Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes send odds in whirlwind at sportsbooks

The Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes sent odds up, down and all around at sportsbooks over the weekend.

Bettors backed the Blue Jays on Friday amid reports that the Japanese two-way star was flying to Toronto to sign with them. But the Dodgers got the bulk of the action Saturday when news broke that the two-time American League MVP agreed to a 10-year, $700 million contract with them.

Caesars Sportsbook slashed the Dodgers’ odds to win the World Series from 8-1 to the +550 favorites. It also bumped Los Angeles from a -160 favorite to win the National League West to a -280 favorite.

The Dodgers dropped from 6-1 co-favorites with the Braves at Station Casinos to the clear 4-1 favorite to win the World Series, while the Dodgers and Braves remained the 6-1 co-favorites at the Westgate SuperBook.

“The perception now with them getting Ohtani, our close proximity to Southern California and it doesn’t appear the Dodgers are done yet,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “All those things factor into making them the favorite right now.”

The SuperBook lowered Toronto’s odds from 14-1 to 8-1 on Friday amid the Ohtani speculation before moving the Blue Jays back to 14-1 when he joined the Dodgers. Toronto is 18-1 at Caesars.

“Friday was a lot of fun with the reports he was going to Toronto and the odds shifting and money coming in on Toronto,” Caesars lead baseball trader Eric Biggio said. “Then the soap opera took a different turn, and the odds shifted back Saturday morning when the news broke that he was going to the Dodgers.”

Biggio said the biggest shift at Caesars was on the Dodgers’ regular-season win total, which has shot up from 95 to 100½.

“We had the Dodgers at 95 and moved them up to 98½,” he said. “We took some sharp money there and went up to (100½).”

Atlanta moved from the +650 World Series favorite at Caesars to the +750 second choice. The Braves have the highest win total at 101½.

Ohtani props

Caesars put up Ohtani over-under props of 39½ home runs (-110) and 99½ RBIs (o-140), and he’s tied for the 9-1 third choice to lead the majors in homers this season. He led the AL in home runs last season with 44.

Ohtani, the reigning AL MVP, is the +450 favorite to win the NL MVP over Ronald Acuna Jr. (+550), Mookie Betts (7-1), Bryce Harper (8-1) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (13-1).

“It will be an interesting race for NL MVP,” Biggio said. “Last year, we opened him as the 2-1 favorite. But obviously he can’t pitch so now he’s a little longer.”

Ohtani underwent surgery on his right elbow Sept. 19 after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and will be the Dodgers’ designated hitter this season.

Los Angeles won the NL West last season for the 10th time in 11 seasons before it was swept by Arizona in the Division Series in October. The Dodgers won the World Series in 2020 for their only world championship since 1988.

Will the addition of Ohtani bring them another World Series title in 2024?

“No,” Biggio said. “They’re going to be fun, and they’re very popular with the public. … But there are still a lot of question marks around their pitching unless they sign (Japanese star Yoshinobu) Yamamoto. I don’t think (Clayton) Kershaw will be back.

“They’re good. But I’ve got doubts about the postseason.”

Soto impacts Yankees’ odds

The Yankees’ odds to win their first World Series since 2009 also improved after they acquired left fielder Juan Soto last week in a trade with the Padres.

The SuperBook dropped the Yankees from 12-1 to 8-1 before they settled in as the 9-1 third choice to win it all. The Astros are 10-1, followed by the Rangers at 12-1 and the Orioles, Phillies, Mariners and Blue Jays at 14-1.

New York’s win total at Caesars went from 89 to 91½.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.