MLS Matchday 26 Betting Guide: Top Games, Expert Analysis & Picks

The hoopla from Lionel Messi’s arrival has taken over MLS. Super fans of the league will have to wait until Messi makes his MLS regular-season debut with the South Florida side. 

The Argentinian superstar has taken Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup final and will delay the team’s match with Charlotte.

There is still plenty of action this weekend as the MLS returns. Check out MLS betting lines and betting analysis for the top 3 matchups playing Matchday 27 of the soccer season.

Updated MLS Matchday 27 Betting: What Should You Bet this Week | MyBookie Regular Season Soccer Betting Preview

MLS Matchday 27: July 10th – July 16th, 2023

Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati

MLS Odds: Crew -0.5; Cincinnati +0.5 / Crew +102; Cincinnati +255; Draw +246 / O/U 2.5
Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 7:30 pm ET
Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio, USA

The homestretch of the MLS schedule will kick off with an important battle of Ohio squads. FC Cincinnati has had an exciting first few months of the season and is sitting in first place in the conference. The Orange and Blue are six points clear of the pack, but Columbus won’t be in such a comfortable position.

The Crew is in sixth place and needs to collect points to try and earn a more comfortable spot. Columbus has been an effective offensive outfit, putting up 45 goals in 23 matches and holding a plus-12 goal differential. 

FC Cincinnati has been a tighter defensive side, only allowing 25 goals in 23 games. The Crew is even money to win on the three-way moneyline. The game is +245 to end in a draw, and FC Cincinnati is +250 to win.

MLS Lines | Bet Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

New York City FC vs. Minnesota United

MLS Odds: NYCFC -0.5; United +0.5 / NYCFC -102; United +280; Draw +246 / O/U 2.5
Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 7:30 pm ET
Citi Field, New York, New York, USA

NYCFC and Minnesota United are both teams that need to make serious moves down the stretch to make the playoffs. The Cityzens, who has been one of the MLS’ top sides over the past few years, have struggled to score. NYCFC has only scored 25 times in 24 games.

NYCFC has also had a hard time finishing games. The Cityzens have settled for 11 draws this season and only collected five victories.

Minnesota is on the fringe of the postseason but has a minus-four goal differential and has settled for more draws than it would have liked this season.

NYCFC is -110 on the three-way moneyline. The game is +250 to end in a draw, while Minnesota United is +275.

MLS Lines | Bet NYCFC vs. Minnesota United Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United

MLS Odds: Sounders -0.5; United +0.5 / Sounders -107; United +290; Draw +246 / O/U 2.5
Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 10:30 pm ET
Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington, USA

The Sounders and Five Stripes are both solid contenders to make a run at the MLS Cup. Atlanta is a team that is willing to throw its attacking players forward at its own expense.

The Five Stripes have scored 42 goals this season while allowing 39. Giorgos Giakoumakis (10 goals) and Thiago Almeida (eight goals, nine assists) have led Atlanta’s attack.

Giakoumakis, however, has been impacted by injuries and has missed a significant portion of the action.

The Sounders have been balanced this season. Seattle forward Jordan Morris led the team with nine. Sounders forward Raul Ruidiaz has also been playing good soccer and has scored four goals.

Seattle is -110 on the three-way moneyline. The game is +250 to end in a draw, while Atlanta is +280 to win.

MLS Lines | Bet Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

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Major League Soccer plays a match on Tuesday and then 5 matches on Wednesday. Tuesday’s match pits D.C. United against Los Angeles FC. Wednesday’s most intriguing game is New York Red Bulls on the road against Atlanta United. Check out MLS Odds, analysis, and free picks for this week’s top MLS matchups.  

Top Major League Soccer Betting Games from Tuesday, Aug. 16th and Wednesday,  Aug. 17th

D.C. United +1.5 -126 vs Los Angeles FC -1.5 -105

When: Tuesday, August 16 at 8:30 pm ET   

In recent matches, LAFC has turned it on big time. The home favorite has won 4-of-5. The lone loss happened in a club friendly versus Mexican Liga squad America.

Soccer Pick: Los Angeles FC -1.5

New York Red Bulls +175 vs Atlanta United FC +145 

When: Wednesday, August 17 at 5:30 pm ET   

Atlanta United is playing well. The home team in this has a win and a couple of draws in their last 3. The win occurred on August 6 in a 2-1 victory versus the Seattle Sounders. 

The New York Red Bulls have lost 4 with a draw in their last 5. If this were an NYRB home contest, the Red Bulls might be worth a look. But the odds don’t make the ATL an underlay. So the home team gets the nod. 

Soccer Pick: Atlanta United FC  

New England Revolution +175 vs Toronto FC +132

When: Wednesday, August 17 at 5:30 pm ET   

Toronto FC versus New England Revolution should be an ultra-competitive match. Since a July  16 loss to Philadelphia Union, the Revolution have played great, drawing against Columbus and Toronto and beating Orlando City and D.C. United.

The home team chalk is also playing well. Toronto has won 3-of-4 with a draw against New England. Don’t expect another draw because this happens on Toronto’s pitch. 

Soccer Pick: Toronto FC  

Charlotte FC +1.5 -181 vs New York City FC -1.5 +136

When: Wednesday, August 17 at 6:00 pm ET   

Both teams head into this after 2-game losing streaks. Road team Charlotte dropped a match 2-3 against Chicago and fell to LAFC 0-5 in their last. 

