Odds for Omaha: Early favorites to win 2024 College World Series released

Jonathan Wagner

In less than a month, college baseball season will be underway. Opening day is on Friday, February 16, kicking off what is shaping up to be another great season on the diamond. Now, the early odds have been released for the 2024 College World Series winner in Omaha.

The current odds from DraftKings have a couple of teams standing above the rest, including last year’s CWS champions, the LSU Tigers. But Jay Johnson’s squad is not in the top spot, which is instead held by Wake Forest.

Behind the Demon Deacons, though, the SEC is heavily involved. In addition to LSU in the No. 2 spot with +750 odds to win the College World Series, they are followed by Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt, with Texas A&M not far behind.

1. Wake Forest +650

Jun 21, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Tom Walter walks off the field after being defeated by the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Wake Forest lost some pieces from last season’s impressive team, but the Demon Deacons still retained a strong roster top-to-bottom with some notable talent incoming. Tennessee transfer Chase Burns could immediately become a top-end rotation arm in Winston-Salem.

Wake Forest made it to Omaha last season on the heels of a 54-12 regular season that included a 22-7 clip in the ACC. They won the ACC regular season title before hosting, and winning, a regional and super regional. Now, the expectation is to add another few wins in Omaha.

2. LSU +750

Jun 24, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; LSU Tigers third baseman Tommy White (47) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Florida Gators during the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

While the previous two College World Series champions (Mississippi State in 2021, Ole Miss in 2022) went on to miss the postseason entirely the following season, LSU remains one of the teams with the best odds to win in 2024.

Jay Johnson continues to stockpile talent through freshmen classes and also through the portal, and it’s easy to see why the Tigers have such promising odds yet again.

3. Florida +1000

Jun 25, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Florida Gators first baseman Jac Caglianone (14) celebrates hitting a home run against the LSU Tigers in the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

After finishing last season as the regular season SEC co-champions and later making it all the way to the College World Series finals, expectations are high again for Kevin O’Sullivan and the Gators.

Star two-way player Jac Caglianone returns, and he might just be the best player in college baseball. And with some impressive transfer bats joining the fold, including Colby Shelton from Alabama and Brody Donay from Virginia Tech, the Gators are more than capable of going on another run this season.

4. Arkansas +1100

Jun 22, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks starting pitcher Hagen Smith (33) pitches against the Ole Miss Rebels during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The Razorbacks were right there with Florida as regular season SEC co-champions last year, and expectations remain high heading into the new campaign. Arkansas struggled through injuries for a lot of last year, and eventually lost their home regional with TCU advancing.

Arkansas hit the portal with a couple of impact additions, including Texas Tech transfer pitcher Mason Molina and Sacramento State shortstop Wehiwa Aloy. Now, the Razorbacks hope that’s enough to send them back to Omaha.

5. Tennessee +1300

Tennessee’s Drew Beam (32) celebrates after striking out Vanderbilt’s Chris Maldonado (8) during an NCAA baseball game in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sunday, April 23, 2023. Ut Baseball Vandy. © Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tennessee went 44-20 in the regular season last year, including 16-14 in SEC play. The Vols got hot in the second half of the season, before ultimately being one-and-done in the SEC Tournament. Falling short of hosting, Tony Vitello and his team went to Clemson and won a regional, later winning a super regional in Hattiesburg to reach Omaha.

With a strong freshman class incoming paired with transfers Billy Amick, who hit .413 last season at Clemson, and Cannon Peebles, who hit .352 as NC State’s catcher last year, the Vols carry high expectations yet again.

6. Vanderbilt +1600

Vanderbilt batter Chris Maldonado points to the dugout after singling home a run against Florida Saturday, May 27, 2023, at the Hoover Met in the semifinal round. © Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

A season ago, Vanderbilt was 42-20 and 19-11 in the SEC in the regular season. They went on to win the SEC Tournament, entering the postseason on an impressive roll. In the end, though, the Commodores won the first two games of their regional but was unable to secure the needed third victory, with Xavier advancing to supers.

