Steve Cohen, Jeff Wilpon, Fred Wilpon, New York Mets
ESNY Graphic, Getty Images

This past Tuesday might’ve been the most excited New York Mets fans have been since Game 4 of the 2015 NLCS.

Steve Cohen, new owner and CEO of the organization, held his opening press conference with the media just days after completing his purchase of the team. Fans believe Cohen’s outlook (and wallet) will bring the Mets to the promised land, a place they haven’t resided since 1986.

Many think major changes could actually be made as early as 2021, and bettors seem to agree, to say the least.

Let’s take a look at the 2021 World Series betting splits, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook:

2021 World Series Splits
Handle Rank Teams Odds % of Handle % of Bets
1 NY Mets +2200 36% 15%
2 CHI White Sox +1500 23% 19%
3 LA Dodgers +425 8% 10%
4 ATL Braves +1000 7% 7%
5 NY Yankees +550 6% 10%
6 BOS Red Sox +5000 5% 5%
7 SD Padres +1300 5% 5%
8 CHI Cubs +2500 1% 2%
9 TOR Blue Jays +4000 1% 1%
10 PHI Phillies +3000 1% 1%
Provided by DraftKings Sportsbook

The Mets haven’t played October baseball since the 2016 campaign when they lost to the San Francisco Giants in the Wild Card round. They additionally were a huge disappointment this past season, finishing 26-34 and tying for last in the National League East after many thought they would build on their 86-76 mark from 2019.

Nonetheless, a new owner (and an extremely wealthy one at that) can change a whole lot, especially in a league that doesn’t carry a salary cap. Cohen is expected to quickly fix many of the problems the Wilpons introduced, which is why a noteworthy number of bettors are backing the Mets to win the 2021 World Series.

Cohen’s confidence in the future is contagious as well –the hedge fund billionaire stated it would be a disappointment if the Mets didn’t win a title in 3-5 years.

What’s interesting about the above splits is how Cohen’s purchase has forced bettors to prefer the Mets over the division-rival Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. Either team finished in a better spot than the Mets this past season, with Atlanta coming one game short of the Fall Classic.

The Mets are additionally drawing more attention from bettors in comparison to the New York Yankees, a ballclub that’s far better than them at the moment. While the Amazins are responsible for 36% of the handle and 15% of the bets, the Bombers carry 6% of the handle and 10% of the bets.

The Yanks are the superior of the two New York ballclubs, and that will always remain the case. But with new ownership in Queens, there could be two legitimate World Series contenders in New York City for years to come.

Ryan Honey is a staff writer and host of the Wide Right Podcast.