World Baseball Classic Odds & Favorites 2026: Japan Favored to Repeat as WBC Champion

We're still roughly two years away from the 2026 , but it's never too early to look ahead to one of the most exciting tournaments on the sports calendar.

Japan capped off a magical run during the 2023 World Baseball Classic in the most spectacular fashion possible, as Shohei Ohtani entered as the closer and finished the tournament by striking out Team USA's (and then-Los Angeles Angels teammate) Mike Trout.

Team USA will be looking for revenge in 2026, but it opens as only the second-biggest favorite. Japan is the +250 front-runner with a 28.57% implied chance to go back-to-back.

World Baseball Classic odds 2026

World Baseball Classic odds as of Nov. 29, 2024 and subject to change.

World Baseball Classic favorite 2026

Japan (+250)

Japan enter the 2026 tournament as the defending champions, and based on their talent pool, they could very easily repeat.

Led by perennial MLB MVP odds favorite Shohei Ohtani, Japan is loaded with star talent. It features plenty of quality pitching and a talented lineup capable of slapping a single, stealing a base, or smashing a home run.

The Japanese were the only team to go undefeated in 2023, and these appear to be fair odds for them to repeat as champs. A winning $10 bet would return a $25 profit.

Best odds: | Implied probability: 28.57%

My World Baseball Classic contender to watch

USA (+275)

Team USA was so close to winning it all, as it had the perfect man up in the bottom of the ninth with two out. Unfortunately, Trout learned how difficult it was for his opponents to square up Ohtani.

The Americans will once again feature a superstar-filled team in 2026. Though players such as Trout, Mookie Betts, Paul Goldschmidt, and Kyle Schwarber, among others, could be aging out when this tournament rolls around, USA will feature plenty of young stars.

Bobby Witt Jr. barely played during the 2023 tournament but just finished as the AL MVP runner-up, and 2024 MLB Rookie of the Year odds favorites Paul Skenes and Jackson Merrill could be two of the very best players in baseball by that point.

I don't hate these +275 odds, but one of the most important things to know about the American team is who will actually play.

Therefore, I prefer to wait for the rosters to be released closer to the tournament. These odds are unlikely to shorten too dramatically, after all.

Best odds: +275 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 26.67%

2026 World Baseball Classic info

• When: March 5 to March 17, 2026
• Where: Miami, Houston, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Tokyo
• Favorite: Japan (+250 via DraftKings)

How to read World Baseball Classic futures

Every team that qualifies for the tournament is given World Baseball Classic odds that will shift ahead of and during the event. Many factors can influence the movement of those numbers. A team's play is the most obvious, but injuries and roster construction also play a role.

The top teams on the World Baseball Classic futures oddsboard are deemed the most likely to win, with the opposite true for the bottom clubs. Bettors lock in wagers at current odds, and winning bets are paid out at the end of the tournament.

For example, a $10 bet at +1500 odds would pay out $150.

World Baseball Classic spreads explained

Bettors can wager on the run line in each World Baseball Classic game, just as they can throughout the MLB campaign. For example, if one team is favored by -1.5 runs, that club needs to win by at least two runs for the wager to cash.

World Baseball Classic moneyline odds explained

Teams involved in the World Baseball Classic will get moneyline odds for both each game. The odds indicate which team is favored to win.

For example, if a team is a -120 favorite, that translates to a 54.6% probability of winning, and a $10 wager on that line would result in $8.33 in profit. Meanwhile, an underdog getting +115 odds is receiving a 46.5% chance to win, and the same wager would lead to an $11.50 win.

Teams with the most World Baseball Classic titles

Past World Baseball Classic winners

World Baseball Classic FAQs

Who is the World Baseball Classic favorite?

Japan is the World Baseball Classic favorite, with odds of +250 at DraftKings carrying an implied probability of 28.57% that it'll win the tournament.

Who won the World Baseball Classic last time?

Japan won the last World Baseball Classic in 2023, defeating Team USA in the final.

When was the last time the World Baseball Classic was won back-to-back?

Japan won back-to-back in 2006 and 2009 and has a chance to do so again in 2026.

When will the World Baseball Classic be decided?

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be played from March 5 to March 17, 2026.

Where will the 2026 World Baseball Classic be played?

The 2026 World Baseball Classic pool play rounds will be played in Miami; Houston; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Tokyo. The quarterfinals will be split between Miami and Houston, and the final round will be played in Miami.

Who has won the most World Baseball Classic titles?

Japan has won the most World Baseball Classic titles with three.

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