Fortunately, MyBookie delivered some great 2022 MLS Bets for the rest of the season. Here at VegasBetting, we embrace the obvious current favorites and offer maybe one or two bonus choices. Now we are starting to see some interesting trends for MLS 2022. In this article, we reveal our picks. Will NYC FC and LA FC continue to be the class of the league?
The quest for the 27th MLS Cup began February 26th and this season will feature a full 34-game campaign. This year also added a 28th club in Charlotte FC. NYC FC (+620) and LA FC (+500) head the list of favorites as both teams have shown to be the class of the early going. Last year, NYC FC finished fourth in the East and LAC FC finished outside of the playoffs.
Now, both teams stand as the teams most likely to make the MLS Cup Final. The LA FC are 9-3-2 in the early going while NYC FC is 8-3-2. There is no surprise why both of these teams top the 2022 MLS Futures Betswhile leading their respective conferences. They are our main focus but not the only ones.
So, with nearly half the season under our belts, the idea is to examine some teams that could perhaps make some more noise in the MLS come playoff time. As there are four months to go until the regular season, a few changes could happen between now and then. What teams are the tops now could fade over the second half. One never knows in the MLS.
Now, 2022 MLS Futures Bets focuses on this one question. Could NYC FC and LAC FC be two of those teams that determine the MLS Cup champion?
NYC FC Proving 2021 MLS Cup No Fluke
Some will forget that the NYC FC won the 2021 MLS Cup. They snuck their way into the MLS Playoffs last year with 51 points in 34 games. Then, the team caught fire as Sean Johnson anchored their club. With timely goal scoring, the team was able to advance past the Philadelphia Union in the Conference Final. Then, they shocked a ton of pundits by upending the Portland Timbers via penalty kicks.
So the concern with NYC FC was how would they fare with even further increased expectations. With the squad becoming the hunted, teams were going to come with their best. How would the team respond? As seen above, Tati, Johnson, and company are doing just fine. They are currently 8-3-2, like we mentioned, and have allowed a league-low ten goals. Again, a big part of that is the play of Sean Johnson who is one of the best goalies in the MLS.
This looks great for a team like NYC FC. The New York City FC is one of those teams that has displayed an ability not to get complacent. With the clean sheets that Johnson can provide (he leads the league with eight), that makes the 2021 champions a contender to repeat this year. Valentin Castallanos tops the team with seven goals but even Thiago Eduardo de Andrade has four goals along with several posts hit on the season.
NYC FC is predicated more on defense but their +15 goal margin leads the MLS. When the offense is clicking, they are extremely tough to beat. However, the offense has a tendency to sometimes run cold but it is their defense and goaltending which gets them this far. Those are the huge reasons why the NYC FC number remains one of the 2022 MLS Futures Bets worth wagering on. Value still exists.
2022 MLS Futures Bets for the LA FC and their early balance has carried them to an excellent start. Unlike the NYC FC, who had questions of their own, LA FC has soared to the tops in the Western Conference as well as the MLS Power Rankings. This is behind an offense that has a league-high 29 goals in the early going. Their +13 goal margin is second-best behind NYC FC.
Sadly, there is still some unknowns with the team. Some still consider them second fiddle to the Los Angeles Galaxy. A player like Chiellini adds experience and wisdom to an already potent roster. While he will not play much, depth in any form is always good. LA FC won their last game before the long break 3-2 over San Jose in a game that saw four goals in 31 minutes. Chiellini will help from a defensive and tactical standpoint.
For the 2022 MLS Futures Bets, our pick is to monitor the Los Angeles Football Club. They have a ton of offensive balance but the real question will come playoff time. Can a player like Carlos Vela continue to keep scoring like he has in the first half along with the other forwards? Can they do this in the second season?
What else is out there as June continues? That is a great question. For starters, there are some great NBA Vegas betting Odds as the NBA Finals go on.
Once more, take a lookat teams like the Philadelphia Union, FC Dallas, and even Austin FC. Philadelphia has the defense with effective scoring that NYCFC had last year. Austin is an up and coming team while FC Dallas made a nice leap up in the standings.
By the way, some nice online golf betting sites are waiting for your wager in advance of the US Open. That starts on June 16th.
Chris Wassel is someone who has covered a little bit of everything: business, writing, sports, food, grilling, the Olympics, injuries, politics, and more. He has climbed mountains like Mount Washington and Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and for those who don’t know, he is also big into food challenges. With friends like Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has tackled eating feats like finishing a 16-pound turkey or a 32-inch meat lover's pizza.
Since 2013, he has focused on fitness, fishing, and sports while managing to fit in running, hiking, rock climbing, and even the occasional mini-triathlon. He can lift more than his body weight with ease and is the person you turn to when you want to know if a NASCAR rain delay means a Monday race.
Over his career, Chris has worked at places like Amazon, USA Today, and various rumors and fantasy sports sites. He has been nominated for awards such as the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hockey Writer of the Year and has a collection of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings on display at home. With all this, Chris sums it up best with his motto: "Shut up and play."