If there is one thing to consider before betting, it is the value of the available odds. This is a numerical value offered by the bookmakers on a sporting event and it represents the potential gain that the bettor can receive if his bet is successful. When betting on Major League Soccer we naturally talk about MLS odds. To find out how much you can expect to make betting on the elite football teams in the United States, MLS football odds are important and will always influence your analysis before betting.

How are the MLS odds calculated?

It's important to know: the odds are the calculation of statistics and mathematical probabilities, related to the MLS match you want to bet on. The higher the probability of an event taking place, the lower the value of the odds. To be clear, let's use the following example: the league match between Los Angeles FC and DC United.

Used to being at the top of the MLS standings, LAFC are the logical favourites in this match against DC United according to the experts. As a result, an MLS bet of the type "Los Angeles win" will be offered at fairly low odds by sports betting sites (e.g. 1.35), since the odds of a win for the home side are quite high. On the contrary, the odds offered for the "DC United win" bet will be very high (e.g. 5.50), since the chances of victory for this team used to the bottom of the table are much lower. The odds of MLS matches will change according to the abilities and statistics of each club, player or coach of the American first division.

Note also that there may be a variation in these odds over the course of the match, depending on the action that takes place. Specifically, if DC United manage to open the scoring, the odds for their win will drop for your live bet (e.g. from 5.50 to 2.10), while the odds for an LAFC win will increase (e.g. from 1.35 to 2.00). Don't forget that.

How to use MLS odds?

Varying in value depending on the bets offered by the bookmakers, the MLS match odds will have several uses, the first of which is to calculate the potential winnings from your betting slip. If you want to know how much money you will get if you win, then you need to multiply the odds by the amount of money you want to bet. The total is what will be credited to your account once the bet is placed (odds x stake = bet winnings). This is the first thing to know.

Then, the other important point is the relationship between the odds and the MLS match, which will also make sense if you can compare your ideas with the betting sites. Let's take the New York RB-Orlando City game as an example. If you think that NY has a much better chance than Orlando to win on their home turf, and you notice that the odds are 1.55 at the bookmakers for the home side to win, no problem, the market logic is respected.

On the other hand, if you notice that the odds for the home side to win are abnormally high (e.g. 2.20), you will have to analyse the match in more depth. There are two possibilities. Either you have missed important information (injury of a player, suspension, match at stake just before or just after...). You will then have to review your strategy. Or, in the second case, you think that the bookmakers really underestimate New-York RB, so don't ask yourself any more questions and bet on the victory of the hosts. And you'll have to do that with all the Major League Soccer franchises.

Bet on the long term with the odds of the future US champion

In addition to being linked to the matches each week, the odds can also be related to the competitions themselves. For example, in MLS as in other major football competitions, you will have the opportunity to bet on the winner at the end of the championship. In general, these values can be very interesting, especially at the beginning of the season. This type of betting will allow you to vary the pleasures. It's up to you to take advantage of it!

Sign up everywhere!

To optimize your winnings on the MLS, you will obviously have to bet on the highest odds of the market. Indeed, for the same bet, the different sports betting sites will often offer you different odds, sometimes varying by 10%! In this case, the interest of comparing these odds will be undeniable: to take advantage of the best possible gains.

Let's take the example of the Major League Soccer match between Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders, on which you want to bet £100 on Miami. After having looked carefully, you will notice that the victory of David Beckham's club is offered at 1.95 on average by the bookmakers, except at bet365 which offers better odds of 2.05. It will then be obviously preferable to bet the £100 at bet365 as this will produce a return of £205 if a winner, rather than the £195 at the other bookmakers.

Our last piece of advice would be to open an account with all the sports betting sites on the market, in order to always benefit from the best offer. What would be the point of seeing higher odds at bet365 if you don't have an account to take advantage of them? A lot of punters don't follow this advice and leave euros on the side without realising it. With this tip you can see a nice difference in winnings in the long run. Good luck to you on Major League Soccer.