Here's Who Vegas Thinks Will Win The Brewers-Rays World Series, And In How Many Games

Milwaukee has never won it all. Here's how oddsmakers see the Fall Classic playing out, and how long they expect it to last.

By William Bornhoft, Patch Staff

Oct 20, 2026 8:52 AM CDT

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee Brewers will open the World Series as the favorites, but oddsmakers don't expect them to make quick work of the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Brewers opened as -160 favorites to win the series, with the Rays at +140, according to DraftKings Sportsbook odds reported by Sports Illustrated.

That line gives Milwaukee an implied win probability of roughly 62 percent.

In other words, a bettor would have to put down $160 on the Brewers to win $100, while a $100 bet on the Rays would pay out $140.

The single most likely outcome, according to the sportsbook, is the Brewers winning in six games at +360, followed by the Brewers in seven at +450.

If the Rays pull off the upset, oddsmakers see a seven-game series as their best path at +550, followed by Tampa Bay in six (+650) and in five (+750).

A Rays sweep is the longest shot on the board at +1300.

The Rays punched their ticket Monday night with a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS, taking the series 4-2. The Brewers have been waiting since sweeping the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.

Milwaukee went 103-59 during the regular season, the best record in baseball, which gives the Brewers home-field advantage over the 98-64 Rays.

The two teams met just once during the regular season, a three-game series from March 30 to April 1, and the Brewers won two of three.

It's been a long road for both clubs. The Brewers entered the season with 35-1 odds to win the World Series, according to ESPN, while the Rays opened at 80-1.

Either way, baseball will crown a first-time champion. The Brewers' only previous World Series appearance came in 1982, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games as an American League team.

The Rays lost the Fall Classic to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and to the Dodgers in 2020.

Game 1 is set for Friday, Oct. 23, at American Family Field, with first pitch at 7 p.m. Central on Fox. Game 2 is Saturday at the same time in Milwaukee.

The series then shifts to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, plus Game 5 if necessary. If the series goes the distance, Game 7 would be played on Halloween.