extended the Trojans’ second drive, which ended with a TD run by Jayden Maiava.

This bit of trickery was quite legal, apparently: Huard wore No. 7 earlier this season for the Trojans, but he is listed as No. 80 on the USC roster for this week after Lincoln Riley’s team quietly made the change.

USC punter Sam Johnson also wears No. 80. College football teams frequently feature two players wearing the same number.

Huard, who is a couple of inches shorter than the 6-foot-3 Johnson, grinned widely as he high-fived teammates on the way off the field. He is a former five-star recruit who began his college career at Washington.

Bowling Green pulled off a similar stunt in last season’s 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Third-string Falcons quarterback Baron May switched his uniform number before the game from 8 to 18 — very similar to punter John Henderson‘s No. 19 jersey.

Late in the first quarter, May came on the field instead of Henderson and threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Johnson Jr. — although Arkansas State overcame it for a 38-31 victory.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

Missouri’s Norfleet (shoulder) ruled out vs. A&M

Published

on

By

Missouri's Norfleet (shoulder) ruled out vs. A&M

No. 22 Missouri will be without star tight end Brett Norfleet (shoulder) when the Tigers host undefeated No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday in Columbia.

Norfleet, a junior from O’Fallon, Missouri, has started in each of the Tigers’ eight games this fall and enters Week 11 leading all SEC tight ends with five touchdown receptions. His 26 catches on the season rank third-most among Missouri pass catchers, trailing only wide receivers Kevin Coleman Jr. and Marquis Johnson.

Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters that Norflett sustained a separated shoulder in Missouri’s 17-10 loss at Vanderbilt on Oct. 25. Drinkwitz later described Norfleet as “day-to-day” during the Tigers’ bye in Week 10, and the veteran tight end was listed as questionable in Missouri’s student-athlete availability report Thursday night.

Norfleet’s absence comes with Drinkwitz and the two-loss Tigers essentially facing a playoff elimination game against the Aggies on Saturday. Missouri will also be without starting quarterback Beau Pribula in Week 11 after the Penn State transfer dislocated his ankle at Vanderbilt. Freshman Matt Zollers, ESPN’s No. 6 pocket passer in the 2025 class, is set to make his first career start Saturday, facing Texas A&M coach Mike Elko and an Aggies defense that ranks 18th nationally in defensive pressures (137), per ESPN Research.

“For our team, it’s really about us focusing on helping Matt execute at the highest level possible,” Drinkwitz said this week. “We’re excited about Matt’s opportunity and what he’s earned. He has done a really good job in practice of leadership, stepping up, embracing the moment, embracing the opportunity.”

Missouri (6-2) kicks off against Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Continue Reading

Sports

Sources: Kansas State RB Edwards leaves team

Published

on

By

Sources: Kansas State RB Edwards leaves team

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards has left the Wildcats and is expected to enter the transfer portal, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Edwards has been hampered by injuries this season and has played in just four games. He has only 34 carries for 205 yards.

In 2024, Edwards finished with 546 rushing yards while averaging 7.4 yards per carry with seven total touchdowns.

He began his career in 2023 at Colorado before transferring to K-State.

The Wildcats (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) are off this weekend.

Continue Reading

Trending