MLS Cup Odds: Bursting Bromance Boosting Miami Title Bid

The odds-on favorite to win this year's MLS Cup is Lionel Messi and his braggadocious band of buddies at Inter Miami with +220 odds to win this year's trophy.

The runners-up on the oddsboard ar, for some very strange reason LAFC. Scroll down to see why I think having LA this high on the board is a massive mistake and why you need to avoid them.

2024 MLS Cup Odds

Odds as of May 10

MLS Cup Odds: Can Messi's Miami Win it?

With a star-studded roster of household names and a winning record, it's hard to discredit Inter Miami's chances. The bromance between Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez is on full display this year.

The two former Barcelona teammates, finally reunited, have put up some truly stunning numbers. Both have 10 goals on the year while Messi has 10 helpers to Suarez's five. That's 35 goal contributions in a combined 19 games. Or 1.8 per match. 

But, it goes beyond those two with Sergio Busquets pulling the string in the middle and Jordi Alba bombing down the flanks as that wide playmaker. And don't forget Drake Callender in the net who has a 73.3% SV% on the year so far.

And thank God for that, because without him, Miami might be in massive trouble. The Herons have the eighth-highest expected goals against in the league at 16.6. 

MLS Cup Odds Challengers

LAFC

Until LA can win on the road I don't want to see them anywhere near the top of the MLS oddsboard. With a 0-1-3 record away from home, LAFC has the co-worst record in the league. 

Sure, they're undefeated at home at 4-2-0, but they'll have to play on the road at some point in the playoffs (assuming they get there). And if we can't trust them to win on the road in the regular season why would we trust them when the games matter more? (We won't.)

I also don't like that LA holds a -3.1 goals above expected. For a team with the reigning Golde Boot winner, you'd think they would be more clinical in front of goal. 

Don't waste your time betting on LA right now. These odds are way too respectful of a championship they won two years ago.

Real Salt Lake

In my Golden Boot Odds analysis, I wax poetic about the perfect pair or RSL and striker Cristian Arango. Salt Lake's ability to work the ball into the final third and Arango's finishing is the best pairing since.....Messi and Suarez (sorry, they're just too damn good).

Salt Lake is at the top of a weak Western Conference. They've got a great +8 goal differential thanks to Arango's scoring and the best defensive line in the game with only nine goals allowed in 10 games. 

They're also on a great run of form with three wins off the bounce where they outscored their opponents 7-1 and kept two clean sheets.

By the looks of things, Real should boss their way through the West and into the championship game.

Last 10 MLS Cup Champions

For the fan of competitiveness, the MLS has been a dream with no back-to-back winners over the last 10 years. Sure, the Seattle Sounders have won it twice in the previous decade, but those championships were separated by three years. This is a league where any team can win in any year.