MLS Cup Title Odds, Best Bets, Tips and Playoff Preview 2018

Ej Garr

November 2nd, 2018

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MLS Cup Title Odds 2018

The MLS Playoffs have reached the Conference semifinals and we will have a new champion crowned in 2018. The reigning MLS champs, Toronto FC, failed to make the playoffs after earning their first MLS title last season.

As soon as all four knockout round matches were completed, the field of eight was set in stone. The oddsmakers immediately followed suit with the MLS betting lines for all eight teams to win the MLS Cup.

MLS Eastern Conference Picks & Tips

The Eastern Conference playoffs started on Halloween night in New York, in similar fashion to how the season ended. NYCFC hosted Philadelphia in New York on the final Sunday of the regular season, and the knockout round began with NYCFC hosting Philadelphia at Yankee Stadium in a rematch.

NYCFC came away with back-to-back 3-1 wins and will now take on second-place finishers Atlanta United. Atlanta and NYCFC met twice during the regular season, each resulting in draws on each other's field.

DC United and Columbus met Wednesday night in the second Eastern Conference knockout match, with the winner earning a semifinal encounter with the NY Red Bulls. The Red Bulls earned the league's Supporters' Shield with the best record overall and could host their way to the MLS Cup Final on December 8.

Columbus advanced past DC United after a shootout win on the road, which they also did a year ago in the opening round of the MLS playoffs.

With Columbus not only having little time to rest, but also playing an extra-time shootout to arrive to the semifinals, the Red Bulls will be rested and are playing their best soccer as the playoffs begin. The Red Bulls took 30 points from their final 13 games of the regular season and stole the top spot in the conference from Atlanta on #DecisionSunday.

Atlanta has the best goal-scorer in the league with Josef Martinez, and 70 goals found the back of United's opposing nets in 2018. Martinez set the single-season MLS scoring record this year, claimed the Golden Boot and won the MLS All-Star game MVP in 2018.

Take the Red Bulls and Atlanta to meet in the conference finals, and the Red Bulls at +115 with 888Sport to advance to the MLS Cup final as hosts of the title deciding match.

MLS Western Conference Picks & Tips

The Western Conference playoffs also began on October 31, as Portland got past Dallas with a 2-1 win in the first knockout round match. The Timbers had to wait out the result of the LAFC vs. RSL game to know where they would be playing the conference semifinals.

Real Salt Lake took out LAFC with a 3--2 road win to secure its way to the conference semifinals. As a result, Portland will now take on Seattle in one semi, and a Cascadia rivalry will be renewed, as Portland and Seattle square off in the other semifinal.

Despite three Eastern Conference teams leading the betting board to win the MLS Cup, the first Western Conference team listed is Sporting Kansas City. With a remarkable season and an even more impressive finish to the season, Sporting KC and Portland will be your two conference final foes, so bet accordingly at 888Sport.

Portland Head Coach Giovanni Savarese's MLS career got off to an auspicious start. The Timbers ran a stretch of 15 games without a loss from April 14 to August 11, and maintained a playoff spot for most of the season. The Timbers took two of three regular-season meetings from the Sounders.

Sporting KC split the season series with RSL, each having a win, a loss and a draw from three meetings. Sporting won their final game of the regular season at home over LAFC to secure home field advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

Bet Sporting KC at +135 with 888Sport to make the MLS Cup Finals and +800 to win it all. That would give Sporting KC its third MLS title and first since 2013, when it was playing in the Eastern Conference.

MLS Playoff Schedule 2018

Conference Semifinals

Nov. 4

Columbus at NY Red Bulls

NYCFC at Atlanta

Real Salt Lake at Sporting KC

Portland vs. Seattle

Nov. 8

Seattle at Portland

Nov. 11

NY Red Bulls at Columbus

Sporting KC at Real Salt Lake

Conference Finals

A two-game series on Nov. 25 and 29 for each conference. The team from each conference with the best aggregate advances.

MLS Cup Final

A single-elimination game on Dec. 8 at the team with the best regular-season record’s stadium.