With the 2024 MLS season fast approaching, and a year of sports gambling in Ohio completed, I thought I might take a swing and take a look at the MLS Futures Market for the season. One thing I’ve learned as an extremely novice gambler is that at many sportsbooks you can gamble on several different categories when it comes to season-long bets. Here we’ll take a look at where FC Cincinnati stands and some plays around the league that might be interesting to look at before a ball is even kicked.
NOTE: At the time of writing, Fanduel and ESPN Bet were the only two major sportsbooks offering wagering on more than just MLS Cup winners.
If you’re new to wagering, odds of +100 means a $100 bet is going to payout $200.
MLS Cup 2024 Futures
Last year, I placed a small wager before the MLS season picking the Knifey Lions to win MLS Cup (Odds were +2000 at the time I placed that bet before the season). When I opened up my sportsbook app in the fall to resume betting on college football and NFL games, I had completely forgotten that I even placed this bet. For a while in the fall, that bet was still looking pretty good. FCC went on to win the Supporters Shield but fell short in the playoffs. Despite the strong 2023 campaign, most sportsbooks do not see the Orange and Blue as the favorites to win the championship. Most sportsbooks currently have Cincy as the fourth favorite to win the Cup. As you can guess, Messi Mania has made its way to the books as they’re favored to win MLS Cup at all of them. LAFC and that yellow team up north are the other squads ahead of FCC.
FAVORITE – Inter Miami: +250 Fanduel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, +350 ESPN Bet
FC Cincinnati: +1000 ESPN Bet, +1200 DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, +1500 FanDuel
One flyer pick I’d take a hard look at is the Houston Dynamo. The Dynamo are coming off winning the 2023 US Open Cup over Inter Miami and finished fourth in the West and runners up in the Western Conference playoffs. How many of us saw that coming in Ben Olsen’s first season? The Dynamo are currently +2500 at four of the five books (Caesars has them at +2000).
ESPN Bet is the only book right now taking bets on just teams reaching MLS Cup Final, where they currently have FCC at +700.
Supporters Shield 2024 Futures
Did you know, that only three MLS teams have won back-to-back Supporters Shields? They also did it in six successive seasons when DC United won in 2006/07, the Crew in 2008/09, and the Galaxy in 2010/11. As you can imagine, the Herrons are the bookmakers’ favorites heading into 2024. FanDuel is currently the only book taking bets on the Supporters Shield. FCC has longer odds to win the Supporters Shield than they do winning MLS Cup.
FAVORITE – Inter Miami: +100 FanDuel
FC Cincinnati – +1600 FanDuel
Flyer Pick – New England Revolution: +7000 FanDuel
I get it, we’re not big Caleb Porter fans around these parts, and for good reason. However, as much as it’s hard for me to admit it, he’s had success in this league. In his first year in Portland, he led the Timbers to a first-place finish in the West. Could lightning strike a third time in New England?
2024 Conference Playoffs/Standings Futures
Guess what? Miami’s favored in the East! What a shocker. Their odds to win the Eastern portion of the bracket are +160 at ESPN Bet and +185 at FanDuel. FanDuel also has FCC as the fifth favorite to win the East at +950 behind Miami, the Crew, and somehow New York Red Bulls. Philly’s odds are also at +950.
If you’re looking to place a bet on the Eastern Conference table final standings, FCC is the third favorite at +1200 on FanDuel.
As for the Western Conference playoffs, LAFC comes in as the betting favorite at +240 FanDuel and +300 at ESPN Bet. The books must know something we don’t though because they’ve also got the LA Galaxy as the fourth favorite in the West (+700 ESPN Bet, +850 FanDuel). Can the Galaxy finally right the ship and get things together in 2024? They’re also +900 to finish first in the West.
The season kicks off in less than two weeks, and I’m sure a lot of these bets will look dumb by then. Not many people saw St. Louis doing what they did in 2023 or even Cincy to win the Shield. Hopefully, you can win big in 2024!
Disclaimer: The handicapping and odds information (both sports and entertainment) found on CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com is strictly for entertainment purposes. Furthermore, the unique odds shown in select news articles are also for the purposes of entertainment, and are not available to be wagered on via CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com. We are not a sportsbook and do not take any wagers. We do not endorse illegal online gambling. Please check the online gambling regulations in your jurisdiction before placing any wagers with the betting sites advertised on CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com. CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com does not target any individuals under the age of 21 for the purposes of gambling. Using any of the information found at CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com to violate any law or statute is prohibited. CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com is not supported by any professional, college or university league, association, or team or endorsed by any Public Gambling Platform. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966. It is available 24/7.
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