Brewers and Rays Carry Sportsbook Liability into 2026 World Series

Milwaukee opened the season with 35-1 odds while Tampa Bay started at 80-1, creating significant financial exposure for sportsbooks.

The Milwaukee Brewers enter the 2026 World Series as -160 favorites to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays (+140) in the first championship matchup between two teams seeking their first titles since 1980. Milwaukee reached the series by eliminating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. For Game 1 in Milwaukee, the Brewers are -164 moneyline favorites against the Rays (+135), with the over/under set at 6 runs. Drew Rasmussen and Jacob Misiorowski are the projected starting pitchers for the opening contest.

Both clubs represent significant liabilities for sportsbooks due to their preseason long-shot status. According to DraftKings, the Brewers began the year with 35-1 odds, while the Rays were listed at 80-1. If Tampa Bay wins the title, they will tie the 1991 Minnesota Twins for the longest preseason underdog to win a World Series. Hard Rock Bet reports that 21.2% of straight World Series tickets from Florida bettors backed the Rays, while wagers on the Brewers are averaging more than double the amount of typical Rays bets.

While Milwaukee remains a loss for the house in futures markets at Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM, the team assisted bookmakers by knocking out the San Diego Padres and the Dodgers. Caesars’ Eric Biggio noted that while the matchup of two smaller-market teams is less ideal for overall betting handle compared to a Dodgers-Yankees series, the elimination of high-profile favorites helped mitigate some losses. Conversely, BetMGM indicates that a Tampa Bay championship would result in a win for their specific book.