Soccer may be the most followed sport globally, but the Major League has never enjoyed much popularity. The reason is simple. European and South American soccer sets higher standards in terms of quality compared to the United States. That said, it is precisely the lack of general interest that makes Major League soccer betting a more lucrative alternative for those who don’t care much about the sport, but would rather cash in some profits. But if you want to win with MLS betting, you must know what to look for before placing a bet. Because no, international soccer knowledge won’t help your cause. Sure, checking MLS consensus could be a great addition to your strategy, but check out these 4 top betting tips for Major League soccer before getting started.
1. Assess International Player Impact
MLS may not thrill soccer fans as much as the Premier League does, but that doesn’t mean that US soccer can’t attract international players. On the contrary. Over the years, many European players have taken the leap over the ocean and are now part of an MLS team. Inexperienced bettors may believe that just because a Premier League player has decided to join a particular MLS team, that team will automatically win. The truth is, not even the best player can turn a mediocre team into a stellar one, so you should rather evaluate the team’s overall performance instead of placing your wager on a specific team just because a famous player has joined it.
2. Consider League Differences
If you’ve been constantly betting on Premier League or other European Leagues, remember the MLS is another thing altogether. The main thing to keep in mind is that teams are less dominant, so matches are more competitive and the results are harder to predict. Then, due to MLS’s no relegation rule, teams fighting to avoid relegation are often better to capitalize on.
3. Consider Betting on Draws
As mentioned above, MLS teams are less dominant, so matches featuring top teams against lower-tier teams can go either way. And draws happen more often than expected in Major League soccer. Whilst odds on a draw can vary significantly, it is usually a good idea to consider betting on a draw whenever two evenly matched teams are paired in the field.
4. Prop Bets Can be Lucrative
You won’t hear this advice often, especially when betting on any other sport or on any European League. However, prop bets may come in handy when trying to make a profit. Although controversial, prop bets have very enticing odds. If you’re not familiar with them, these bets basically allow you to choose which team will score first, which player will score the first goal, when in the game will the goal happen, and so on. Another popular prop bet is betting the total number of goals that will be made by the end of the match. Only remember that prop bets are risky, so you should never wager more than your pre-set budget to prevent losing it all.