Both three seeds in their respective conferences meet for the MLS championship. You’re going to want to read this for in-depth betting guide to LAFC vs. Columbus Crew. We have three free MLS Cup bets for you so stick with us for money-making advice.
- What: 2023 MLS Cup Final
- Who: LAFC vs. Columbus Crew
- When: Saturday, December 2
- Where: Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio
2023 MLS Cup Preview
We start our MLS Cup preview with a look-see at the moneyline odds. Available at the best betting sites for MLS, here’s what outcome is favored during regulation:
As you can see, Columbus are marginal betting favorites to win. We attribute that to hosting the game. On a neutral field, LAFC would probably be the betting favorites as they have more talent. LAFC is attempting to be the first club to repeat as champions since LA Galaxy did it in 2012. Columbus, to its credit, won the championship in 2020.
These two teams did not play at all during the regular season. LAFC won 2-0 back in early 2022 — but that’s a millennium ago in soccer years. Columbus, in particular, has transformed itself since hiring Wilfried Nancy as its head coach almost exactly a year ago.
2023 MLS Cup Betting Picks
There are dozens upon dozens of MLS Cup bets available right now. It’s great to have options, but it can also be overwhelming to choose from. However, we’ve hand-picked three wagers that are worth your money. Prioritize the following bets:
Anytime Goal Scorer
Here’s a fun bet. The goal? Pick which players score goals during the match. Obviously, you have the possibility of winning this bet multiple times if different players get into the net. Here’s a list of betting options on both sides:
If you can only make one bet here, then let it be Columbus’ Cucho Hernandez. He is a major reason for the Crew’s 2023 success. During the regular season, he finished fourth in goals at 16. However, why we really advocate a bet on him is he’s caught fire in the postseason. Cucho has added in another four goals (and even two assists) during this run. You got to ride that type of momentum as a bettor.
The same argument could be made for LAFC’s Bouanga. He actually finished tops in MLS with 20 regular-season goals and has four goals in the playoffs too. Bouanga is worth a look too, but Columbus is a little more dependent on Hernandez so that’s why if money is limited, we’d go with the Crew star first.
We are aware that there are bettors that prefer “darkhorse” bets with more payout upside. If you’re looking for one here, then let it be Vela of LAFC. He has not scored since August 22 — more than three months now. This season, the captain only got into the net nine times. Still, it’s foolish to discount a franchise-changing talent like Vela. He’s a big-time player capable of making a big-time play — and this could be his final hoorah in an LAFC jersey — so Vela's odds beg a darkhorse bet.
Both Teams To Score
The game’s over/under is set to 2.5 goals. However, we personally like the prop bet on whether both teams score or not more. Here’s your betting options both ways:
We’re firmly betting on the yes. Both clubs feature high-scoring offenses and we’d be shocked if defense reigns supreme. Columbus finished third in the MLS with 57 goals, whereas LAFC tallied 52 — good enough for eighth overall. There’s simply too much talent for this match not to feature scoring from both sides.
3-Way Moneyline
All right, now for the bet most bettors are pondering — who wins the game? Or will regulation end in a draw with extra time needed?
If it wasn’t an easy choice, but there’s something about this Columbus club that’s hard to bet against. We mean, they were down 2-0 on the road to MLS-best Cincinnati in the conference finals and stormed back. It’s been that type of season for Columbus — down but never out.
Plus, you really can’t rule out the home-field advantage. Historically, it’s been a huge predictor of success in the MLS Cup. Only one away side has ever won the MLS Cup — New York City FC in 2021 over Portland Timbers (a game that went to penalty kicks, no less). For these reasons, we’re putting money on Columbus.
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