As the world of sports betting becomes increasingly popular, many people are looking to bet on MLS games. However, many of these people don’t know how to get started or the best strategies for betting on MLS games. That’s where this article comes in.
This article is for anyone who wants to learn how to bet on MLS games. We’ll start by discussing basic information about MLS games, such as the format and how the league works. Then we’ll move on to discussing some of the best strategies for betting on MLS games. Finally, we’ll provide a few tips for avoiding common mistakes made by new bettors.
So, if you’re ready to learn how to bet on MLS games, then let’s get started.
What You Should Know About MLS
The league’s format is the first thing you need to know about MLS. The season is divided into the regular season and the playoffs. The regular season runs from March to October, with each team playing 34 games. The playoffs begin in November and conclude with the MLS Cup final in December.
The second thing you need to know about MLS is how the league works. MLS does not use a promotion and relegation system, unlike many other leagues. Instead, the league has a fixed number of teams (24 at present), and each team plays every other team twice during the regular season (once at home and once away).
The third thing you need to know about MLS is that it is a single-entity league. This means that the league owns all of the teams, and the league operates each team. This is different from most professional leagues, where an individual or group owns each team.
Now that we’ve discussed some basic information about MLS, let’s move on to discussing some of the best strategies for betting on MLS games.
How to Bet on MLS Games
There are many ways to bet on MLS games, but we’ll focus on three of the most popular: betting on the moneyline, betting on the spread, and betting on the total.
Betting on the Moneyline
The moneyline is the most common way to bet on MLS games. To bet on the moneyline, you simply pick which team you think will win the game.
- For example, let’s say that you want to bet on the game between the New York Red Bulls and the LA Galaxy. If you think the Red Bulls will win, you bet on them. This is known as betting on the “favorites.” If the Red Bulls win, then you will win your bet.
On the other hand, if you think that the Galaxy will win, then you would bet on them. This is known as betting on the “underdogs.” If the Galaxy wins, then you will win your bet.
The amount of money you can win depends on the odds. The bookmakers set the odds for each team, reflecting the probability of each team winning.
- For example, let’s assume the Red Bulls are expected to win and their prices are set at -110. This means that if you bet $100, you’ll get $100 back if the Red Bulls triumph. If you wager on the Galaxy with odds of +250, this indicates that for every $100 you put down on them, you will receive $250 should they triumph.
As you can see, betting on the favorite is less risky but also pays less. Betting on the underdog is riskier but can pay off more if you win.
Betting on the Spread
Another popular way to bet on MLS games is by betting on the spread. The spread is the number of goals the bookmakers think will score in the game.
- Example: The bookmakers think that there will be 2.5 goals scored in the Red Bulls vs Galaxy game. The Red Bulls would be “given” a 0.5 goal lead in this case. This means that they would need to win by 1 goal or more for you to win your bet. If they won by 2 goals or more, then you would win your bet and also get your stake back. On the other hand, if you bet on the Galaxy, they would need to either win the game or lose by less than 1 goal. You would lose your bet if they lost by 2 goals or more.
The amount you can win (or lose) when betting on the spread depends on the odds. The bookmakers set the odds for each team, reflecting the probability of each team winning or losing by a certain number of goals.
- For example, say the Red Bulls are favored to win by 0.5 goals and have odds of -110. This means that if you bet $110 on them, you will only win $100 if they actually win or lose by less than 1 goal. On the other hand, a wager on the Galaxy with their +100 odds means that for every $100 you bet, you will receive $100 back–regardless of whether the team either wins or loses by less than one point.
Tips for Betting on MLS Games
There are a few things to keep in mind when betting on MLS games:
- Weather: The weather can greatly impact the outcome of games. If it’s raining or snowing, the field will be slippery, which will favor the team that is more used to playing in these conditions.
- Injuries: Keep track of which players are injured and how long they will be out. This can have a big impact on the team’s performance.
- Home-field advantage: Teams tend to do better when playing at home in front of their home crowd.
- Bonuses and promotions: Many online sportsbooks offer bonuses and promotions that can give you an edge when betting on MLS games. For example, the DraftKings promo code 2022 will offer free bets if you bet on a certain team to win. Others will give you a bonus if you bet on the first goal scorer in a game.
Conclusion
Betting on MLS games can be a fun and profitable way to enjoy the sport. Keeping these tips in mind can increase your chances of winning your bets.