It's Week 2 in the brand-new MLS season. The week is loaded with opportunities at top-used soccer betting sites, however, we've honed in on three of our most favorite bets of the MLS weekend. Keep reading for expert betting advice on making money come Saturday!
3-Way Moneyline: LA Galaxy at FC Dallas
We begin with two Western Conference teams that have MLS Cup aspirations. This is a juicy matchup that'll likely tell us how real those aspirations are for each. No surprise, though, the home-team Dallas is favored to come out victorious on the three-way moneyline:
Neither season got off to the right start for either team, for completely different reasons. For the Galaxy, they weren't even allowed to play. They were scheduled to face in-city rival, LAFC, in "El Trafico" however the game was postponed until July 4. Bad weather (thunderstorms) forced the four-month delay.
And then there's Dallas, who were upset in their opener. Minnesota traveled to Dallas to pull off the 1-0 upset, avenging their defeat to them in the 2022 MLS Cup playoffs. Dallas gets a second straight home game here to deliver a win to the home crowd.
We're betting that Dallas indeed wins. More than anything else, we're iffy about the Galaxy's prospects. The team has been up and down for a few years now, which makes them hard to truly pin down. More recently, Los Angeles has won only two of their past friendlies before the campaign started. You throw in the postponed game last weekend and we have a gut feeling the Galaxy need more time to "find themselves" per se. So yes, bet Dallas to come out victorious in this one.
3-Way Moneyline: FC Cincinnati at Orlando City
We now turn our attention to the Eastern Conference, in a matchup that pits two ascending teams. If you've followed MLS the past few years, you know Cincinnati and Orlando were certified bottom-feeders. That is no more, however. Each made the playoffs in 2022, and the expectation is the same going into 2023. Let's take a quick look at the current Cincinnati-Orlando moneyline odds:
Each time got in the win column last weekend. Cincinnati opened at home versus Houston and gutted out three points. Sergio Santos and Obinna Nwobodo added goals for Cincinnati in a 2-1 win. Admittedly, Orlando was less impressive. They were outshot by New York Red Bulls 15-2 (5-1 on shots on goal). None of it mattered, though, as Orlando City was able to knock in a penalty shot and squeeze out a 1-0 win.
We do think Cincinnati is the better all-around team. This franchise made huge upgrades over the offseason, including Marco Angulo, Santiago Arias, and MLS SuperDraft selection Joey Akpunonu. However, Orlando being at home is no small thing. Exploria Stadium is one of the tougher places to play in the MLS. Therefore, we're inclined to bet the draw here. Expect a back-and-forth game between two teams on the up and up.
Over 2.5 Goals: Philadelphia Union at Inter Miami
After making a pair of moneyline bets, we're turning our attention to over/under now, with eyes on the upcoming Philadelphia-Miami clash. As it stands, oddsmakers are favoring the over:
The over should be favored based on how Philadelphia opened the season. On the heels of getting their heart broken in the MLS Cup, the Union wasted no time in making a statement as they topped Colombus 4-1 in their opener. The goals all came in the 45th minute or later after the team went down 1-0. Sure, Colombus isn't particularly good, but it was still a standout performance from a Union side that returns every single starter from a year ago.
David Beckham's Miami side also began the year strongly. They downed Montreal 2-0. This all comes amid rumors of Messi and Miami's supposed mutual interest in connecting down the line. Nevermind that, though, because right now both these teams have shown the firepower to tally at least three goals together. To us, the over feels like a no-brainer bet.
How To Bet On MLS Games?
Every single MLS team will be in action this weekend. Therefore, if you want a complete list of MLS game bets to make, then you'll want to visit one of the sportsbooks underneath. Each of the sites featured in the list below is rated highly in our latest sportsbook reviews for their soccer-betting selection. So not only will you get MLS odds, but also Premier League or Spain's La Liga. It all makes for a one-stop shop for soccer gambling!
One last thing before we let you go: these same sites are currently offering big-money welcome bonuses to new bettors. What do we mean by "big money"? Anywhere from $500 to $2500 in free play, that's what we mean. Deals will vary from site to site, but the table below lists offers currently on the table. Pick one and your first MLS bets could be "on the house!"
