With just under a quarter of the season already gone in MLS, the quality of the league’s sides has started to take shape. Some teams, such as Los Angeles FC, have proven to be scoring machines, while teams, like Inter Miami, have looked like a sieve on their back lines.
There’s still a lot of soccer to be played over the next six months, but there’s now enough information out there to get a sense of who these teams are and what kind of soccer we can expect them to play.
Here are the matches on the slate for the weekend of April 16.
MLS Odds, Betting Lines and Schedule: April 16
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. CF Montreal
Three-Way Moneyline: VAN +360/MTL -145/Draw +280
Total: Over 2.5 (-135)/Under 2.5 (-105)
Vancouver vs. Montreal Game Time: Saturday, 3 p.m. EST
Vancouver vs. Montreal Location: Stade Saputo, Montreal
Nashville SC vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Three-Way Moneyline: NSH +175/SJ +145/Draw +225
Total: Over 2.5 (-105)/Under 2.5 (-135)
Nashville vs. San Jose Game Time: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EST
Nashville vs. San Jose Location: PayPal Park, San Jose, Calif.
FC Cincinnati vs. Atlanta United
Three-Way Moneyline: CIN +375/ATL -165/Draw +310
Total: Over 2.5 (-160)/Under 2.5 (+115)
Cincinnati vs. Atlanta Game Time: Saturday, 6 p.m. EST
Cincinnati vs. Atlanta Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo
Three-Way Moneyline: POR +225/HOU +105/Draw +260
Total: Over 2.5 (-150)/Under 2.5 (+105)
Portland vs. Houston Game Time: Saturday, 6 p.m. EST
Portland vs. Houston Location: PNC Stadium, Houston
FC Dallas vs. New York Red Bulls
Three-Way Moneyline: FCD +310/RBNY -120/Draw +260
Total: Over 2.5 (-120)/Under 2.5 (-115)
FC Dallas vs. RBNY Game Time: Saturday, 7 p.m. EST
FC Dallas vs. RBNY Location: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J.
Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew
Three-Way Moneyline: ORL +340/CLB -135/Draw +270
Total: Over 2.5 (-120)/Under 2.5 (-115)
Orlando vs. Columbus Game Time: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST
Orlando vs. Columbus Location: Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio
Austin FC vs. D.C. United
Three-Way Moneyline: ATX +250/DCU -105/Draw +260
Total: Over 2.5 (-135)/Under 2.5 (+100)
Austin vs. D.C. Game Time: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST
Austin vs. D.C. Location: Audi Field, Washington
Charlotte FC vs. New England Revolution
Three-Way Moneyline: CLT +450/NE -185/Draw +310
Total: Over 2.5 (-145)/Under 2.5 (+105)
Charlotte vs. New England Game Time: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST
Charlotte vs. New England Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.
Philadelphia Union vs. Toronto FC
Three-Way Moneyline: PHI +140/TOR +170/Draw +240
Total: Over 2.5 (-130)/Under 2.5 (-110)
Philadelphia vs. Toronto Game Time: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST
Philadelphia vs. Toronto Location: BMO Field, Toronto
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire
Three-Way Moneyline: LAG +210/CHI +115/Draw +250
Total: Over 2.5 (-135)/Under 2.5 (+100)
L.A. Galaxy vs. Chicago Game Time: Saturday, 8 p.m. EST
L.A. Galaxy vs. Chicago Location: Soldier Field, Chicago
Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United
Three-Way Moneyline: COL +210/MIN +120/Draw +240
Total: Over 2.5 (-115)/Under 2.5 (-120)
Colorado vs. Minnesota Game Time: Saturday, 8 p.m. EST
Colorado vs. Minnesota Location: Allianz Field, St. Paul, Minn.
