What are the Most Popular Wager Types in the MLS?

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The Major League Soccer (MLS) has enjoyed a continued rise in popularity in the US, and today, it boasts some of the biggest names in the world of soccer. With this growing interest, it has also become quite a popular betting option among sports and gambling fans. Betting on the MLS is not very different from the likes of the NFL and NBA, but it’s also unique in its own way.

So, what type of wagers can you place in the competition? We’ll explore the most popular in this guide.

Match Result (1X2)

In soccer betting, the Match Result, often denoted as the 1X2 bet, is the most popular type of bet. This is more like the moneyline bet in other competitions, although it has a variation. In MLS matches, there are three possible outcomes: a home team victory (1), an away team victory (2), or a draw (X). The bet is quite straightforward as you only need to bet on how you think the game will end. That said, there’s a variation that allows you to bet on two of the three outcomes, known as Double Chance. Here, you can bet on a team to either Win or Draw. You can also bet that the result is 1 or 2 (not a draw).

Note that a match that ends as a draw during the playoffs can proceed to two 15-minute extra time periods and a penalty shootout if the scores remain tied. However, the bet is still settled based on the regular 90 minutes plus any added (not extra) time. 

Over/Under (Total Goals)

Another popular wager type in the MLS is the Over/Under bet, also known as Total Goals in soccer betting. This bet allows you to ignore the aspect of winning the game and only focus on the number of goals. Usually, the sportsbook will provide several lines. For example, in a game between DC United and Inter Miami, you can have Total Goals lines as 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5. Each of these lines has odds for more (Over) and less (Under) goals, and you can decide which one you’d like to place. 

Some sportsbooks also offer a variation of Total Goals known as Asian Total Goals. Here, you will have options such as 1, 1.25, 1.75, 2, and so on. The lines with whole numbers usually pay back the stake if exactly that number of goals is scored in regular time. In the case of quarter increments, the bet is split into two. For example, if you bet Over 2.75 goals, half of your stake is placed on over 2.5 goals, and the other is placed on over 3 goals (2.75 is the average of 2.5 and 3). In this case, if the game’s outcome is 3 goals, half of your stake (Over 2.5) wins, while the other half (Over 3) is paid back. If the outcome is four goals, both bets win.

Asian Handicap

Handicapping is similar to point spreads in other competitions. Generally, it involves giving a virtual advantage (or disadvantage) to one of the teams. For example, if you Handicap DC United at -1.5 against Inter Miami, you will need United to win by at least two goals to win your bet.

The Asian part of the Handicap comes in that there are also quarter options like in Asian Total Goals. This means that your wager is also split into two, and you can win the whole of your bet, win half of your bet, or lose your entire bet.

Prop Bets & Futures

Prop bets and futures are an exciting addition to soccer and MLS wagers as they allow you to focus on more than just the result of a match. In proposition betting, you can wager on specific events or outcomes within a match that may not directly affect the final result. For example, you can bet on whether Messi will score or assist in the match or the team will keep a clean sheet. There are also game props, such as the first team to score or whether both teams will score.

On the other hand, Futures allow you to bet on the outcome of an event that will take weeks or months to be confirmed. These are things such as the MLS Cup winner, conference champions, and individual player awards. All these different types of bets make watching an MLS game much more exciting while also allowing you to test your knowledge of the game and make some money.