Home team New York lost to Columbus and Miami by 3-2 scores. The last time NYFC played at home, they dusted Miami 2-0. New York can cover the handicap. 

Soccer Pick: New York City FC  

Philadelphia Union +190 vs FC Dallas +127

When: Wednesday, August 17 at 7:00 pm ET   

Dallas is in good form. The home chalk has won 3 with a draw and a loss. But just because the home team is playing well, it doesn’t mean they’re a lock versus Philly Union.

The road squad in this has won 4-of-5. The odds difference is enough to back Union to grab an away victory. 

Soccer Pick: Philadelphia Union  

Colorado Rapids +180 vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC +136

When: Wednesday, August 17 at 8:00 pm ET   

Colorado has 3 wins, a draw, and a loss in their last 5. The loss wasn’t bad. It happened in a road match versus the Seattle Sounders. 

Since the loss, the Rapids have won 2. Colorado drew in their last, a match against the Columbus Crew. It’s tough to win on the road but the odds make Colorado an overlay.  

Soccer Pick: Colorado Rapids

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As the MLS rolls toward its All-Star game and kicks off the second half of the campaign, there are a few high-profile games this weekend. Most of the games feature top teams against bottom teams or middle of the standings teams going head-to-head.

However, there are a couple of rivalry games mixed in, plus a sprinkling of sneaky good games with teams in good form. The most intriguing game this weekend is the Cascadia Cup rivalry between Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers. Longtime rivals Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire face off while LA Galaxy travel to Minnesota United in the only matchup of the weekend between teams in the top five of the conference standings.  With all that being said, let’s take a closer look at the upcoming matches so you can bet against their MLS odds.

MLS Weekend Betting Preview – Seattle vs Portland, Columbus vs Chicago, Los Angeles vs Minnesota

Sounders Head to Portland in Best Rivalry

The rivalry between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers is almost as heated on the field as it is in the stands. There is no love lost at all between these longtime Pacific Northwest rivals, and their feud has transcended multiple soccer leagues and levels over the last five decades. 

The latest installment of the rivalry has been pushed back to a night game on Sunday because of an excessive heat forecast for Portland this week. The game will still be broadcast nationally with a 9 p.m. ET kickoff from Providence Park. 

Seattle won the first matchup this season 2-1 on May 9, also in Portland. The Sounders were in legendary form at that point with an MLS record point streak to start the season. Seattle has won three of the last four in Portland after only winning there three times in the first 14 MLS trips. 

Portland has allowed at least two goals in a game eight times this season, including their 3-2 win against Real Salt Lake last week. Felipe Mora leads the team with six goals, while Marvin Loria has four assists. Portland traded striker Jeremy Ebobisse to San Jose last month while bringing in attacker Santiago Moreno. 

Seattle started the season as world beaters but now have just four points in their last five matches. Raul Ruidiaz has scored eight times against Portland since the start of the 2018 playoffs and leads the MLS in goals in 2021 with 11.  

The sixth-place Timbers are slight favorites at +141, while second-place Seattle is +180. A draw is +225, and the game total is 2.5 goals (O -135, U +101).

Minnesota United Look to Keep Run Going

After a horrid start to the 2021 season, Minnesota United have played the best soccer in the Western Conference since mid-May. The Loons have climbed to fifth place in the West with a win or draw in 12 of the last 13 games, and they have lost just twice at home all season. This weekend they put that run on the line against third-place LA Galaxy at Allianz Arena Saturday afternoon on FOX. 

The Galaxy are still without injured superstar Chicharito who has 10 goals in 10 games this season but hasn’t played since July 4. They have all their Gold Cup players back but drew 1-1 against last-place Vancouver Whitecaps last weekend. 

The Galaxy have never lost to United with five wins and two draws. But this Galaxy team has struggled outside of California with only three wins in their last 13 road matches, and they haven’t won on the road since June 26.

United has allowed just 11 goals in the last 13 games. Robin Lod has four goals and two assists in the last five games, while Emanuel Reynoso has four assists in that span. 

United are big favorites to close the gap on the top three at -135. The Galaxy are +320, and a draw is +295. The goal total is 2.5, with the over at -181 and the under at +129. 

Fire Looking to Flip Rivalry

One of the longest rivalries in MLS history features the Columbus Crew and the Chicago Fire. The Crew were an original MLS side while Chicago joined just two years later, and these teams were the closest to each other in geography for the better part of two decades. They also faced off in some legendary MLS Cup Playoff and U.S. Open Cup ties. 

The Crew have had the better of the rivalry lately, with the Fire not winning in the matchup since April 2018. Earlier this season, Columbus got a brace from Gyasi Zardes in a 2-0 win. Sunday, they face off at Soldier Field in Chicago with the Fire as favorites. 

Columbus has lost three in a row to fall into seventh place. The defending champions do have Zardes and others back from Gold Cup and injury plus a week off to prepare for this match. 

The Fire have the reigning MLS Player of the Week in Luka Stojanovic, who scored both goals in last week’s 2-1 win over Red Bulls. Chicago has a point in three straight overall and just one home loss in their last seven at Soldier Field.

The Fire are favored at +109 while the Crew are +220 on the road. The goal total is 2.5 with the over -126, the under at -108, and a draw is +245.