Yankees Surge Past Rays as World Series Favorites After Game 1 Wins The New York Yankees are now the top contender to win the World Series in the American League, jumping ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays after defeating the Boston Red Sox 8-2 in the wildcard round. Cam Schlitter pitched a stellar game for the Yankees, while Ben Rice shone offensively with two home runs. The Yankees are favored to sweep the series against Boston and are poised for a deep playoff run. Playoff baseball did not disappoint on Tuesday night, as there were plenty of late-game heroics, and a bunch of home runs that powered four teams to Game 1 wins in the wild card round. World Series Odds Shift After Game OneThe New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox all have a chance to wrap up their respective series on Wednesday, though only the Padres and Yankees are favored to make that happen. Still, Tuesday's Game 1 action sent some waves through the futures market, including the Yankees making a massive jump ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays as the favorite to win the World Series out of the American League.Throughout the playoffs, the SI Betting team will examine the latest World Series odds to keep bettors and fans up to date on the favorites - and we'll potentially mix in a futures bet to consider along the way. The Yankees have officially jumped ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays in the odds to win the World Series, going from +850 to +650 after Tuesday's win.That's a sign that oddsmakers expected New York to win against the Rays if it can advance to face the AL East champs in the ALDS. Cam Schlitter (6.1 innings, two hits, 10 K's) was lights out in Game 1 for the New York, which rode a huge game from Ben Rice (two home runs, three extra-base hits) with Aaron Judge out of the lineup.The Yankees are favored in Game 2 of this series with Boston with Max Fried on the mound on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the Red Sox dropped from +1500 to +3000 to win the World Series and could be without star outfielder Roman Anthony going forward. He aggravated a hand injury that caused him to miss most of the 2026 regular season. Roman Anthony update: His right hand was "uncomfortable" and "flared" on a check swing, Chad Tracy said.Yankees and Braves Rise in Betting MarketsNew York is likely going to be favored in a winner-take-all Game 3 - if Boston forces one - and it is now third overall in the odds to win the World Series. The Braves survived a scare in Game 1 against the Phillies, as third baseman Austin Riley gave the team a late lead - that held up as the final - with a three-run blast.The Braves jumped up from +1500 to +1100 to win the World Series, but they remain the No. 3 choice behind Los Angeles and Milwaukee in the National League. The Braves are underdogs in Game 2 of the wild card round with lefty Cristopher Sanchez on the mound for the Phillies. Philadelphia (now +3500 to win the World Series) is tied for last in the odds.After using ace Zack Wheeler on Sunday to get into the playoffs, the Phillies are facing an uphill battle to advance to the NLDS. The Padres entered the postseason with worse odds to win the World Series (+2000) than the Cubs (+1700), but they dominated Game 1 from the jump with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado leaving the yard early on their way to an 8-0 win.Padres Extend Hot Finish Into PlayoffsDown the stretch of the regular season, no team in MLB was hotter than the Padres, as they went from the first team out in the wild card to the top spot. They're favored on Wednesday with Nick Pivetta on the mound, which has dropped the Cubs back to +3500 (tied with the Phillies) in the latest World Series odds.The White Sox and Astros entered the playoffs with the worst odds in baseball to win the title, but Chicago has jumped from +4000 to +2500 after taking Game 1 on the road. Chicago has right-hander Sean Burke set to go in Game 2, though it is an underdog against Houston's Hunter Brown.White Sox and Astros Remain Major UnderdogsBoth of these teams remain major underdogs in this market, even though they have an easier path to the ALCS with a matchup with the Guardians up next. Peter is the associate managing editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, betting and more. He is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.