This article was contributed by BetMGM. For more sports betting insights, check out BetMGM.com.

The 2024 MLB playoffs will begin on Tuesday, but the Philadelphia Phillies won’t have to take the diamond until this weekend for the National League Division Series.

That’s the benefit of claiming the No. 2 seed in the NL. After a bye in the Wild Card Series, Philadelphia will host Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday.

According to the BetMGM online sportsbook, the Phillies enter the postseason as one of the top championship contenders.

They are +450 to win the World Series, tied with the New York Yankees for the second-shortest odds to win it all. At +450, Philadelphia has an implied probability of 18.18% to win its first World Series since 2008.

The Phillies are +200 to win the National League, giving them an implied probability of 33.33% to reach the World Series entering October. They trail only the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are +165 favorites to win the NL and +325 to win the World Series.

FanGraphs’ projections favor Philadelphia over Los Angeles in both markets. The Phillies are 30.1% to win the NLCS and 17.2% to win the World Series. The Dodgers are 28% and 16.5%, respectively.

BetMGM also offers a World Series MVP market, where Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani opens as a +850 favorite. Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper is tied for the second-best odds to win this award at +1250, translating to an implied probability of 7.41%.

Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber are both +2200 (4.35%) to win World Series MVP.

While the Phillies appear to be a top contender, the betting odds haven’t always believed in them. In the preseason, they were +1500 to win the World Series, trailing five different teams. They started trading at 6/1 or shorter in June.

Philadelphia was +800 to win the NL in the spring following consecutive trips to at least the NLCS.

In addition, the Phillies won the NL East for the first time since 2011. In the spring, they were +325 underdogs to win the division.

Philadelphia also exceeded its preseason win total of 89.5, marking the fourth straight season that the team has cleared its preseason over/under.

Visit the BetMGM sportsbook throughout the season for updated MLB futures, including World Series odds. You can also view updated sportsbook promos, including a First Bet Offer for eligible new customers.