Losing Parker Noland to South Carolina hurts for Vanderbilt, they again bring in a strong crop of freshmen. Tim Corbin proves year-in and year-out why Vanderbilt is always a contender, and this season looks no different.

7. TCU +2000

Jun 16, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; TCU Horned Frogs catcher Karson Bowen (14) celebrates after hitting a double against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles during the sixth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

TCU made it to Omaha last season, and did so as maybe the hottest team in the country. The Horned Frogs won the final two games of their final regular season series, swept their four games in the Big 12 Tournament, and swept the Fayetteville Regional and the Fort Worth Super Regional.

Despite losing their first game in Omaha, TCU responded with two more wins before falling to the eventual runner-up in Florida. Now, on the heels of a strong campaign, TCU is one of the odds-on favorites to win the 2024 College World Series.

8. Texas A&M +2200

Jun 19, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jim Schlossnagle watches late game action against the Texas Longhorns at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

While Texas A&M struggled at times last year, the Aggies made it to the SEC Tournament championship game, and were able to make it into a regional, eventually falling in the Stanford Regional.

No transfer addition this offseason was bigger than Texas A&M adding Braden Montgomery, who established himself as one of college baseball’s best overall players at Stanford. The two-way star joins some other pieces, and are a strong reason for high expectations again in College Station.

T-9. Clemson +2500

Clemson sophomore Will Taylor (16) gets a hit during a game against Georgia at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson Tuesday, April 18, 2023. © MCKENZIE LANGE/ Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last season was Clemson’s first under head coach Erik Bakich, and it was a year to remember. The Tigers won 44 games, earned the ACC Tournament championship, and hosted a regional. Clemson went on to fall to Charlotte in the regional, with Tennessee ultimately winning it.

While Clemson will have to overcome a couple of notable losses from the roster, the Tigers added plenty of talent, both through their freshman class and through the transfer portal.

T-9. Virginia +2500

Jun 16, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Virginia Cavaliers shortstop Griff O’Ferrall (6) scores a run against the Florida Gators during the seventh inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia started last season by winning each of their first 14 games. Then, after a 1-1 showing in the ACC Tournament, Charlottesville played host to a regional. Virginia cruised to victory, beating East Carolina twice to advance to a super regional, which they also hosted. After losing the opener to Duke, Virginia responded with two blowout victories to advance to Omaha, where they would go 0-2.

Losing Jake Gelof, Kyle Teel and Ethan O’Donnell is an obstacle for Virginia, but the roster still is built around some strong returning talent. It would not be surprising at all to see Virginia go on another run in 2024.

T-9. Texas +2500

Texas Longhorns pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. (57) throws against San Jos State at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, May 12, 2023 in Austin. © Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last season truly ended in heartbreak for Texas, with a fly ball lost in the lights becoming the dagger in the Stanford Regional. Regardless, the Longhorns were 42-22 in 2023, including a 15-9 Big 12 record, and have a lot to like heading into the new season.

Texas has some impressive arms in the rotation, and that group becomes even stronger if Tanner Witt is able to return and pitch at a high level. Texas is right there at the top of the Big 12 entering 2024, and that reflects with their top ten odds to win the College World Series.

Other odds to win the 2024 College World Series

T-12. South Carolina +3000
T-12. Oregon State +3000
T-14. Alabama +3500
T-14. UCLA +3500
T-16. Stanford +4000
T-16. North Carolina +4000
T-18. Kentucky +5000
T-18. Oklahoma State +5000
T-18. NC State +5000
T-21. Auburn +6000
T-21. Texas Tech +6000
T-23. Duke +7000
T-23. Oregon +7000
T-23. Louisville +7000
T-26. East Carolina +7500
T-26. Virginia Tech +7500
T-26. Miami +7500