MLS Betting Tips 2023: Odds and Predictions

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MLS is back with a bang in 2023 and in this article, you'll be able to see our weekly top Major League Soccer predictions and tips.

Major League Soccer Betting Sites

MLS Betting Tips

Match: Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew
Prediction: 2-1 to Cincinnati
Tipped odds: @ +487
Tip reasoning: The two teams will lock horns on the 3^rd of December at TQL Stadium. The fact that Cincinnati have the home-field support for this game means a lot, as coach Pat Noonan’s boys lost only one game at home this season. Will Columbus Crew be able to cause a massive upset on the 3^rd of December? According to our key Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew predictions – no. In 34 official Major League Soccer games, Cincinnati recorded 20 victories, nine draws, and barely four matches lost. Meanwhile, Columbus Crew’s record consists of 16 victories, nine draws, and nine losses. The only thing keeping Columbus Crew afloat is Cucho Hernandez’s tremendous goalscoring skills. However, Cincinnati have the 2^nd-best defensive record in the league, which means Cucho’s efforts might not be sufficient. Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta is just as useful, as he has 17 goals to his name, as well as 10 assists during the 2023 Major League Soccer campaign. Sure, it will be a difficult game for Noonan’s players, but we believe they will eventually scoop a win at home.

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Match: Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew
Prediction: Luciano Acosta to Score Anytime
Tipped odds: @ +265
Tip reasoning: As we mentioned in our previous MLS prediction, Luciano Acosta is performing at a very high level this season. The Top Goalscorer Award will likely go to Los Angeles’ Denis Bouanga, but the Best Player of the Season Award will surely go to Luciano if Cincinnati manage to become Major League Soccer champions this year. Luciano Acosta has 17 goals and 10 assists, which amounts to 27 goal contributions. Very few MLS players managed to come remotely close to Luciano Acosta’s numbers, and we are sure that his tally might receive a bump in the match against Columbus Crew at TQL Stadium this week. Seeing as Luciano Acosta is just an attacking midfielder, it’s quite impressive to see him at the top of Cincinnati’s goalscoring charts. The 2^nd-best finisher only has half of those goals.

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Match: Los Angeles vs Houston Dynamo
Prediction: Los Angeles/Los Angeles
Tipped odds: @ +350
Tip reasoning: Yes, Houston Dynamo did well in the 2023 campaign by winning the U.S. Open Cup in a game at DRV PNK Stadium, but it will be Los Angeles’ players who’ll rejoice in the match on the 3^rd of December. The head-to-head at BMO Stadium is expected by both teams’ fans, but the sheer individual class that Los Angeles have is simply astonishing. Coach Steven Cherundolo has a tremendous goalscorer such as Denis Bouanga at his disposal. Seeing as the Gabonese winger scored in four of the last five MLS matches, we believe he will be at his lethal best against coach Ben Olsen’s Houston Dynamo as well.

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MLS Outright Predictions

There are a few outright betting markets that will be available once we are closer to the season, or when the season begins. You can bet on the MLS Cup winner, which will be determined after the teams qualify for the postseason (playoff) stage after the regular season ends. You can also bet on the winners of each of the Eastern and Western Conferences. Other outright betting markets include any awards, like the MVP award or the top goalscorer of the regular season.

The 2023 MLS season is near and we are expecting to see some of the regular names rank high in both conferences this season. Bookmakers have given Los Angeles FC, Philadelphia Union, New York City FC, and LA Galaxy the privilege of being the favorites before the season start, but we will see if they are up to the challenge.

Last year, Los Angeles FC won the MLS Cup, and they are one of the top favorites for this season, as well. German player Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC) won both the MLS Golden Boot (for top goals scorer) and the Landon Donovan MVP Award for that season.

Los Angeles FC @ 11/2 are the current favourites.

New York City FC and LA Galaxy @ 12/1 are considered one of the top four favourites.

Philadelphia Union @ 8/1 are the second-best favourites.

