MLS Betting in Canada

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Author:

Adam

Major League Soccer has helped the United States to be taken seriously as a force on the footballing stage. Some of the best players in the world have taken their careers into North America and while there is that element of showbiz attached to some of the franchise teams, this is a highly competitive league that is getting better all the time.

Interest extends into Canada too with four Canadian sides currently taking part in MLS. That interest has now reached into the betting community and with more sportsbooks becoming accessible to players here, MLS odds are more competitive than ever before.

Recommended Betting Sites in Canada

If you’d like to get involved or if you have dabbled in MLS betting but would like to know more, please read on.

MLS Betting Lines and Odds

Sportsbooks all over the world are starting to acknowledge the enhanced interest in Major League Soccer and this is great news for the betting community. Recent growth has been accelerated by the fact that certain states in the US have opened their doors to online sports betting and the benefits of this are being felt in Canada too.

Those benefits start with more sportsbooks becoming accessible and they continue through an increase in betting lines. More markets and prop bets are listed now and we will run through those shortly in another section.

Perhaps the greatest advantage lies in the nature of MLS odds and the fact that those sportsbooks have to compete to stay ahead of the competition. All of this is being passed on to the bettor who is set to enjoy this boom period in MLS betting.

A Brief MLS History

Those with long memories will recall the NASL of the 1970s: It attracted some of the world’s biggest stars such as Pele, George Best, Johan Cruyff and Bobby Moore. They were undoubtedly superstars but many were at the end of their careers and the standard of the supporting domestic players wasn’t particularly high.

Major League Soccer picks up the baton from the NASL but things are far more professional. The division has still seen some top players including David Beckham, David Villa and Robbie Keane but they’ve had more to offer and, more importantly, the domestic players are of a much higher standard than before.

The very first edition of MLS came in 1996. It came about as a promise to soccer’s governing body who asked the United States to form a professional league in return for being granted the 1994 World Cup.

An early response to this request saw the Major League Professional Soccer (MLPS) incepted in 1993 with the MLS taking over three years later. Early progression was slow and attendances were poor but all of this changed when the United States qualified for the World Cup in 2002. Interest started to peak as the national side became competitive on the global stage and it’s fair to say that MLS was transformed.

In the present day, there are 25 teams split into two conferences – eastern and western. Sides will progress to the playoffs and the best MLS team will eventually lift the MLS Cup. The league will grow in the years that follow and interest, both from a spectator and betting point of view, will certainly increase.

Popular MLS Betting Markets

We’ve already touched on some of the MLS betting opportunities but it’s worth looking at these in greater detail. Starting with the basics, it’s all about the moneyline and the result of a specific game. Who will be the best MLS team over 90 minutes or will the sides cancel each other out and claim a draw?

Around the world, one of the most popular prop bets relates to individual goal scorers. Bettors can decide on who they think will score either the first or the last goal in the game or, they can simply take shorter MLS odds on a player to score at any stage in 90 minutes.

Both Teams to Score is another popular prop bet and as the name suggests, we need both teams to find the net in order for this to deliver. Look out too for the total goals markets and, for braver punters, there is the correct score bet with some very high odds at times.

Long term MLS betting options are also available for those who want to stake across the season. Before a ball is even kicked, punters can speculate on the best MLS team in the Western and / or Eastern Conference and, of course, it’s possible to bet on the MLS playoffs and the overall winner of the MLS Cup.

MLS Betting Guide – How to Bet and Win with MLS Odds

Nobody should go into betting unprepared and in order to stand any chance of making profits on Major League Soccer, it’s important to do some proper planning. Research is key in any sport so be certain to check on a recent form guide along with any head to head results that are available between the two sides.

When it comes to taking MLS odds on individual goal scorers, the principle is much the same but you can take things a little further. You can check on form of course but is there a pattern where the player in question has a good scoring record against a particular club or on a specific ground?

Those head to head stats can also help when you get involved with Total Goals betting but they might also offer some assistance for niche markets such as the discipline options. If previous games between two sides have seen a ton of red and yellow cards, then you could look at those markets and judge whether or not the pattern will be continued.

Following expert writers can also help but in general, there is no substitute for your own research if you are looking to turn those MLS odds in your favor.

Recommended MLS Betting Sites

If you’re looking to get involved with MLS odds markets then you need a good sportsbook to play with. The list of available operators inside Canada is restricted so we really need to choose carefully.

Your own research is important but we can certainly make some recommendations and they start with Sports Interaction. They put themselves forward as Canada’s Online Sportsbook and while that’s a bold claim, there is some substance to back it up.

Of the many overseas sportsbooks that have welcomed Canadian bettors, Unibet, 10Bet, bet365, 888Sport and Betway are up there with the best. These are progressive online bookmakers that have thrived in the digital age but we can also consider the older, more established companies including William Hill and Coral.

Getting closer to home, a more limited set of North American bookmakers produces two clear standouts for us in Sports Interaction and Bodog. All of these names have things in common including great MLS odds, a wide choice of soccer markets plus effective customer service and a choice of funding options.

Live MLS Streaming

As the interest in Major League Soccer continues to grow, the opportunities to catch live games also increases. If you can’t get into a stadium then the live TV broadcasters have a good range of matches but there is another way in which you can catch your favourites.

Live streaming is an important part of a sportsbook’s service and all of the operators above should allow you to stream many MLS matches across the regular and post season. You can also add Unibet into that mix as one of the most extensive providers.

As a general rule, you must have a funded account to watch streamed sports events but check with the individual sportsbook to see if there are any additional terms and conditions.

Major League Soccer FAQs

Is It Legal To Bet On MLS In Canada?

Online sports betting is allowed in Canada subject to certain restrictions. The important points to remember are that you must be of legal gambling age and, for your own safety, you should be playing with recognised and regulated gambling sites.

That’s why we recommend certain sportsbooks to you but, if you are looking to do your own research, make sure that full details of licensing and regulation are shown on the bookmaker’s homepage.

About the author

Written by

Adam

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