MLS Betting
Major League Soccer (MLS) is still a smaller betting market compared to other major sports. But interest in the sport has increased in recent years.
Soccer wagering in the United States and Canada will never be what it is in other parts of the world, but MLS odds are now fixtures at every bookmaker online.
More About MLS Betting
Top Online Sportsbooks To Bet On The MLS 2024
How To Place Your MLS Bets
- Find An MLS Sportsbook – Every sportsbook offers MLS markets, but the key is finding one with a large variety of markets and higher betting limits (if that’s important to you). More importantly, is finding trusted sportsbooks online that you can trust to honor bonuses and offer fast payouts.
- Find The MLS Markets – Your sportsbook will offer MLS, but it may not be as prominently featured compared to other sports, such as football or basketball. The betting menu is on the left side of the screen at most sportsbooks.
- Choose Your Selection(s) – You can pick your wagers and add them to your bet slip, which is a list of bets you have ready to wager but have not yet been accepted by the sportsbook.
- Place Your Bet Amounts – After you’ve added your selections to your bet slips, it’s time to input the amount you wish to wager and win. After that, you can move onto placing your wager and confirming your bet.
- Confirm Your Bet – Before clicking submit on your bet slip, be sure the amounts and selections are correct. Once you submit your bet and finalize the wager, it cannot be undone.
MLS Betting Odds Explained
There is a whole host of betting options for gamblers when it comes to wagering on the MLS.
Not only with bettors have traditional options, such as 2×1 betting and Asian handicaps, but as the league becomes more popular, we’ve seen plenty of propositions and live betting options, as well.
Match Outcome (1×2)
1X2 betting is the standard format for soccer wagering, but it has somewhat been overtaken in recent years by Asian handicaps. These markets allow bettors to choose three options, the home side, away side, or a draw.
Most notably, pushes are not possible when betting 1X2 markets. There is always a definitive outcome within the 90 minutes, plus added time.
Let’s look at an example:
| Bet | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nashville SC | +265 |
| Chicago Fire | -125 |
| Draw | +255 |
The above market utilizes moneyline or American odds, which is the default betting odds for betting sites. It is calculated on the amount you need to bet to win $100.
For instance, a $100 wager on Nashville would pay $265. Bettors would need to wager $125 to win $100 on the Chicago Fire since they are the favorite. The draw is similar to the odds on Nashville. A $100 wager will bring back a net profit of $255.
MLS Total Goals Over/Under
If you’re familiar with betting on totals in other sports, this market should be simple. The oddsmaker gives gamblers the number of goals that may be scored in the game, and bettors can choose over or under that number.
Let’s look at an example using the same teams in our 1X2 market:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nashville SC | Over 2.5 Goals (-110) |
| Chicago Fire | Under 2.5 Goals (-110) |
In this example, the total sits at 2.5 goals. The total is the number of goals scored in the match, including added time. In playoff markets, standard soccer totals, do no count any extra time or shootout goals.
This bet is quite simple. If you wager over 2.5 goals, you will need three goals or more to be scored in the game for the wager to be graded as a winner. For instance, if you take the under 2.5 goals, then two goals or less would need to be scored in the game for your wager to cash.
Asian Handicap
The Asian handicap is a market that has become extremely popular in recent years when betting on soccer. It is an alternative to 1X2 betting that has three definitive outcomes and is a sort of point spread when wagering on soccer.
There can be pushes when wagering Asian Handicaps, and winning half your stake is also possible.
Again, let’s look at another example.
- Nashville SC +1.0 (-110)
- Chicago Fire -1.0 (+110)
In this example, we have Nashville as the underdog on the Asian handicap at +1.0 goals. The Chicago Fire are the favorite in this market at -1.0 goals.
For bettors to win this wager with the Chicago Fire at -1.0, they need to win the game by more than one goal. If they win by just one goal, the bet will be graded as a push.
If bettors place a wager on Nashville SC +1.0, they will need to win the game outright or tie it in added time.
Asian handicaps can have a variety of different margins or spreads, depending on the gap between the two teams. You may see handicaps of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and so on when betting this market.
Sportsbooks also typically offer lower margins or vigorish on Asian handicap wagers than 1X2 markets, so they may be more viable for bettors, generally speaking.
MLS Double Chance Bets
Double chance bets are another form of soccer betting that combines multiple outcomes into a single bet. Not every online sportsbook offers double chance bets.
They are more common with European online bookmakers than at American betting sites, but you will see them from time to time.
Again, using our above example, you may see a double-chance bet that looks like this:
- Nashville SC win or draw +300
- Chicago Fire win or draw +150
- Nashville SC or Chicago Fire win -150
All of these wagers feature two outcomes but cover all possible endings to the game. Double chance bets are essentially expanded 1X2 betting markets, that cover two outcomes, instead of one outcome.
