Did you know there are teams from USA playing in Major League Soccer? This is our guide to MLS betting which is the American soccer league.
With its own franchises involved, Major League Soccer betting in USA is important. You’ll find all this and more on this page:
Before we start handing out the MLS betting advice, a great foundation is knowing how this competition works. With that in mind, here are our top 10 facts about Major League Soccer:
The MLS is split into the Eastern and Western Conference based on geography
In the 2020 Major League Soccer season, there are 13 teams in each Conference
Each team plays every other from their own Conference both home and away, and all the teams from the other once either home or away
Three points are awarded for a win and one for each tied game
The team that finishes top of each Conference at the end of the regular season receives a bye into the Conference semi-finals of MLS playoffs
Teams that finish second down to seventh enter the MLS playoffs at the Conference quarter-finals stage
Winners of the two Conference playoff finals are taken forward to the MLS Cup
Both the Conference semi-finals and finals are now just one match instead of two-legged ties
Extra-time and penalties can be used to determine the winners of MLS playoffs matches
The away goals rule is no longer in effect for the MLS playoffs
If you’re a gambling newbie, then you may not understand how MLS betting works. We can help, though. Let’s work through an example of a typical match result market:
In this hypothetical MLS game, Montreal Impact are favourites because they’re the shortest price. For every C$5 bet on them, you would make C$4 of profit if they won. That’s total returns of C$9 on the wager.
A draw or tie occurs commonly in soccer matches. A C$4 stake on the scores being level here returns C$15. That means C$11 profit.
Toronto FC are betting outsiders to win the game. If you wagered C$30 on them, you would win C$100, garnering a return of C$130.
We’ve used decimal odds in our example, but you might also encounter MLS prices in fractions or using the American moneyline system. Our odds calculator below lets you see how these ways of expressing betting odds compare:
Now we come to the heart of all MLS betting advice. What different kinds of wager are there that prove popular with gamblers? Here are some of the most frequently used odds types for Major League Soccer betting in USA:
Which team will win their match or will it end in a draw?
What will the match result be at half-time and then full-time? This market allows you to build the possibility for a change in fortunes in the second half.
What will the precise final score in goals be between two teams after a regulation 90 minutes?
Which soccer player will score the first or last goal? Can they score a goal at any
time, or two or more, or even a hat-trick? With goalscorer markets, you’ve got many options.
No goalscorer is even priced up.
When one team are strong favourites to win, sportsbook traders will set handicaps to
reflect that. Using recent form and stats, they will come up with brackets or margins, known in North
America as spreads, that do this.
These are pretend deficits in goals for the favourites to overcome, or imagined advantages for betting
underdogs to cling onto. A winning bet is one that is said to have covered the handicap or spread.
Which team will win the whole competition and lift the MLS Cup? This is a common futures market which is available throughout the regular season and playoffs.
Which soccer player will be voted the MLS’s MVP?
Which team will be crowned outright winners of their Conference? This is a bet on the winner of the Conference playoff final, not who tops the regular season table.
Major League Soccer is founded as part of the United States’ bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup
The first MLS season takes place with D.C. United crowned inaugural champions
D.C. United retain the MLS Cup. This feat has since been matched with Houston Dynamo (2006 and 2007) and LA Galaxy (2011 and 2012) winning consecutive championships
Preki of Kansas City Wizards becomes the only player in MLS history to be voted MVP more than once
Former England captain David Beckham joins the MLS signing for LA Galaxy from Real Madrid. His high profile in the global media shone a brighter spotlight on the competition
FC Dallas match Columbus Crew’s record undefeated streak of 19 MLS games
LA Galaxy win a record fifth MLS Cup
Landon Donovan sets the MLS record for most goals (145) and assists (136). Chris Wondolowski surpassed this record in May 2019 at the ripe age of 36.
Toronto FC become the first Major League Soccer franchise from USA to win the MLS Cup
New York Red Bulls pick up a record 71 points during the regular MLS season, but lose in the Conference playoff finals to eventual MLS Cup winners Atlanta United
And there it is. Our guide to MLS betting in USA is complete. You should be wiser about how it all works and ready to start gambling on Major League Soccer!
If you haven’t had enough MLS betting advice, then check out our FAQs section. Refresh your memory about the topics we’ve discussed.
Major League Soccer, often abbreviated to the MLS, is the USA’s top soccer division. Teams from USA also play in this league.
Some of the most popular betting types and MLS odds are:
We only feature the best MLS betting sites in our list of top casinos on this page. Check those out if you haven’t already!
You can bet on Major League Soccer and many other sports on mobile and digital devices.
Live or in-play betting is where you wager on sporting events as they happen. Markets and odds change all the time to reflect what’s going on.
