The good old Major League Soccer will turn 30 in 2026. A lot has changed since that first season in 1996, from the number of teams to the regular-season and post-season formats and, of course, the way of betting on MLS.
There’s no need to worry. At BetUS Sportsbook, you’ll find the best MLS odds, betting tips, and tools to bet responsibly.
The Best MLS Odds
While YOLO sounds cool and looks great on a t-shirt, you should always have a strategy when it comes to betting. The best teams in the mls don’t always meet expectations, and there are plenty of factors to consider before placing your ticket. The list includes team performance, injuries, the transfer market, and weather, to name a few. And don’t forget to check the MLS news!
Starting with the basics, considering the season includes 400+ games, you will always have the opportunity to bet on the moneyline, spread, the handicap in soccer, and over/under.
MLS Moneyline
The moneyline is a straight-up bet in which you choose the team that you think will win the game.
For example, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play host to Christian Benteke and DC United. The game is in Miami, where the Herons are pretty much unbeatable, and Messi has scored in the Herons’ last three games. Those things directly affect the MLS betting lines for the match and your approach.
Under those circumstances, Miami would be heavily favored, so let’s say Messi and company are -200 to win, and DC United is +330. If you include Miami in your MLS picks, you bet $200 to win $100. And all you need for the bet to turn into a win is a victory from the Herons. Nothing else matters. On the other hand, if you choose to bet on DC United, a $100 bet would give you the chance of winning $330.
MLS Over/Under
You can turn to the game and team total if you don’t want to bet on a winner. The game total involves both teams, while the team total is all about the side you pick.
Let’s keep talking about Inter Miami vs DC United. Considering Miami’s attacking unit is led by Messi and Luis Suarez, and DC United’s is led by Benteke, the game total should be at least 3.5 goals. If you believe both teams will combine for 4+ goals, you bet on the over. If you think the game will be close and the goalkeepers will be the best players on the field, you take the under.
Now, let’s say you took the over. You win the bet if the game finishes 4-0, 2-2, or 3-1 (examples). Here, the MLS odds to win the game don’t matter. All you need is the game total to be over 3.5 goals.
The team total works differently. Inter Miami team total is set at 1.5 goals, which means the Herons must score at least two goals for the team total to go over. If they score two goals, it doesn’t matter if DC United scores or if the game total goes over. If you took Inter Miami’s total to go over, you win the bet even if the Herons lose 7-2.
MLS Spread
Finally, we have the spread, which is tricky but nothing to worry about. Following the previous example, considering Inter Miami is the favorite in the soccer betting lines to win straight up, the handicap will “help” DC United.
Benteke and company are +1, which means they start the game as though the score was already 1-0. If you take DC United +1, you don’t need the team from Washington to win the game because even a draw would make you win. Why? Because let’s say the game finished 1-1. That +1 would turn it into a 2-1 victory for DC United.
On the other hand, if Inter Miami wins 4-2, you would lose the bet because that +1 would only make it 4-3.
MLS Betting Tips
All 29 teams fight for one goal: to become the winner from the mls cup. However, remember that this is a long season — not MLB long, that would be wild, but long.
Every team plays 34 games during the regular season, and the best nine from each conference, East and West, qualify for the playoffs. The other important thing is that the best of the 18 qualified squads is crowned the Supporters’ Shield winner.
Every week, you’ll have the chance to bet on 14 games. From the moneyline, over/under, spread to props like anytime goalscorer, number of corner kicks, winning margin, double chance, and more! In other words, the BetUS sportsbook offers you many ways to cash in!
Here’s where constantly checking the soccer news, injury reports, weather forecasts, and team form becomes crucial. Why? Let’s take the MLS Cup odds 2024, which had Inter Miami atop the board right from the start. What happens if Messi suffers a long-term injury and is declared out of the season? Inter Miami’s odds will instantly change.
The team’s schedule also comes into play because, let’s not forget, all MLS teams also play the U.S. Open Cup and Leagues Cup, while some also compete in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
MLS Playoffs
The postseason is a clean slate for all 18 teams, and the MLS outrights are based on each team’s performance during the regular season. Of course, finishing atop the standings gives you several benefits, with home advantage being the most important, but the Supporters’ Shield winner doesn’t always win the MLS Cup. Plus, there haven’t been back-to-back champions since 2012.
The playoffs begin with a wild-card round, in which 8-9 teams from each conference compete for the last spot in the top eight. Later, the first round is an homage to the 90s NBA because teams compete in a best-of-three series.
The semifinals and the conference final are a two-leg series, while the championship game is going big or going home.
Latest 10 MLS Cup Winners list
- -Columbus Crew.
- -Los Angeles FC.
- -New York City FC.
- -Columbus Crew.
- -Seattle Sounders.
- -Atlanta United.
- -Toronto FC.
- -Portland Timbers.
- -Los Angeles Galaxy.
- -Sporting Kansas City.
Top MLS Soccer Teams and Superstars
Since Messi landed in Miami, Inter Miami became the favorite to win it all. So far, the Herons have won the Leagues Cup and the Supporters’ Shield. Besides having the chance to win the MLS Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Messi and the company will have the opportunity to win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. They got an invitation directly from Gianni Infantino, the organization’s president.
When a team roster includes Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, the soccer betting lines take a backseat because such good players can change the outcome of a game in seconds. Following the Herons are the Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles FC. The Galaxy is the last team to win back-to-back championships, while LAFC won the title two seasons ago thanks to Gareth Bale.
The Los Angeles market is too good to ignore, so several superstars decided to play for any of those teams. One is Denis Bounga, who plays for LAFC and is considered the best scorer in the league. Another is Riqui Puig, who returned to life after leaving Barcelona and signing for the Galaxy.
Last, we have the Columbus Crew, a team that won the title twice in the previous five years. The Crew also reached the last edition of the CONCACAF Champions Cup final but lost 3-0 to Pachuca from the Liga MX.
The Crew is led by Juan Camilo Hernandez, also known as Cucho, an extremely talented Colombian player who’s 25 and scored 24+ goals in each of the last two seasons.
Summing up, the MLS isn’t what it used to be. Now, we’re talking about one of the best leagues in the region, and I do not doubt that a lot more superstars will join soon.
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