The World Series doesn’t get any more marquee, as Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers take on Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees in the 2024 Fall Classic. 

It’s a rare occasion in which the two best teams face off in the World Series. Ohtani and Judge are widely expected to win their league MVP awards in unanimous fashion. There are a combined five MVPs on the rosters, and that’s not counting Juan Soto. 

The Yankees make their MLB-record 41st World Series appearance, the Dodgers make their 22nd appearance (second-most) and the teams face off for the title for the 12th time, easily the most as well, but the first in 43 years. 

It has all the markings of an epic best-of-7 series, and it starts Friday, at 8 p.m. ET. 

The Dodgers are modest -125 favorites to win the World Series , with the Yankees priced at +105. 

Bookies.com MLB handicapper Adam Thompson – who hit on nearly 60% of his MLB picks this season and earned a nice profit in sports betting on those who tailed him in 2024 – reveals his picks for the Fall Classic. Last year, he accurately picked the Rangers to win it and Corey Seager to win MVP (+900)

World Series MVP Pick

⚾︎ MVP Winner: Mookie Betts

Odds: +900 at Caesars

Over the last nine World Series, a starting pitcher has won the Series MVP just one time, and no reliever has won the award since 1999. With this being the era of launch angles and HR-or-bust approaches, it’s not a shock that four of the last five position players to win MVP had multiple home runs, with a few clutch hits mixed in. 

At +200, Shohei Ohtani is a little too massive of a favorite to win this award. Mookie Betts, however, is a great deal at +900. Betts hit 19 HRs in 116 games but has picked up his play in the playoffs. Despite all the Shohei headlines, Betts leads the Dodgers in home runs and RBIs and batted .295. He’ll be the No. 2 hitter and will have opportunities to knock in runs and score some of his own. 

If you’d like to hedge on a Yankees win, we’ll skip Aaron Judge (+400) fade the red-hot Giancarlo Stanton (+800), and go with Juan Soto (+500). Soto ranks second in the Yankees in the postseason in HRs and RBIs, batted .333, and was not afraid of clutch opportunities. 

Top World Series Player Props

⚾︎ Most Hits: Mookie Betts 

Odds: +500 at BetMGM

Betts ranked second on the team in hits for the Dodgers in these playoffs – behind Tommy Edman, who cranked out 15 of them and a .341 average and is the favorite on this board at +475. But Edman is in the 9-hole and would have to remain red-hot to keep up with the top of the order. 

Betts is sandwiched between Ohtani and Freddie Freeman in the order, meaning he’ll get pitches to hit. 

⚾︎ Most Stolen Bases: Tommy Edman

Odds: +400 at DraftKings

Ohtani is a freak of nature, the first hitter in history to have 50 home runs and 50 steals in the same season. I half-expect Shohei to see fewer hittable pitches in the World Series, but he’ll get on base just as often, if not more. Despite a regular season of 59 steals, he attempted just one in the playoffs so far and was caught. 

The Yankees have just six steals all postseason, so they’re not looking to move. 

So we can veer to Edman, who had three steals in the playoffs to lead both teams. He had only six steals in the regular season but has a newfound basepath aggressiveness. 

Regular catchers Will Smith and Austin Wells each allowed 64 steals (Smith 33% throw-out rate, Wells 26%), so no huge advantage for either side. We’ll look for the aggressive Dodgers to stay that way with Edman.

2024 World Series Schedule

Friday, Oct. 25: Game 1, Yankees at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET, FOX

Saturday, Oct. 26: Game 2, Yankees at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET, FOX

Monday, Oct. 28: Game 3, Dodgers at Yankees, 8 p.m. ET, FOX

Tuesday, Oct. 29: Game 4, Dodgers at Yankees, 8 p.m. ET, FOX

Wednesday, Oct. 30: Game 5, Dodgers at Yankees, 8 p.m. ET, FOX*

Friday, Nov. 1: Game 6, Yankees at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET, FOX*

Saturday, Nov. 2: Game 7, Yankees at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET, FOX*

(*-if necessary)