Inside The Cubs

Early Odds For 2026 World Series Cement Cubs As Dark Horse Contender

Here are the Chicago Cubs' current 2026 World Series odds.
Grant Young|
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Pete Crow-Armstrong | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago CubsLos Angeles Dodgers

For the most part, Chicago Cubs fans feel like their 2025 season was a success.

Of course, Chicago coming up short to their bitter division rival, the Milwaukee Brewers, in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the NLDS wasn't how fans wanted this season to end. But given everything the club had to endure throughout a rollercoaster campaign, the season still ended in smiles.

And there's also a lot for fans to look forward to as 2026 approaches. For one, the Cubs seem to have two potential superstars (Cade Horton and Pete Crow-Armstrong) who showed glimpses of greatness in 2025 and appear likely to continue improving next season.

Pete Crow-Armstrong
Pete Crow-Armstrong | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

There are also plenty of other solid players on the Cubs' roster. The team's defense is arguably the best in baseball, and while it's impossible to expect every player to remain healthy, the Cubs' youth and depth suggest they're in a good spot to deal with potential adversity.

That being said, the Cubs' outlook for the 2026 season still hinges on the moves they make this offseason. They could use a frontline starting pitcher, and given that star outfielder Kyle Tucker is almost guaranteed to sign elsewhere in free agency, Jed Hoyer and the rest of the Cubs' brass should be seeking ways to replace his production in the lineup.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) is greeted in the dugout on October 2, 2025
Oct 2, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker | David Banks-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs' 2026 World Series Odds Speak Volumes

Still, even if the Cubs didn't make any major splashes in free agency, their roster is still solid enough to make a deep postseason run. But nobody can deny that it would be hard for them to compete against NL juggernauts, most notably the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Several American sportsbooks have already posted 2026 World Series odds. DraftKings has the Cubs listed at +2200, which puts them at No. 12 in MLB. FanDuel has Chicago at +2500 to win the World Series next season, which was No. 11 in MLB.

Chicago being outside of the top 10 in World Series odds right now obviously isn't ideal. However, this positions them as a playoff team, and anything can happen once a club reaches that point.

What's more, the Cubs could be one shrewd free agency acquisition or trade away from their odds improving enough to put them past teams like the Orioles, Braves, and Mets, who are typically listed right above them right now.

The Dodgers remain overwhelming favorites to win again at both sportsbooks, with the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies having the second and third-best odds, respectively.

It will be interesting to see how these odds shift by the time Opening Day arrives.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Boxing, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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