Posted on: October 24, 2025, 12:04h.
Last updated on: October 24, 2025, 12:04h.
- Dodgers -154 ML favourites at BetMGM for Game 1 of the World Series; Jays +130
- Bo Bichette back in the lineup for the Blue Jays
- Blake Snell to start Game 1 for Dodgers, Trey Yesavage for Blue Jays
Ontario sportsbooks are about to step onto new terrain, with Game 1 of the World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers set for tonight at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, first pitch at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Proline Reports Huge Ticket Sales on Jays
The Blue Jays haven’t been in a World Series since the Joe Carter home run to win it in 1993.
Betting interest in the Blue Jays has hit peak levels in the province. According to a spokesperson from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s Proline site, Game 7 of the ALCS Monday night between the Mariners and Blue Jays was the highest selling MLB game since Proline+ began. Sales for the game were 5X compared to the 2025 regular season opener.
The Blue Jays opened the season at +6100 to win the World Series compared to the Dodgers at +500. After beating the Mariners, the Jays odds to win the World Series dropped to +275 and the Dodgers at +145.
888 Sport Announces Payout for Jays Bettors
Lots of chatter about a massive Jays liability at Ontario sportsbooks since Canadians bet big time on their home pro sports teams. Mixed in there is a lot of us-versus-them Canadian patriotism.
When I put a $40 bet down on the Jays to win the World Series in July, with a payout at that time of $1400, I didn’t think of taking a cashout.
When you place a bet at most sportsbooks the cashout option is right there on the bet slip, available if you want it. I took it in September, before the playoffs started, after Blue Jays’ star shortstop Bo Bichette got hurt, and cashed in for around $150.
Trader: Cashout Not a Hedge to Liabilities
Interesting move going on at 888 Sport today – if you bet the Blue Jays to win the World Series before the first game of the regular season, they will pay you out as if the Jays won the Series. But this is purely a PR benefit there – a goodwill gesture by 888 Sport. Many Jays fans placed wagers at odds as high as +6700 on the Jays winning the World Series for the first time in three decades.
“Blue Jays fans are some of the most passionate in sports, and we wanted to celebrate that unwavering belief,” said Billy Cook, Head of Sports for 888. “Paying out these bets early is our way of tipping our cap to the fans who supported their team from day one. Win or lose, that kind of loyalty deserves recognition.”
But the cashout option?
“As a bookmaker I wouldn’t be keen on pushing that info as a hedge to liabilities,” said Phill Gray. “Jays right now are +180 to win WS (35.7% probability). So I’m fine to ride that, confident we’re on the right side of the line. Some books will ‘lay off’ large amounts at other shops if they can, if they’re really nervous at the amount and probable chance they could lose large. An example – if the odds were reversed and Jays were -215 (69% prob) I’d be pretty nervous.”
Dodgers Betting Favourites for Game 1 of World Series
As Gray explained, back in the day, common with offshore books, if they were really nervous about particular events and potential big loss they would have an account at big no-limit books like Pinnacle, for example, where they could go bet the other side.
As Gray added, books are so large now they are content to ride large liabilities with a “we’ll always win in the end” approach given the vig is always attached to every bet, and the big wins outweigh the big losses.
How does betting look for Game 1? The Blue Jays announced this morning that Bo Bichette is back in the lineup after sitting out the playoffs so far with a knee injury. Rookie Trey Yesavage will start Game 1 in Toronto tomorrow. The Dodgers have named their starters for Game 1 and 2 (Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto).
To say Bichette is a boost to the Jays’ offence would be a massive understatement (.311 batting average, 18 HRs, 94 RBIs, .840% OPS). As TV commentary Buck Martinez told Sportsnet: “He’s such a special hitter. He’s one of the best hitters I have ever seen at hitting the best pitchers.”
If the Jays DH him, that means George Springer, also banged up after taking a fastball off his knee in the ALCS series, has to play outfield.
“80% of Bo Bichette is pretty good,” Martinez said. “He’s one of the best hitters in baseball. If you can get him on this roster where he will play everyday, not as a pinch hitter [that would be the ideal].”
Betting Lines
At BetMGM, the Dodgers are -220 to win it all, the Blue Jays the +180 underdogs. Oddsmakers there are reporting that the majority of bets placed at BetMGM have been on the Jays to win.
For Game 1 tomorrow night, the Dodgers are -154 on the ML, the Jays +130, with the spread L.A. -1.5 (+115) and the Jays +1.5 (-135). The O/U is 7.5 (-115 on the Over, -105 on the Under).
According to a spokesperson from PENN Entertainment, at theScore BET, since the World Series matchup was confirmed (end of ALCS Game 7 on Monday night), 71.1% of bets and 80.6% of handle placed on World Series winner is on the Jays. For Game 1, in Ontario only, 84.6% of bets and 82.3% of handle are on Blue Jays ML.
In the U.S., at PENN’s ESPN BET, 61.2% of series winner bets and 90.1% of series winner handle placed since the matchup was confirmed are on the Dodgers, and for Game 1, 54.9% of bets and 54.9% of handle are on the Dodgers -1.5.
“After their Game 7 victory to reach the World Series, the Blue Jays are the most bet team in each state to win it all. However, the Dodgers have garnered enough action, including following their free agency moves before the season began and during the season, that the Blue Jays are still the ideal result for BetMGM in the Fall Classic,” said Matthew Rasp, Senior Trader, BetMGM.
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