The performances of the MLS teams in the last season shaped the odds provided by the bookmakers. Outright odds can change at any time, but before the beginning of the season, we decided to give you a look at some of the non-favourite teams, and what the odds of them winning look like:

FC Dallas & New York Red Bulls @ 25/1

Columbus Crew, CF Montreal, Portland Timbers & Toronto FC @ 40/1

Minnesota United @ 30/1

DC United & Real Salt Lake @ 50/1

Inter Miami CF & Vancouver Whitecaps @150/1

SJ Earthquakes @ 200/1

Our Outright Predictions

Predicting the end of a whole season is pretty hard if not impossible, but our prediction for the 2023 season is that we will see Los Angeles FC and Philadelphia Union in the final for the MLS Cup. Anything can change between now and then, but they look like a good choice, considering we haven't seen them play in a while.

There are also some familiar names when it comes to the top goal scorers that are predicted for the upcoming 2023 MLS season – Hany Mukhtar, Jesus Ferreira, Josef Martinez, Javier Hernandez, and Karol Swiderski.

Ferreira has 168 appearances and 42 club goals, so far, but his international career is much more interesting. Jesus has been playing for the USMNT since 2020, but last year he made the most appearances. Out of the 11 games he participated in, he scored five goals. Josef Martínez has been playing for Atlanta United since 2017.

Out of the 134 appearances for the team, he scored 98 goals. Martínez received many awards between 2017 and 2019, but most recently he won the MLS Goal of the Year award in 2022. Javier Hernandez made 65 appearances in MLS and scored 37 goals. He played for European clubs, such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Sevilla before joining LA Galaxy in 2020. Hernandez was named the 2022 MLS All-Star Game Captain.

But our key outright prediction for top goal scorer this year has Hany Mukhtar down as the top favorite. After all, he was remarkable last season when he won both the Landon Donovan MVP Award and the top goalscorer award.

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MLS Betting Tips & Predictions

This year, we will witness the 28th season of Major League Soccer. The 2022 Major League Soccer season ended in November last year and the 2023 MLS season will begin on the 25th of February. It is scheduled to end on the 7th of October. It will be paused for the Leagues Cup between the 21st of July and the 19th of August. The dates for the playoffs aren't confirmed, yet. Right now, there isn't much information about the MLS Cup date, but if something is confirmed, we will inform you.

The newest addition to the MLS will be St. Louis City SC and they will join the Western Conference. Nashville SC will then move back to the Eastern Conference. St. Louis City SC was formed in 2019 and they will play their home games at Citypark (a new soccer-specific stadium). Their coach is Bradley Carnell, and we will see if they can keep up with the established MLS teams, or if they will fail in their first season in Major League Soccer.

MLS Markets & Bookmakers

The MLS, like the major league across Europe, is covered by all the top bookmakers providing odds on all of the most popular betting markets in football. Games in the MLS tend to kick-off very late at night and in the early hours of the morning to anyone watching or betting in the UK and the rest of Europe. The fact the MLS kick-off times are so different from the likes of the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A makes their matches popular to bet on.

Here is a list of the top five bookmakers that cover MLS games.

• Bet365 Bonus Code
• William Hill Promo Code
• 888Sport
• Betfair Sign Up Offer
• Paddy Power MLS Free Bet

As mentioned above, all of these established bookmakers cover the popular markets that most punters like to bet on, including,

• Result
• Both Teams to Score
• To Lead Anytime
• Anytime Goalscorer
• Total Goals Under/Over
• Double Chance
• Draw no Bet
• Handicaps/Asian Handicap
• Both Teams to Score & Result
• Total Goals Under/Over & Result
• Win-to-Nil

The MLS markets aren't limited to just these markets. You can also bet on markets like To Win from Behind, Player to be Sent-Off, Most Corners, and many more, all of which will be covered by one or more of the major bookmakers. Skybet even take requested bets for the MLS, which means you can send it a bet like ‘Over 2.5 goals and 1+ corners in each half for both teams', and Skybet will work out the odds. The great thing about requested bets is that you can back someone else's bet as Skybet publishes requested bets.

last update : December 2023