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Over the past few years, the top flight of American men’s professional football, the MLS (Major League Soccer), has grown in popularity. More people than ever regularly watch the sport, and a similar thing is happening in online betting at licensed Indian online bookmakers.
More people in India are betting on the MLS than ever, and one of the reasons for the rise in popularity of this league could be the arrival of the world’s best football player, Lionel Messi.
The Argentinian World Cup winner has helped shine a light on the league, and it’s more popular not only in India but also in most other countries where football is a popular sport.
How popular is the MLS in India?
The MLS may not be as popular as cricket is in India, but there has been a surge in its popularity, especially over the past few years. The league now has lots of top-quality players, and viewership has steadily been on the increase.
People living in India can either watch the highlights on several major video streaming sites or sports streaming websites. One of the latest major services to show MLS games is Apple TV.
In other words, Indians can now watch their favourite MLS side as the action unfolds from their smart TV, laptop, desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone without ever having to leave their home.
To watch every single MLS match, Apple TV subscribers with the Apple TV app need to pay a small rolling subscription fee for the MLS Season Pass.There are a couple of different plans available.
For example, you can spend up to around ₹1,300 for a month’s worth of Apple TV, or, if you can afford it, spend around ₹8,000 to get the entire 2023/24 MLS season. The sooner you invest in the plan that lasts an entire season, the more you will be able to get for what you pay.
Where can I bet on football if I live in India?
If you live in India and want to place a bet on some of the world’s most famous leagues, one of the most trusted sites you can turn to is the official 10CRIC10 Sports betting site.
It has thousands of markets (bet types) for hundreds of sporting events each month and is known for having some of the iGaming industry’s most competitive odds.
Which team is most likely to win the 2023 MLS Cup?
The best way to find out which team will most likely win the 2023 MLS Cup would be to find out the latest odds from today’s most trusted online bookmakers.
For example, if you live in India and want to bet on soccer online from your desktop or mobile device, sites like 10CRIC have the best odds.
It also has odds for other top leagues like the English Premier League (EPL), La Liga in Spain, Ligue 1 in France, the Bundesliga in Germany, Serie A in Italy, and many others.
The current odds-on favourite team to win the MLS Cup are FC Cincinnati. They are currently at the top of the Eastern Conference and are priced at around 4.50 in the decimal odds format, meaning the IPR (implied probability rate) of them winning is 22.20%.
You then have Los Angeles FC at around 7.5 (13.30% IPR), and both Philadelphia Union and St. Louis City FC are evenly priced at 11.00 (9.10% IPR). However, don’t forget that anything can happen in football, and no bets are guaranteed in sports betting.
MLS fixtures
Here are several remaining upcoming fixtures in the MLS, starting on October 5th, 2023. On this day, the New England Revolution are at home to Columbus Crew SC. CF Montreal are at home to Houston Dynamo, and Charlotte FC are at home to Toronto FC.
Philadelphia Union are at home to Atlanta United, and Cincinnati are at home to the New York Red Bulls. You also have Austin FC at home to D.C. United, and Nashville SC at home to Orlando City.
Other fixtures on October 5th are FC Dallas against Colorado Rapids, Seattle Sounders against LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps against St. Louis City SC, and LAFC against Minnesota United FC.
The following fixtures all take place on Sunday, October 8th. CF Montreal are at home again, this time against the Portland Timbers. Inter Miami play Cincinnati, Orlando City play New England Revolution, and Atlanta United are against Columbus Crew SC.
You also have the New York Red Bulls against Toronto FC, Philadelphia Union against Nashville SC, D.C. United against New York City, Houston Dynamo against Colorado Rapids, and Austin FC against Texas, to name just a few fixtures.
Current league standings
In the Eastern Conference of the MLS, Cincinnati are at the top of the table with 65 points, ahead of second-place Orlando City with 54 points, third-place New England with 52 points, fourth-place Philadelphia with 51 points, and Columbus with 50 points.
In comparison, Inter Miami are right down near the bottom of the table with just 33 points. They are third from bottom (above Charlotte and Toronto), but there is still a chance Messi’s side can win some silverware this year.
In the Western Conference, St. Louis are at the top of the table with 56 points, above second-place Real Salt Lake with 46 points, third-place Seattle Sounders with 46 points, fourth-place LAFC with 45 points, and fifth-place Houston Dynamo with 44 points.
What to remember when betting on the MLS or any other sports
When betting on the MLS or any other sport at licensed Indian online sports betting sites like 10CRIC, always remember to stay within your budget by gambling responsibly and avoiding things like chasing your losses.
Take a few minutes to try to understand what the odds are telling you, and do your research into a fixture before placing a bet. For example, try to find out the latest team news and gossip/rumours.
Also, find out things like each team’s current form (the results from their past three to five matches) and the history of results between the two teams playing.
It can help you place more informed bets, giving you a much greater chance of earning some kind of profit. Also, don’t forget that you can place in-play bets at 10CRIC instead of just pre-match bets.
