MLS Picks: Betting Advice & Picks for Week 33

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MLS Picks: Betting Advice & Picks for Week 33

Two games remain in the MLS regular season, but the tension isn’t over: Multiple playoff spots are still up for grabs.

Following is our betting guide to this weekend’s MLS matches.

Game of the Week

Real Salt Lake +350 at LA Galaxy -160

This game is as big as it gets for both Real Salt Lake and the Galaxy, as the two could swap places in the standings with the season nearly complete.

The Galaxy is in fifth place after its win over the San Jose Earthquakes, but Salt Lake is only three points behind. The game could be Salt Lake's last chance to make the playoffs. If Portland, Dallas, Nashville and Minnesota all win and Salt Lake loses, it will have to settle for eighth at best.

We think the Galaxy should win.

LA Galaxy to win 2-0 is +950 with DraftKings Sportsbook.

Best Bet of the Week

Los Angeles FC +115 at Portland Timbers +180

Los Angeles FC clinched first place in the Western Conference courtesy of its victory over the Houston Dynamo two weeks ago. It has a nine-point lead on Austin but still has something to play for; the squad is even on points with the Philadelphia Union in the Supporters' Shield standings.

Philadelphia has an equally tough game with its trip to Charlotte FC. With this in mind, we think the Black and Gold winning this weekend is the best bet of the week, especially as the Portland Timbers just tied the Columbus Crew 2-1 in the last set of games.

The Timbers have been excellent in recent weeks, however, winning four of the past five. But against a motivated LAFC, we expect three points to go to Steve Cherundolo’s team. 

Carlos Vela to score first against Portland Timbers is +390 with FanDuel Sportsbook.

Team of Last Week

Sporting Kansas City

Although it has been two weeks since the last bunch of MLS games because of the international break, the Sporting Kansas City’s stunning 4-1 win over Minnesota United is still fresh in our memory. Kansas City scored in both halves against the Loons. 

An own goal got the ball rolling for Kansas City, but with two goals from William Agada and a goal from Erik Thommy, the team left Children's Mercy Park with all three points after arguably its best performance of the season.

Kansas City's playoff hopes faded a while back, but in registering its 10th win, it has all but guaranteed it won't finish at the bottom of the Western Conference — the result of the San Jose Earthquakes’ six-point gap and a superior goals difference.

Sporting KC to beat to beat Seattle Sounders 2-1 is +800 with FanDuel Sportsbook.

Player of Last Week

Karol Swiderski, Charlotte

Karol Swiderski became Charlotte’s first MLS Player of the Week. The Poland international scored twice in the second half in Charlotte's 3-2 comeback win against the Chicago Fire.

Swiderski has 10 goals and five assists in 28 games, 27 of them starts, for Charlotte this season. In his third multi-goal game of the season, Swiderski also became the first player since 2018 to score 10 goals for an expansion club in its first season since LAFC’s Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi and Adama Diomande did so in 2018.

The Charlotte star also outperformed his expected goals for the game, with two goals from an xG of 1.14.

Karol Swiderski to score first against Philadelphia is +500 with DraftKings Sportsbook

Hardest Game to Call

Atlanta United +165 at New England +125

The Revs are unlikely to make it into the top seven regardless of this result, but with a victory, Atlanta could move up into seventh and claim a spot in the playoffs — provided it also wins its final game, against New York City.

Atlanta's three-game unbeaten run and New England's failure to win its past three games makes things harder to predict.

Given that Atlanta still has a great chance to make the playoffs, we think this should be enough to send it to victory here.

Atlanta to win 2-1 against the Revs is +1000 with DraftKings Sportsbook.

Throw-Ins

These are some other bets worth a look on this week’s schedule:

  • Toronto to win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 against Inter Miami is +360 at BetMGM.
  • Philadelphia Union to beat Charlotte and both teams to score is +350 at PointsBet.
  • New York Red Bulls to be winning at halftime against Columbus Crew is +290 at FanDuel.
  • Cincinnati to win and over 2.5 goals against Chicago Fire is +140 at DraftKings.
  • Jesus Ferreira to score first in the game between Dallas and Colorado is +400 at Caesars.

Power Rankings

  1. Philadelphia Union ↔
  2. LAFC ↔
  3. Montreal ↔
  4. Austin ↑
  5. Dallas ↓

This Week’s Schedule with Moneylines (All Times Eastern)

Friday

  • Inter Miami (+210) at Toronto (-105), 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

  • Atlanta United (+165) at New England (+125), 1:30 p.m.
  • Dallas (+200) at Colorado Rapids (+105), 3:30 p.m.
  • Philadelphia Union (+135) at Charlotte (+165), 5:30 p.m.
  • New York Red Bulls (+220) at Columbus Crew (+110), 7:30 p.m.
  • D.C. United (+490) at Montreal (-240), 7:30 p.m.
  • Chicago Fire (+310) at Cincinnati (-145), 7:30 p.m.
  • Austin (+180) at Vancouver Whitecaps (+120), 10 p.m.
  • Minnesota United (+165) at San Jose Earthquakes (+120), 10 p.m.
  • Real Salt Lake (+350) at LA Galaxy (-160), 10:30 p.m.

Sunday

  • Orlando City (+310) at New York City (-135), 1 p.m.
  • Los Angeles FC (+115) at Portland Timbers (+180), 3 p.m.
  • Seattle Sounders (+210) at Kansas City (+105), 3 p.m.
  • Houston Dynamo (+490) at Nashville (-230), 8:30 p.m.