Inter Miami vs. Seattle Sounders
Three-Way Moneyline: MIA +475/SEA -200/Draw +320
Total: Over 2.5 (-150)/Under 2.5 (+105)
Miami vs. Seattle Game Time: Saturday, 10 p.m. EST
Miami vs. Seattle Location: Lumen Field, Seattle
MLS Odds, Betting Lines and Schedule: April 17
Real Salt Lake vs. New York City
Three-Way Moneyline: RSL +400/NYC -175/Draw +310
Total: Over 2.5 (-125)/Under 2.5 (-110)
Real Salt Lake vs. NYCFC Game Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
Real Salt Lake vs. NYCFC Location: Yankee Stadium, New York
Sporting Kansas City vs. Los Angeles FC
Three-Way Moneyline: SKC +400/NYC -165/Draw +300
Total: Over 2.5 (-175)/Under 2.5 (+120)
Sporting vs. LAFC Game Time: Sunday, 4 p.m. EST
Sporting vs. LAFC Location: Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles
MLS Picks, Parlays and Predictions This Weekend
I like to refer to soccer as the craps table of betting, simply because there are a wealth of betting options available on the beautiful game.
Here are my MLS picks and best value plays for April 16-17, along with a correct score bet of the week.
Portland Timbers Double Chance and Both Teams to Score Parlay (+160) vs. Houston Dynamo, Saturday, April 16, 6 p.m. EST, available at Unibet
If you want goals, you’ve come to the right place. Out of seven matches this season, only Austin FC hasn’t been able to crack the Portland Timbers’ defense and among Western Conference teams, only the San Jose Earthquakes have given up more goals than the 13 the Timbers have conceded. Yet Portland’s goal differential is just -3 on the season because the Timbers have scored in every contest in 2022 as well.
Plus, Houston hasn’t exactly kept goals from flying into the net either, as both teams have scored in the Dynamo’s past four contests. Throw in that Portland has won or tied its past nine meetings with Houston, and the Timbers’ value on the double chance is clear. I think they’ll come out of Houston with at least a draw and both teams should net at least a goal on Saturday.
D.C. United Team Total Under 1.5 Goals (-115) vs. Austin FC, Saturday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. EST, available at Unibet
D.C. United isn’t exactly lighting the MLS on fire this season, scoring a mere five goals in five matches. That doesn’t sound terrible until you remember that United scored three of those markers in one match against Charlotte FC. Since that match, D.C. has played 215 consecutive minutes at home without putting anything in the net, as the team has been blanked by the Chicago Fire and Atlanta United at Audi Field.
Now United runs into Austin FC, a defensive-minded side that has held five of its six opponents to one goal or less this season. Other than a bad five minutes against San Jose where two goals were allowed, Austin has proven solid on defense in the young MLS season. They also held the likes of Seattle and Portland (the past two MLS Western Conference champions) to a goal each. I like Austin FC to keep up the defensive work on D.C. and allow less then two goals in this contest.
Philadelphia Union Team Total Over 1.5 Goals (+125) vs. Toronto FC, Saturday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. EST, available at BetMGM
Philadelphia has had no problem scoring against Toronto FC as of late, finding the net at least twice in four of the teams’ past five meetings. Two has tended to be the magic number for the Union this year, as they have hit two goals in four of their six 2022 matches, with Daniel Gazdag scoring in four of their past five matches.
That fits well with Toronto FC’s inconsistent defense, as the Reds have allowed a goal in all six matches they’ve played — giving up two or more in three of their six matches to date. With 11 goals conceded, Toronto ranks 10th in the Eastern Conference in goals against and has not played a match all season without seeing both teams find the net. That kind of leaky defense should allow the Union to strike a couple of times in this matchup.
Seattle Sounders vs. Inter Miami 1-0 Correct Score (+650), Saturday, April 16, 10 p.m. EST, available at BetMGM
Correct score plays are never easy to hit, so be aware of that before making this bet. But with the circumstances surrounding this game, I think it’s going to be a low-scoring match that doesn’t feature a lot of action. Both teams have to travel across the country for this matchup, as Seattle played at New York City on Wednesday in the CONCACAF Champions League and Miami’s coming from the opposite corner of the nation to get to Seattle.
Miami’s defense has conceded a league-worst 15 goals to this point in the season, but I think the Herons will only give up one in this match because the Sounders will either be dealing with dead legs after playing Wednesday or will rotate some reserves into the match. Seattle has a much deeper roster than Miami and should still be able to eke out a win at home, but this shouldn’t be a vintage Sounders performance.
This will likely be a grind-it-out affair where the Sounders decide that one goal is good enough to get through the match. Given that Miami has only scored six goals this season and three of those came in one match, I’m not worried about the prospect of a Miami goal on the road.
I think there’s a lot of value in this 1-0 correct score play, especially at +650 odds.
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