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How Does the World Series Work?

The 30-second answer

The World Series is baseball’s championship: a best-of-7 series between the American League champion and the National League champion. First team to four wins takes the Commissioner’s Trophy. The games split between the two ballparks in a 2-3-2 pattern, and the team with the better regular-season record gets home-field advantage so they host games 1, 2, and any deciding games 6 and 7.

The slightly longer version

Despite the name, the World Series isn’t a global tournament. It’s the championship of Major League Baseball and the “World” in the name dates back to 1903, when winning it made you the champion of the baseball world. It’s also called the Fall Classic, because it’s played in late October.

The format is simple: best-of-7, first team to four wins. Each game counts separately and it doesn’t matter if you win 10-0 or 1-0, it’s one win either way. The home games follow a 2-3-2 pattern: games 1 and 2 at the better-record team’s park, games 3, 4 and 5 at the other park, and games 6 and 7 back at the first park if the series goes that far. There are built-in off days for travel in the middle.

Home-field advantage goes to the team with the better regular-season record, all 162 games of it, which is why teams chase every win in September even after they’ve clinched a playoff spot. Win four games and you get the trophy, the parade, and the title of World Champions.

What to watch for:

  • The series score, not the game score. Broadcasts keep a running “Series: 2-1” graphic and that number matters more than any single game’s score.
  • The 2-3-2 swing. Three straight games at the other team’s park in the middle can completely flip a series.
  • “If necessary” games. Games 5, 6 and 7 only happen if the series is still alive and that’s why a potential Game 7 on Halloween night is the dream scenario.
  • Elimination games. The moment one team reaches 3 wins, every game after that can end the other team’s season.

Say this out loud

“It’s best-of-seven so first to four wins the whole thing.”

“They’re up 3-2, so tonight’s an elimination game.”

“The series shifts back to their park for Game 6 and that’s the home-field advantage.”

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