MLS
MLS Odds Today at Prime Sportsbook: Get the Best MLS Betting Lines and Live Odds
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, but it struggles to attract the attention of Americans. Helping to change that and succeeding with its recent run of success is Major League Soccer.
MLS is the highest level of soccer competition in the U.S., and international superstars have added to the excitement of betting on MLS matches.
Now in its 30th season of operation, the MLS has steadily grown to where 30 teams compete for the MLS Cup.
How MLS Betting Odds Work
A team listed with plus (+) odds is deemed the underdog, and a $100 wager will win the amount listed behind the symbol. Conversely, negative (-) odds represent the favorite, and the number listed behind that symbol is the amount needed to wager to win $100.
Many factors go into determining odds, including the performance of teams ahead of the scheduled match, home field, travel, and injuries.
MLS Moneyline Betting Example:
A moneyline bet is simply picking the winner of a specific match. To level the playing field, odds are assigned to each team.
For example, the Colorado Rapids are listed at -120 in a match with San Diego FC with odds of +150. You would wager $120 to win $100 on Colorado, while a successful $100 bet on San Diego FC would net a payout of $150 plus your original stake.
Regular season matches can and often end in a draw, so there are odds for draws as well.
MLS Spread Betting Example:
The same principle holds when betting on the spread in MLS matches as in other sports. Since goals are at a premium in soccer matchups, it’s common to find the spread listed between 0.5 and 1.5, depending on the matchup.
If the LA Galaxy is listed as -1.5 for their matchup with the San Jose Earthquakes, LA would have to win by two goals to cash the bet. San Jose cashes a winning ticket if it wins the match outright or loses by fewer than two goals.
Learn how to bet on soccer like a pro — rules, odds, and tips all in one place.
Most Popular MLS Betting Types
MLS Moneyline Bets: This is just a bet on the winner of the match, taking into account the odds mentioned above. Most sportsbooks also post odds for a draw.
MLS Spread (Goal Line) Bets: Referred to as the handicap or goal line, this is a number designed to even the handle for a specific match. The favored team would have to win the match by more than the posted spread to cash a winning ticket.
Total Goals (Over/Under): The total refers to the combined number of goals scored in a match by both teams. In soccer, the standard total is 2.5 goals, with your wager on whether the teams will score more (over) or less (under) than the posted total.
Both Teams to Score (BTTS): This bet is whether both teams in a match will score at least one goal. The wager is in yes/no format with a yes bet winning when both clubs score and a no bet cashing when one side is shut out.
MLS Prop Bets (Player & Team Props): Team and player prop bets are for specific outcomes within the match. Popular team props include the correct score, halftime score, and total corner kicks. Player props include a goal scorer, an assist maker, and shots on goal.
Live MLS Betting: Here, you can bet on MLS as the match is happening. Live betting allows you to react to trends in real time, but odds also shift accordingly depending on the score, time remaining in the match, and injuries.
MLS Futures (MLS Cup, Golden Boot, MVP): If you want immediate gratification, don’t bet the futures market. This is a wager on typically an end-of-season result, such as individual award winners and team outcomes like the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup winner.
Bet on Major MLS Events at Prime Sportsbook
The MLS regular season consists of 34 matches for each club, followed by the MLS Cup playoffs and the MLS Cup, the league’s championship match.
Members can wager the maximum amount allowed on every MLS match, and with prompt payouts, there’s never a delay on your winnings.
MLS Regular Season
MLS sees very little downtime, with the regular season typically starting in late February or early March and concluding in mid-October, with each club playing 34 matches.
The addition of San Diego FC in 2025 gives MLS a record 30 teams taking the pitch.
MLS Playoffs
The top nine clubs from the East and West Conferences qualify, with the bottom two squads playing a wild-card game.
The first round consists of higher seeds playing lower seeds in a first-round best-of-three. All other rounds are single-game eliminators. Also, there are no draws once the playoffs begin.
MLS Cup Final
The annual championship match pits the winner of the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Western Conference champion in a one-game winner-take-all duel for the MLS title and a berth in the following season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup.
MLS All-Star Game
In the MLS All-Star Game, a select group of top MLS players square off against an international club or a group of players from another league in a friendly in the annual showcase event. The current format was adopted for the 2005 season.
MLS Live Betting
Growing in popularity, live betting offers players a chance to take advantage of in-game situations to place a wager.
This type of betting also adds a layer of excitement with wagers on situations within the game before the match concludes, with the odds continually changing during the match.
Common MLS Terms
The game is called a match, and the playing field is a pitch.
A corner kick is taken when the defending team knocks the ball out behind its goal line. This can result in a scoring chance for the attacking squad.
When a player knocks the ball into his own goal, no one is credited with a score, rather, it’s determined to be an own goal.
A free kick foul in the penalty area results in a penalty kick.
MLS Homegrown Player Rule
Taking the place of a draft to disperse players around the league, clubs can now invest in and develop local talent to stock their roster.
To be added to a list of homegrown players, the individual must have resided in the team’s home territory and been a part of the club’s development system for at least one year.
MLS Designated Player Rule
Each team is allowed up to three roster spots for designated players, but they are not required to use them.
In order to compete for international talent, MLS instituted this rule, where teams would not be punished for going over the salary cap, which is an issue in the single-entity MLS.
MLS Goal Difference (Tiebreaker Rules)
If two or more teams finish the regular season with the same number of wins and points, the first tie-breaker is goal differential. This is simply the difference between the total number of goals scored and the number of goals allowed.
High on the plus side is the best place to be.
MLS Extra Time & Penalty Shootouts
Extra time comes into play during the MLS Cup playoffs after the first-round best-of-three series.
If a game is tied after regulation, two 15-minute sessions will be played to their entirety. If the match remains tied after those 30 minutes, a penalty shootout will determine the match winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Thanks to a worldwide betting ban on soccer-related matters.