The electoral was deliberately set up to slightly favor the small states. How does it favor them?

The small states get equal representation in the Senate and this gives them an advantage in computing electoral votes

The United States Electoral College is the electoral college that chooses the President of the United States at the end of each US presidential election. The American Electoral College was established by Article 2, Section 1 of the United States Constitution.

Each state has the right to a certain number of delegates in the electoral college, a number that varies with its representatives in Congress. The delegates of this college elect the president of the country.