We enter Week 6 of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season with a few surprises so it behooves us to take our MLS picks with a grain of salt. The outright MLS soccer betting odds for 2022 have shifted thanks to where the standings are. It is still too early to push any panic buttons, but we have a big enough sample size to determine that we have some new contenders.
What Is The State of the MLS, Five Matches In?
The MLS can be an unpredictable league, especially to start the season. Right off the bat, we can see how the 2022 MLS soccer odds have changed with some contenders struggling and some mid-tier teams getting a boost. The recent form of squads have also affected their individual matches as well as absences.
| MLS Outright Winner |  |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles FC | 6.21 |
| Seattle Sounders | 9.00 |
| Philadelphia Union | 10.00 |
| New England Revolution | 11.00 |
| Toronto FC | 11.00 |
| New York City FC | 13.00 |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 14.00 |
| Colorado Rapids | 16.00 |
| Atlanta United FC | 17.00 |
| Sporting KC | 18.00 |
Philadelphia Is At The Top
The Philadelphia Union stands atop the Eastern Conference with 13 points (4-1-0) and the third-best goal differential with +7. The Union have now jumped to third in the outright odds as they recently defeated the defending champions, the New York City FC (NYCFC). Their next four matches should all be winnable so this club can continue to build on its lead.
Eastern Conference Is In Disarray
While Philadelphia being at the top is not the most shocking result, the struggles of the New England Revolution, Toronto FC (TFC), and NYCFC are somewhat concerning. The Revolution (Revs) and NYCFC both have just 4 points and are a combined -4 in goal differential. TFC is still in the playoff picture with 7 points despite being -2.
On the positive side, the NY Red Bulls and Chicago Fire are seeing a resurgence. The latter is more surprising as they are just one of three undefeated teams in the MLS. The other two? The conference-leading Union and LAFC. No biggie.
Canadian Squads Are Struggling
Hope is not lost but the optics are far from pretty as all three Canadian squads have combined for just four wins and a -13 goal differential. TFC has been in most of its matches and if we exclude their blowout loss to the Red Bulls, they have been “okay”. But Montreal and Vancouver are getting bodied.
Montreal has had a tough schedule, especially if we factor in the CONCACAF Champions League. But they got handled by the NYCFC and have a rough road ahead: the Red Bulls, Philadelphia, and Atlanta United in three of their next four matches. Vancouver finally won a match last week but now has to face the best in the west as they approach the Canadian Championship.
Best MLS Week 6 Matches
We can expect more chaos to ensure that the 2022 MLS soccer free picks this weekend all go awry. Judging by how the season is going, that’s a good bet. Still, we tried to go for matches that aren’t just worth betting but should also be significant even outside of a betting perspective.
Philadelphia v Columbus, 2022-04-09
The top-seeded Philadelphia Union are sizable favourites against the Columbus Crew. The Crew beat Toronto, drew the Red Bulls, and just barely lost to Nashville. Either way you cut it, this team won’t go away easily. However, the Union are a step above most clubs the Crew have faced and their stalwart defense could blank them as they stay unbeaten.
LA Galaxy vs LAFC, 2022-04-09
In this 14th edition of “El Trafico” the betting lines are tight although LAFC has looked to be the better club. LAFC is still unbeaten thanks to a deadly offense that is tied with Austin FC with 13 goals. The team isn’t too shabby on defense either but it’s their ability to counter that will be the difference-maker here as they look to close the gap in the El Trafico record books.
Real Salt Lake v Toronto, 2022-04-09
Get ready for a fun one as the Toronto FC visit the Real Salt Lake in what should produce plenty of scoring. Something about the Rio Tinto Stadium has led to both squads finding the back of the net. Or maybe it’s just how they’ve always been built? Ten of the 11 matches between these two in Utah have gone over 2.5 goals.
Vancouver v Portland, 2022-04-09
Vancouver and Portland have alternated wins and losses in their last four meetings and are about as evenly matched as they come. Both clubs have porous defenses, especially in Portland’s case as it’s allowed 11 goals, tied for the most in the conference. They can score right back and Vancouver may just let them as this one will go over 2.5 goals.
