Friday, April 16 was a date marked in the diaries of US soccer fans since the turn of the year. It was the day the 2021 MLS season got underway, with 13 games played over three days. A hectic start, the MLS held its own in what was a thrilling weekend on planet soccer.
Teams have been planning for the coming campaign since the final match of the previous season. The hopes and dreams of many fans rest on the opening few weekends.
The most experienced players know a strong start will breed confidence in the camp. Suffer an early defeat, and a club will be playing catch-up on the leaders.
Many respected soccer pundits predict this season will be the most competitive in recent memory. A strong case could be made for any one of three or four teams winning the MLS trophy, but who are the bookies backing?
It’s always worth knowing the MLS betting and which teams the money men are tipping for glory. Let’s look through the markets and search for any valuable clues.
Columbus Wrote Off to Defend Their Title
Colum, bus Crew won their second MLS Cup last season, but, surprisingly, they aren’t favorites to repeat the feat this year and bag three titles. Was it a flash in the pan, or can Columbus upset the predictions once again and continue their stunning form?
Fans returning to matches in the games to come certainly hope so, and, on paper, there’s no reason why Crew can’t go all the way. They have the squad talent and experience in both the team and coaching staff to mount a credible challenge.
Columbus hosted Supporters Shield winners Philadelphia Union on matchday one, and that match suggests both teams shouldn’t be easily overlooked.
The Crew finished last season with stats of 12 wins against five draws and six defeats. They ended in third place in the Eastern Conference before becoming Eastern Conference finals winners and MLS Cup champions.
It’s pretty surprising to see betting traders and most backers oppose Caleb Porter’s team.
LAFC Chasing Their First MLS Cup
All the preseason talks focused on Los Angeles FC, and the bettors flooded in to support them to win their first MLS Cup.
The club’s history books show they have tasted success in the past, winning the Supporters Shield and Western Conference regular-season in 2019 under the drive of Mexican legend Carlos Vela.
But the MLS Cup has eluded them to date. Will the Black and Gold end their wait this year?
The team coached by Bob Bradley rank as the betting favorites with all major sportsbooks, and that will come as no surprise to fans.
This team is progressing at an incredible speed and looks more than capable of building on that glorious season of two years ago. They have given us the league’s last two Golden Boot winners in Vela and Diego Rossi.
LAFC has the strongest starting line-up in the league and boasts the finances to strengthen further. They are in the market for a number nine and, if past signings are anything to go by, they will be happy to spend big on recruiting a blockbuster name from the soccer world.
Los Angeles looks like the team to beat this season, but they left fans feeling underwhelmed in the previous campaign. Stats of nine wins and five draws against eight defeats left them seventh in the Western Conference. They were also knocked out in the first round of the MLS Cup.
