2023 MLS Outright Bets: Who Wins the Cup in 2023?
LAFC Opened Last Season as Favorites, Ended as Champions
The 28th edition of Major League Soccer is just around the corner and starts on Saturday, February 25th. Last season’s dramatic MLS Cup final will be hard to top, but with more teams getting quality players and some getting healthy, the 2023 season should be exciting.
Along with new players entering the league, we have a new expansion team! The 2023 season will be St. Louis City SC’s first in the MLS. They will be the 29th team in the league, and it hurts that we’re now at an incredibly odd number. They’ll make their league debut on February 25 against previous new kids, Austin FC. Then, St. Louis will make its home debut on March 4 against Charlotte FC.
It would be wise for bettors to avoid St. Louis, as their 2023 MLS Outright bets are not good. Their roster does not seem fit to compete with the rest of the league, however, they could surprise us.
Who will win MLS Cup in 2023?
LAFC started last season as the favorites in the soccer MLS standings and ended with a title. They head into the new season as the favorites, but recent history suggests that defending an MLS title is an improbable task. The last team to achieve the feat was the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2013.
Many teams underwent considerable changes in the winter window, and more will go through the same in the coming summer – it’s why predicting a winner is difficult.
For MLS predictions, the likes of Toronto FC could spring a surprise, especially considering the quality of their players. However, Los Angeles Galaxy looked different following Puig’s arrival, and the likes of Philadelphia Union and New York City FC still have strong sides. MLS Bettors should watch for these teams and their 2023 MLS Outright bets heading into the first half of the season.
| Last Updated: 02/17/2023 | Odds |
|---|---|
| LAFC | +450 |
| Philadelphia Union | +700 |
| NYCFC | +800 |
| New York Red Bulls | +1200 |
| CF Montreal | +1200 |
| LA Galaxy | +1200 |
| Austin FC | +1400 |
| Nashville SC | +1600 |
| Inter Miami | +1800 |
| Atlanta United | +2000 |
| Seattle Sounders | +2000 |
| Columbus Crew | +2500 |
| Sporting Kansas City | +2500 |
| New England Revolution | +2500 |
| FC Cincinnati | +2500 |
| FC Dallas | +2500 |
| Minnesota United | +2800 |
| Orlando City SC | +2800 |
| Colorado Rapids | +3300 |
| Portland Timbers | +4000 |
| Real Salt Lake | +4000 |
| Toronto Fc | +4000 |
| Charlotte FC | +5000 |
| Chicago Fire | +5000 |
| DC United | +5000 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | +6600 |
| Houston Dynamo | +6600 |
| St. Louis FC | +10000 |
Favorites
Of course, LAFC is leading the way at +450. Unfortunately, the upcoming season will not include Gareth Bale since he announced his retirement from the sport earlier this year. However, LAFC’s team will be fine as they have Aaron Long, Carlos Vela, Denis Bouanga, Georgio Chiellini, and Kwadwo Opoku.
As expected, the Union came next at +800. LAFC won the title, but Philly was better at defending. During the regular season, Philadelphia allowed 12 goals less than Los Angeles. As if that wasn’t enough, they also have a killer striker in Daniel Gazdag, who scored 22 goals in the 2022 season.
Finally, we have New York City FC at +900. Last season, despite losing Valentin Castellanos, who now plays for Girona FC in La Liga, the Citizens reached the Eastern Conference Final, in which they lost to Philadelphia. Despite losing a good chunk of their starters, they still have the talent to spare to compete for the title.
Underdogs
First, on the list for 2023 MLS Outright bets, underdogs are the Seattle Sounders at +2000. They are not necessarily an underdog, but they are criminally undervalued. The Sounders are one of the most storied teams in MLS and were the first MLS side to win the CONCACAF Champions League. They have key players like Joao Paulo and Obed Vargas back from injury and looking to redeem themselves after a poor league campaign.
Next is Toronto FC at +4000. While they were a bottom-feeder team last year, they have a full year with each other under manager Bob Bradley. The likes of Lorenzo Insigne and Bernardeschi can lead the team to new heights. If the manager can get them all firing, betting on Toronto at +4000 is a steal.
Lastly, the Colorado Rapids at +3300. Their history in MLS has been decent at best. They have found their way into the playoffs a few times but nothing to write home about. However, they have spent this offseason strengthening their young core and can surprise many people. They are another team like Toronto, where +3300 is an absolute steal.
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