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Alex Gallardo/Associated Press

The All-Star break marks the unofficial midway point of the MLB season, so it's a good time to check in on which teams are best positioned to contend for a World Series title.

Seventeen clubs boast a winning record heading into the second half, and as usual, the presence of those second wild-card spots will convince more than a few fringe contenders to buy at the deadline.

Ahead is a breakdown of each contender's World Series odds before the second half gets underway.

Placement in the standings, future expectations, overall talent level and recent performance all played a part in determining each team's odds.

We'll start with a rundown of the non-contenders.