MLS Propositions
Prop bets for soccer have expanded rapidly in recent years. Prop bets are markets related to the game, but not to the final score. Here are some examples of prop bets you might find in an MLS game:
- Will both teams score in the game? (BTTS)
- How many corners will be taken in the game? (Over/Under)
- Will there be a red card in the game?
- Which player/team will score the first goal?
The above markets are just scratching the surface when it comes to betting propositions. There can easily be dozens of props for a soccer game. The selection of props will vary depending on the sportsbook you utilize. Some may have a lot more offerings than others, especially in MLS markets.
MLS Live Betting
Live betting soccer is now widely available at all US betting sites. These days every MLS game is available for live betting.
There can be a massive variety of betting options when wagering on MLS games, including traditional markets. Still, most sportsbooks also have a vast list of propositions also available for live betting.
Best Online sportsbooks To Bet On The MLS 2024
Wagering on the MLS is available at every sportsbook online. The sport is now popular enough that it is a mainstay at all online betting sites.
However, not all betting sites will have all the options available when it comes to betting MLS.
Not only do you need to find a sportsbook that is reliable and can be trusted when it comes betting online, but one that plenty of MLS markets and decent betting limits.
MyBookie.ag is our top choice for betting MLS.
| Rank | Soccer Betting Sites | Deposit Bonus | Highlights | Get Started |
| #1 |  | 50% Up To $1,000 |
| Bet Now |
| #2 |  | 50% Up To $1,000 |
| Bet Now |
Looking For More Top Sportsbooks? Check Out Our List Of The Best Sportsbooks To Bet On Soccer Page
MLS Betting Low Wagering Limits
MLS betting certainly falls into the small market category. The amount wagered on MLS markets is insignificant compared to any more prominent leagues in North American, such as basketball and football.
Many recreational MLS betting sites, such as MyBookie.ag have a maximum wager of just $500 on soccer moneylines and futures. This drops to just $300 on totals and props. BetOnline.ag is a medium-sized sportsbook and our current top-rated choice for betting offshore.
Their limits are considerably bigger than MyBookie’s, but MLS markets while considerably more than Bovada are still small compared to larger markets. MLS wagering has a maximum of $2,000 on spreads, $3,000 on money lines, and $2,000 on totals. For comparison, BetOnline takes up to $25,000 on NFL sides and up to $10,000 on NBA totals.
In fact, they take larger wagers on European soccer and internationals than they do in MLS markets. The oddsmakers are more confident about those odds since there is a lot of action on them in worldwide betting markets.
We’re not discounting the sport as an entertainment product. The league has done a tremendous job growing since they were established, but the MLS’s betting action isn’t close to most of the world’s top soccer leagues.
Betting Markets In Major League Soccer
Those who are betting the MLS will continue to be impressed with the number of options available. You’re not going to get as many markets as you do with more popular sports, such as football and basketball, but a healthy list of choices is available for both pre-match and live betting.
Asian handicaps are also offered at most sportsbooks these days. These markets typically offer much better prices than traditional 1X2 betting. BetOnline.ag and MyBookie.ag both offer Asian Handicap odds for MLS matches.
Become MLS Betting Expert?
Like most small market sports, there is money to be made betting MLS, provided you know the competition inside and out. The low betting limits are not a sign of confidence from the oddsmakers. They simply can’t pay too much attention to MLS markets because their handle on them is a paltry sum compared to broader markets.
If you truly want to win at MLS, devote yourself to understand the game of soccer and then dive into the league itself. Learn the coaches, teams, and understand the rivalries, different pitches, and playing environments.
Major League Soccer Handicapper
However, keep in mind that if you do become a successful MLS handicapper, you may not get action for long. If you’re max betting these markets, that may draw the attention of management and your account may be limited.
For that reason, bettors need to gauge if focusing on the MLS is going to be worth their time. They may be better off focusing in larger market leagues, where wagering is much easier to scale as you begin to win.
There is also a lot more interest in more high profile games, making public betting a factor. For the most part, the bookmakers know that most players who are betting large on MLS contests have much more a clue than say, the average NFL fan.
MLS Return To Play 2024
Due to professional sports being postponed because of the Coronavirus, the MLS did not adhere to their regular format in the 2020 season.
Instead, the league will hold a tournament to decide their champion. It will include all 26 MLS franchises and begin on July 8th.
It will be similar to the World Cup‘s at the beginning and then move into a knockout stage with 16 teams.
MLS Vs. European Football Leagues
The most significant between the MLS and other top soccer leagues is the lack of promotion and regulation. The NASL would seem like a likely partner for a promotion and regulation scheme in North America, but there are no plans to introduce this format.
The playoff format is also a big difference from most European football leagues. Most leagues have domestic cups, but the league champion (by default, there is no postseason), almost across the board, is the team with the best regular-season record.
The playoff format isn’t utilized in most other soccer leagues. The league went this route to make the MLS more relatable to North American fans. All the major professional sports in the United States and Canada use a similar playoff format to decide a champion.
