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MLS Cup Playoffs 2023 Predictions & Betting Tips (October 25 – December 9)

The MLS playoffs are finally here after a unique and exciting regular season. This will be the 28th edition of the Major League Soccer playoffs. Los Angeles FC are the defending champions, and they will start their title defense against the Vancouver Whitecaps in Round One.
MLS Cup Playoffs 2023: Key Details
The Major League Soccer 2023 playoffs are set to start on October 25 and end on December 9. There will be nine teams from each conference participating in the playoffs this year. FC Cincinnati have won the Eastern Conference, while St. Louis City SC have won the Western Conference in the regular season. The playoffs will consist of five knockout rounds this year.
A lot of teams have improved this year, and the title will be pretty much up for grabs for a lot of them. All fans were waiting for Messi’s first MLS season, but Inter Miami were nine points short of reaching the postseason.
ℹ️ Tournament: | Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Playoffs 2023 |
🏟️ Venue: | Stadiums Across the United States |
⏰ Date: | 25th October to 9th December, 2023 |
🗓️ Format: | 18 teams in the playoffs and five stages |
2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Betting Odds
Here’s a look at the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs winner odds and the favorites to win the championship from the best soccer odds sites:
FC Cincinnati @ 4.50 (7/2)
FC Cincinnati have been the best regular-season team in the MLS. This will be the second year in a row they make the playoffs, as they weren’t as good in their first three MLS seasons starting in 2019. Acosta has been the team’s best player, and he is tied for second on the MLS top scorers list this year with 17 goals.
Los Angeles FC @ 7.0 (6/1)
Los Angeles FC regressed a little bit this year and finished in third place in the Western Conference, as they finished first last season and went on to win the title. Winning back-to-back championships will be challenging for the Black and Gold, as no other team has done that in the last 10 years.
St. Louis City SC @ 7.50 (13/2)
This is the first season for St. Louis City SC in the MLS, and they did great by finishing at the top of the Western Conference. This is the most successful first season in the history of the MLS, so they will be looking to do some damage in the playoffs as well.
Orlando City SC @ 11.0 (10/1)
Orlando City SC have improved a lot this year, as they finished in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Lions got knocked out of the playoffs in the last two years in Round One, but they have a favorable matchup this season against Nashville SC, so they have every chance to advance this time.
Columbus Crew @ 13.0 (12/1)
The Columbus Crew have had by far the best offense in the MLS regular season. They finished third in the Eastern Conference after their strong run at the end of the season. This will only be the second year for the Crew to qualify for the playoffs in the last five years.
MLS Cup Playoffs 2023 Betting Preview
There will be a new format starting this year, which will expand the number of teams qualifying for the playoffs to 18, as it was previously only 14. There will be changes in the Round One stage as well.
MLS Cup Playoffs 2023 Format
The 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs will have a new format starting this year, with five key stages:
- Wildcard Round: The eighth and ninth teams from each conference face each other in a single-elimination game, as the winners from those two matchups qualify for Round One.
- Round One: The upper teams from each conference play against the lower seeds in a best-of-three format, as the winners qualify for the Conference Semifinals.
- Conference Semifinals: The final four teams from each conference face each other in a single-elimination game.
- Conference Final: The remaining two teams from each conference compete in a single match for a chance to play for the MLS Cup.
- MLS Cup: The final match in the MLS Playoffs, which determines the cup winner.
The new format will give more teams the opportunity to compete in the postseason, as 62% of the MLS teams qualified for the playoffs this year.
MLS Cup Playoffs 2023 Participants
Eighteen teams will participate in the MLS Cup Playoffs this year. Here are some of the top contenders for the title: FC Cincinnati, Los Angeles FC, St. Louis City SC, Orlando City SC, Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union, and the Seattle Sounders FC.
History of the American Soccer Championship
The MLS Cup Playoffs were first established in 1996, and DC United won the first title. Los Angeles FC are the defending champions, as they won their first ever championship last year. Los Angeles Galaxy have won five MLS Cups, which is the most by any American soccer club, and then DC United with four titles.
Past Five Winners & Runners-Up
- 2022: Los Angeles FC* 3-3 Philadelphia Union
- 2021: New York City* 1-1 Portland Timbers
- 2020: Columbus Crew 3-0 Seattle Sounders
- 2019: Seattle Sounders 3-1 Toronto FC
- 2018: Atlanta United 2-0 Portland Timbers
MLS Cup Playoffs 2023 Predictions to Win Outright
Now is the time for our main section of this text – our MLS 2023 playoffs betting tips:
Outright Winner – FC Cincinnati @ 4.50 (7/2)
2 (100%)
0
According to the latest MLS betting odds, FC Cincinnati are currently the favorites to win the title. The Orange and Blue have been great this season. They have one of the best players in the league, Acosta, who has 17 goals and 13 assists so far in 2023. They have the most balanced squad in the MLS and a good draw to reach the final, at least.
High-Odds Outright Winner – Seattle Sounders FC @ 15.0 (14/1)
2 (100%)
0
The Seattle Sounders finished second in the Western Conference this year. They have been very good and solid so far this season, as they are tied for the fewest goals conceded with Nashville SC. There’s so much value in the Sounders at those odds. They have an excellent Round One matchup against FC Dallas as well.
2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Betting Tips
Team to Reach the Final – St. Louis City SC @ 4.0 (3/1)
0
(100%) 1
The St. Louis City SC are coming into the playoffs with a lot of potential. They have the third-best offense in the league, but their defense has to step up for them to get to the final. The team to reach the final from the Western Conference will realistically be between St. Louis City SC, Los Angeles FC, and Seattle Sounders FC, so they have good chances at those odds.
Wildcard Round – Sporting Kansas City to Beat San Jose Earthquakes @ 1.70 (7/10)
2 (100%)
0
Sporting Kansas City will host the San Jose Earthquakes in the Wildcard Round. The Earthquakes aren’t in good form right now, as they have only one win in their last 10 games, while Sporting KC have had six wins in the same number of matches. The Wizards have lost only once in their last seven home games as well.
Recommended 2023 MLS Playoffs Betting Picks
There are a lot of competitive teams in the playoffs this year, so it will definitely be an exciting one. Our expert MLS Playoffs 2023 picks are:
Our MLS Playoffs betting guide had an overview of the participants and bookmakers’ favorites in the tournament, and we also explained the event’s new format. Make sure to use our 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs predictions and bet them at the bookies in the US to have more fun watching the event.
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