Betting Preview For MLB Playoffs

The MLB Playoffs Wild Card round ended quickly for the Cincinnati Reds with a 2-0 sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were part of a 4-1 Wild Card round picks. The Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees all went to three games, and now the MLB Playoffs 2025 Divisional Round is set. 

The fans and players passion for playoff baseball brings out the best in sports and competition, and the 5-game divisional series’ will provide more engagement and watch and wager action with leading online sportsbooks taking bigger bets and more handle.

BetOnline offers reduced juice odds, and a 15 cent line. 

The MLB Playoffs will go head to head with NCAA football and the NFL Week 5 for viewers and bettors on Saturday and Sunday. But baseball in October holds its own while creating memorable moments in the most special time of the sports season.

The Yankees are favored over the AL East division champion Blue Jays, and the second-highest favorite in the divisional round. New York became the first team to lose Game 1 in the Wild Card Round and win the series since the Wild Card format went to best-of-3 in 2022. 

MLB trends & VSiN research shows that the last five World Series champions finished Top 5 in team Home Runs in the regular season. That fits the profile of the Yankees, Dodgers and Mariners, and the Dodgers posted by far the highest OPS in the Wild Card round.  

All four Division Series get underway tomorrow!

Here are your #Postseason viewing schedules through Tuesday.

(MLB x @bookingcom) pic.twitter.com/kfxCOqd1fe

— MLB (@MLB) October 3, 2025

MLB Divisional Round Series And Odds

Major League Baseball odds from BetOnline and top online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Betting favorites (-) and underdogs (+). Updated odds late on Oct. 3.

Chicago Cubs (+100) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (-120)
Philadelphia Phillies (+123) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (-143)
Detroit Tigers (+164) vs. Seattle Mariners (-188)
Toronto Blue Jays (+126) vs. New York Yankees (-146)

Game 1 Moneyline Odds And Pitchers 

Sat., Oct. 4 

- Chicago (+131) at Milwaukee (-145) - O/U 7 runs / M. Boyd vs. F. Peralta
- New York (-108) at Toronto (-119) - O/U 8 runs / L. Gil vs. K. Gausman
- Los Angeles (-104) at Philadelphia (-115) - O/U 7 runs / S. Ohtani vs. C. Sanchez
- Detroit (+180) at Seattle (-200) - O/U 7 runs / T. Melton vs. G. Kirby

Game 1 Picks (P), Opinions (O) and Bets

As I noted during my monthly MLB coverage and September key games at Off Shore Gaming Association, the team with the best regular season record hasn't won the World Series since 2018 when the Red Sox won the championship trophy. The Brewers led the league with 97 wins, just ahead of the Phillies (96). Milwaukee had the most wins in August (21) followed by the Phillies (18). But September belonged to the Yankees (18-8), Phillies (17-8), Mariners (17-8), Dodgers (16-10), Blue Jays (15-10) and Cubs (15-11). 

Tigers/Mariners: Pick Mariners +108 run line and first 5 innings (-0.5), -130.

The late game Saturday is in Seattle, where the environment at T-Mobile Park will be ringing. Tigers pitcher Troy Melton moved up from Double-A to the Big Leagues in July, and was pitching in the bullpen in August. He made four starts and 12 relief appearances, and does pitch with high-end velocity. But Mariners starter George Kirby has elite command, pitches his best at home and in top form his last three starts which included double-digit strikeouts in two outings. He's supported by a balanced and complete M's lineup led by Julio Rodriguez and the Big Dumper, MVP switch-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh (60 HRs). The Mariners posted the highest runs per game total in MLB during September, and finished 51-30 at home and now draw a rookie starter who won't be his best or make it through many innings. Likely trailing, that leave's a beleaguered bullpen that struggled in September against the stronger Seattle sluggers. The Tigers turned a summer runaway into a September slide and lost the AL Central division. They recaptured enough of their previous play to knockout their division rival Guardians in the Wild Card round. But Game 1 at Seattle favors the Mariners in most matchups and there will be no 'phone a friend' to save the Tigers with the frenzied fans at T-Mobile Park.     

World Series Odds

+350: LA Dodgers
+450: Yankees
+500: Phillies
+500: Mariners
+600: Brewers
+750: Cubs
+800: Blue Jays
+1000: Tigers

Follow along and compare MLB matchups throughout the 5-game divisional series with any updates here and on X at @FairwayJay. 

You can bet on it.

FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper and recognized as one of the sports industry's insightful analysts. He chips in additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Follow FairwayJay here at OSGA.com and on X (Twitter) @FairwayJay for more sports betting insights.