Since Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami back in the summer of 2023, there’s been a major increase in MLS betting. This is something that Chris Schlosser (MLS senior vice president) has commented on, saying that there was a “really nice growth across the major books” from 2022 to 2023.
Prior to the 2023 MLS Cup, data from Kambi revealed specifically that there’d been a 33% increase in MLS bets being placed since 2022, with Messi’s Inter Miami officially being the most bet-on team of the season.
Now that more eyes are on the MLS than ever before, this trend is likely to continue long into the future — and these are the 5 most popular MLS betting markets that you should be looking out for.
🏆 The 5 Most Popular Betting Markets in MLS: Ranked
Analysts from the gamble-usa.com industry review website have officially looked at the top-ranking MLS betting markets. Whether you’re an experienced sports bettor or a complete beginner, you can use these markets to place bets throughout the remainder of the 2024 MLS season (and beyond that). Let’s take a closer look.
1. Moneyline
The moneyline bet is the most popular type of bet in the MLS. This is also true for most of America’s other major sports leagues, such as the NBA. And the reason is simple: moneyline bets are easy. Whenever there’s an MLS game taking place, all you have to do is bet on which team you think will win. It doesn’t get much more straightforward than that, so it’s recommended you start with moneyline bets if you’ve never bet on the MLS before today.
For example, DC United are playing the New York Red Bulls this week and most sportsbooks have DC United listed at +135 to win. If you were to then bet $10 on DC United, your total payout would be $23.50 (making a profit of $13.50). With moneyline bets, there’s also the option to bet on the draw, with this particular game currently listing the odds of a draw at +240.
2. Both Teams to Score
Next, you can wager on both teams to score, which is something that MLS fans regularly do. It’s a slightly riskier bet due to the fact that you can never be certain that both teams will score, especially when an overwhelming favourite (e.g. Cincinnati) is playing an underdog (e.g. New England). However, what you should aim to do is pick a match where both teams have been on goal-scoring form in their previous 5 matches. Also, search for odds that reflect at least a 75% chance (or higher) of winning. This way, you can win more ‘Both Teams to Score’ bets.
When it comes to this type of bet, Inter Miami is a great choice. In sixteen out of 17 games so far in the 2024 season, both teams have scored in Inter Miami’s matches, with the one exception being when the NY Red Bulls pulled off a huge 4–0 win against them. The reason for this is because Inter Miami have an excellent offense but a slightly weaker defence, meaning the likelihood of them scoring and conceding in a game is always quite high.
3. Total Goals OVER/UNDER
In the MLS, it’s also popular to bet on OVER/UNDER the total number of goals scored. With most sportsbooks, you’ll be given the option to bet on OVER/UNDER based on 2.5 goals. For instance, if you bet on OVER 2.5 goals when the Portland Timbers are playing San Jose and the final score is 2-2, you’d win. However, if the score ended 1-0, you’d lose due to the simple fact that the total goals scored was below 2.5.
4. Next Team to Score
If you’re looking for an extra fun type of bet to place, go with ‘Next Team to Score’. This is an especially popular bet to place amongst friends when watching MLS matches together, as it’s extremely exciting. As the name of the bet suggests, it’s a live in-game bet on which team you think will be next to score. In some cases, odds can be quite high for this (meaning excellent payouts), although you need to have a good instinct as well as knowledge surrounding player goalscoring form to get this type of bet right.
5. Correct Score
‘Correct Score’ bets are popular in the MLS but extremely difficult to predict. No matter which teams are playing, predicting the final score is a major task, particularly when both teams have inconsistent records. However, the upside is that you can get sizable returns when your predictions turn out to be correct, although it’s recommended you don’t play this type of bet too often. When you do, look for games where both teams have excellent defensive records. This way, you can confidently bet on a low score outcome, such as 0-0 or 1-0.
Popular MLS Betting Markets Summary
The MLS is one of the fastest growing and most exciting soccer leagues in the world, with the recent arrival of Lionel Messi having super-charged a new era. Ticket sales are up, Apple’s MLS Season Pass is booming, and the number of bets being placed on MLS games is higher than ever. As a fan, you can watch and bet on games, too.
Join an officially licensed sportsbook, deposit some money, and start placing bets. The MLS betting markets discussed in this guide all offer lots of potential, no matter what your current level of experience is.