MLB playoff shares are bonus payments to players on the 12 postseason teams, funded by a pool of ticket revenue from the early games of each round. The World Series winner gets 36 percent of the pool and the loser 24 percent, with the rest split among the teams eliminated earlier. In 2024 the pool was a record $129.1 million and a full share for the champion Dodgers was worth $477,441 per player, while a full share for the losing Yankees was $358,081. The 2026 pool will be announced in November after the World Series.
How the Pool Is Split
| Finish | Share of pool | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| World Series winner | 36% | 1 |
| World Series loser | 24% | 1 |
| League Championship Series losers | 12% each | 2 |
| Division Series losers | 3.25% each | 4 |
| Wild Card Series losers | 0.75% each | 4 |
Where the Money Comes From
The pool is built from gate receipts, not television money: 50 percent of the ticket revenue from the first two games of each Wild Card Series, 60 percent from the first three games of each Division Series, 60 percent from the first four games of each League Championship Series and 50 percent from the first four games of the World Series. Games beyond those counts do not add to the pool, which removes any incentive to stretch a series.
Each team’s players vote on how to divide their portion before the postseason begins. Full shares typically go to everyone on the active roster and injured list all season, with partial shares and cash awards for players who were with the team part of the year, coaches, trainers, clubhouse staff and even batboys. A team can award as many shares as it wants; the more it awards, the smaller each one is. Shares are paid in late November and are taxed as income.
Related
MLB playoff rules · How much a World Series ring costs · MLB pension explained · MLB playoff bracket
Pool percentages and 2024 figures are from MLB.com.