Major League Soccer (MLS) Betting Odds

Los Angeles FC Can Make Quality Count to Win 2022 MLS Cup

The 2021 MLS season has begun and there’s much to look forward to over the coming months after what was a truncated season last year.

It’s easy to see why Los Angeles FC went into the new season as favorites with the Vegas sportsbooks, with Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi a prolific goal-scoring duo and plenty of quality in midfield in the likes of Latif Blessing, Francisco Ginella and Jose Cifuentes. There’s also good strength in depth to call upon if required.

Other Contenders

Columbus Crew and the Seattle Sounders have both established themselves as MLS powerhouses in recent years and certainly have serious ambitions in the MLS Cup.

Toronto FC are another team with an impressive recent history, but a lack of games in Canada and a roster that is perhaps past its best is a concern.

MLS Betting Odds 2022

The betting odds for the leading contenders according to Bovada’s MLS odds:

• Los Angeles FC +500
• Columbus Crew +600
• Seattle Sounders +900
• Toronto FC +900
• Orlando FC +1000
• LA Galaxy +1400
• Atlanta United +1600
• Inter Miami CF +1600
• New York City +1600
• Portland Timbers +1600
• New England Revolution +2000
• Philadelphia Union +2000
• FC Dallas +2500
• Sporting Kansas City +2500

Top Goalscorer Betting Odds

The Top Goalscorer betting market has seen Javier Hernandez set off at an impressive pace with five goals in his first two games of the new season. Should he stay fit, a predatory forward like Chicharito could take some catching.

Here are the MLS betting odds for the leading players for the Golden Boot award from the Bovada Sportsbook :

• Javier Hernandez (LA Galaxy) +350
• Carlos Vela (Los Angeles FC) +450
• Josef Martinez (Atlanta United) +550
• Raul Ruidiaz (Seattle Sounders) +800
• Diego Rossi (Los Angeles FC) +1200
• Gonzalo Higuain (Inter Miami) +1200
• Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew FC) +1400
• Robert Beric (Chicago Fire FC) +1400

What format will be used for the 2021 MLS season?

The 2021 season sees the addition of Austin FC as an expansion club, which takes the MLS to 27 teams. This regular season started on April 16, 2021, and is scheduled to conclude on November 7, 2021.

The result of the ongoing COVID-19 cross-border restrictions imposed by the Canadian government is the continuation of the requirement for the three Canadian teams to play their home matches in the USA from the start of the season.

Each team is scheduled to play 34 matches – 17 home games and 17 away games. Due to the difference in the number of teams in each conference, each conference has its own format:

• All 14 Eastern Conference sides will play 6 regional Eastern Conference opponents 3 times and the remaining 7 Eastern Conference opponents twice. Each of them will also play 2 cross-conference games against different opponents.
• 11 out of the 13 Western Conference teams will play 8 regional Western Conference opponents 3 times and the remaining 4 Western Conference opponents twice. Each of them will also play 2 cross-conference games against different opponents.
• The remaining two teams from Western Conference will play seven Western Conference opponents three times and the remaining five Western Conference opponents twice. Each of them will also play three cross-conference games against different opponents.

What happened in the 2020 MLS season?

The 2020 season saw the addition of two new expansion clubs in Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC, so taking Major League Soccer to 26 total teams.

The regular season was severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to it being to a number of games being canceled and the format being rescheduled. The restart saw teams only playing against their conference opponents for six games, with the intention of finishing a 23-game regular season (as opposed to the proposed 34-game season).

Due to COVID-19 cross-border restrictions applied by the Canadian government, the 3 Canadian MLS teams were forced teams to play their home matches in the latter stages of the regular season in the USA.

It was ultimately determined that playoff qualification would be determined by points per game, due to eight teams in the Western Conference being unable to fulfill all of their scheduled 23 regular-season games as a result of COVID-19 cases.

Philadelphia Union claimed the Supporters’ Shield for the team with the best regular-season record, so winning the first title in the club’s history. Columbus Crew went on to win the MLS Cup by beating the Seattle Sounders 3-0 in the final.

* MLS odds quoted were correct at the time of article publication. All betting odds are subject to fluctuations. 21+ Please gamble responsibly.