The Major League Soccer started on March 3rd, 2018, and the first few rounds promise a tremendous season. We saw 104 goals in the first 34 games, which is 3.06 per contest on average, while 21 out of these 34 games had at least three goals in the total. Just two matches were ended in a nil-nil draw and the fans are hoping to see a lot of thrilling action until December, while the latest LA Galaxy arrival Zlatan Ibrahimovic should bring the whole MLS to the next level.
Sebastian Giovinco will lead the defending champions Toronto who won the MLS Cup and the Supporters’ Shield last season, and they are the biggest favorites to retain the MLS Cup trophy, but with Ibrahimovic in the team LA Galaxy is certainly a huge contender, while a few more teams are also aiming the crown such as New York City FC, Atlanta United and Seattle Sounders. However, the season is long as each team will play 34 games, and anyone who makes it to the playoffs will surely stand a chance to reach the Finals.
MLS CUP WINNERS ODDS
| Toronto FC +450 | New York City FC +550 | Atlanta United +700 |
| Seattle Sounders FC +1400 | LA Galaxy +1400 | FC Dallas +1600 |
| New York Red Bulls +1600 | Columbus Crew +1600 | Portland Timbers +2000 |
| Los Angeles FC +2000 | Houston Dynamo +2000 | Real Salt Lake +2500 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps +2500 | Sporting Kansas City +2500 | Chicago Fire +3300 |
| Orlando City SC +3300 | Minnesota United +5000 | San Jose Earthquakes +5000 |
| Montreal Impact +5000 | Philadelphia Union +6600 | New England Revolution +6600 |
| Colorado Rapids +6600 | DC United +10000 |
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland Timbers finished the 2017 season on the top of the Western Conference, failing to reach the Finals after a 2-1 defeat on aggregate against Houston Dynamo in the Semi-Finals, while both teams are set as +2000 favorites to win the MLS Cup this season. The bookmakers see Seattle Sounders as the biggest favorites in the West, setting the market on the last season’s finalists at +1400, while the same price is on LA Galaxy who will have Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the team, and if the Swedish striker stays healthy, we could easily see them on the top of the conference. Likewise, Ibrahimovic’s experience and leadership should be crucial in the decisive games in the playoffs, so look after these guys.
The newcomers Los Angeles FC are set as +2000 favorites to win it outright, and with the striker Marco Urena and a skillful forward Carlos Vela in the team they will be a tough opponent to beat. After missing the playoffs last year, FC Dallas seems like a decent contender this season, while the market on them at +1600 is a quite tempting one. All other teams in the MLS Western Conference including Real Salt Lake, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Sporting Kansas City at +2500 doesn’t look capable of going all the way.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
The biggest favorites to win the MLS Cup in 2018 are here in the Eastern Conference, as Toronto FC at +450, New York City FC at +550, and Atlanta United at +700 are all strong teams who can make it deep into the playoffs. The defending champions Toronto FC kept Sebastian Giovinco in the team, adding a couple of additions to strengthen the squad, and they certainly have a huge motive to win the trophy twice in a row, while in the previous season they were a dominant force in the East.
New York City FC with the legendary Patrick Vieira at the helm has high hopes in this campaign, adding the forward Jo Inge Berget from Malmo FF to their squad, while the Spanish striker David Villa is still in the team. Atlanta United made it to the playoffs last year in their very first MLS season, and with a balanced team who has more experience now, they can make some damage in the Eastern Conference, but maybe it is still early for the MLS Cup trophy.
New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew at +1600 are both good teams who should easily reach the playoff spots, particularly the Red Bulls as they are playing great football in this year’s CONCACAF Champions League, while they will have a good reason to finish ahead of their city rivals New York City FC. The other teams in the Eastern Conference are not looking serious enough to battle for the major trophy, but keep your eye on Chicago Fire as the market on them is set at +3300, while they were brilliant in the previous season, finishing at the third spot of the Eastern Conference table.
MY PICK: LA Galaxy (+1400)
