The college baseball version of March Madness, the College World Series, takes place every June in Omaha, Nebraska. The tournament has been played every year since 1947 (except for 2020) to determine the NCAA Division I college baseball champion.
This article will provide some background on the history and format of the College World Series as well as sports betting similarities and differences with Major League Baseball.
College World Series History
The College World Series was slightly different when it started in 1947. The inaugural tournament only featured eight teams and was played in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The University of California defeated Yale that year to win the first-ever College World Series.
The tournament remained in Kalamazoo in 1948 before shifting to Wichita, Kansas, in 1949. It relocated again in 1950 to Omaha, Nebraska, where it has been played ever since.
Based on the NCAA’s current contract with CWS Omaha, the College World Series will remain in Nebraska until at least 2035.
The tournament format has changed several times over the years, ultimately expanding to the current structure in 1999 to accommodate the growing number of Division I schools.
Even as the College World Series has expanded, it has been largely dominated by a handful of schools in warmer states, which typically recruit the best baseball players.
Best College Baseball Schools
USC has won the tournament a record 12 times—twice as many as the next-closest schools, LSU and Texas. USC also holds the record for most Finals appearances with 14, followed by Texas (12) and Arizona State (10). Texas has made the tournament the most times, however, with 38 appearances.
The Pac-12 has had the most success with 18 titles. The SEC (15) is the only other conference with more than seven, indicating that the most successful college baseball programs are typically clustered in the South and on the West Coast.
Some famous MLB players appeared in the CWS before reaching the big leagues, including Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt (1970), Dave Winfield (1973), Paul Molitor (1977), Mike Mussina (1990) and Barry Larkin (1983-84). Current stars to make an appearance include Gerrit Cole (2010), Alex Bregman (2013, 2015) and Kyle Schwarber (2013).
College World Series Format
The College World Series format has evolved throughout its history. The tournament has gradually expanded, from eight teams in 1947 to 64 in 1999, the same number used today.
The College World Series begins with 64 teams in the first round, which is called the Regionals. These teams consist of 31 conference champions (all of whom earn automatic bids) and 33 non-conference champions chosen by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee.
Of those 64 teams, 16 receive national seeds and are eligible to host games in the second round if they advance.
Once chosen, the field is divided into 16 mini-brackets of four teams each and are seeded 1-4. This tournament stage follows a double-elimination format, meaning a team must lose twice to be eliminated. Additionally, teams are not re-seeded after the first round.
The 16 winners of these groups advance to the second round, known as the Super Regionals. These teams are divided up into eight pairings and play a best-of-three series. So once again, teams are eliminated if they lose twice.
The eight winners of those series move on to the third round, which is the College World Series in Omaha. These are considered the CWS finalists. They are then split into two double-elimination brackets, both of which have four teams.
The winners of those two brackets then meet in the College World Series Finals, a best-of-three series to determine the NCAA champion.
In all, the tournament lasts roughly four weeks, with the Regionals beginning in early June and the Finals occurring in late June each summer.
College World Series Betting Odds Overview
Betting on the College World Series is similar to betting on MLB, but there are fewer markets.
Like MLB, bettors can bet on outcomes of individual games in the tournament, including moneyline, spread and over/under. The betting market tends to be more limited in terms of prop bets, however, due to restrictions that some states have around betting on college athletes.
Similarly, the futures market also typically isn’t as extensive for the College World Series.
You can bet on the tournament winner, just like you can bet on who will win the MLB World Series. You can also wager on teams to advance to certain rounds like the Super Regionals or College World Series, similar to how you can bet on which team will win their division or advance to the Fall Classic in MLB.
2024 College World Series Finalists
The 77th College World Series kicked off with the best teams in the nation battling it out in Omaha, Nebraska. Only two of the eight remaining teams (Florida and Virginia) have a championship before.
While college baseball may not own the same widespread popularity as college football and basketball, it still has a loyal fan base. The CWS is a prominent showcase for the best young players in the nation, many of whom will be in the big leagues in a few short years.
Below is a brief look at the teams that made it to the CWS. All odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Tennessee (+260 Before CWS Start)
Tennessee stormed to the College World Series for the third time in four years after posting the best regular-season record in college baseball. Not surprisingly, the SEC champs have the shortest odds to win the title this year, which would be their first in franchise history. They’re one of four teams from their conference to reach the final eight.
Texas A&M (+350 Before CWS Start)
Texas A&M finished second in the SEC to Tennessee and is second on the odds board as well. Fueled by a potent offense, the Aggies have the firepower to win it all after taking down Oregon in the super regionals.
Kentucky (+470 Before CWS Start)
Known for being a basketball powerhouse, Kentucky is excelling on the diamond as well. This is the first College World Series appearance for the Wildcats, who are still alive after getting by Oregon State in the super regionals.
North Carolina (+700 Before CWS Start)
UNC is back in the tournament for the first time since 2018. The ACC champs advanced after squeaking out a pair of close wins over West Virginia in the super regionals.
Florida State (+750 Before CWS Start)
Florida State has the most CWS appearances (23) without a championship, including three times as a runner-up. The Seminoles bounced back from a losing season in 2023, returning to Omaha for the first time since 2019 after knocking out UConn in the super regionals.
Virginia (+1000 Before CWS Start)
Virginia is back in the College World Series for the third time in four years after beating Kansas State in the super regionals. That makes seven appearances in the last 15 seasons for the Cavaliers under head coach Brian O’Connor — the second-most of any program during that span.
Florida (+1000 Before CWS Start)
Florida clinched its 14th CWS berth with a wild 13-inning win over Clemson in the super regionals. The Gators came into the tournament with a mediocre 28-27 record but have won five in a row and enter the CWS with tons of momentum.
North Carolina State (+1100 Before CWS Start)
After reaching the Final Four in both men’s and women’s basketball, NC State has made it to Omaha as well. The Wolfpack have the longest odds of any remaining team to win the tournament, but their school keeps finding ways to exceed expectations.
