Betting in sports has been on the rise in recent years, and there are tons of options now available for the players…

Teams play more matches with teams from their own Conference and less matches against teams from the other Conference. The team with the best record at the end of the regular season is awarded the Supporters’ Shield. The top six teams from each Conference will go into the playoffs for a shot at the MLS Cup. Having said that, here is what you should know before betting in the

MLS:

CURRENT FORM: Looking at the last five to ten matches can give us a lot of information about how the team has been acting lately. Look out for winning/losing streaks, which can show which teams are under pressure and which are in high spirits.

STANDINGS: Despite what recent form or even logic itself might dictate, the position of a team in the league table can negate all that. As the season draws to a close there are certain teams who have been eliminated from playoff contention. Some are indifferent and tend to not care, while others are free of anxiety and cause upsets against better opponents. Also, teams that are looking to make it into the playoffs might make solid runs towards the end of the regular season.

MOTIVATION: Motivation is key. There are numerous things that can either motivate, or demoralize the players. Winning streaks, good climate inside the club’s ranks and generally positive things tend to motivate the players. Bad relations inside the club, players causing bad publicity and a lot of other things tend to throw the entire team off track mentally.

HEAD TO HEAD: Just like any other league in the world, MLS also has its own rivalries. We’ve seen teams in winning streaks crash and burn against certain opponents, just because the club doesn’t play well in a certain venue. Other clubs fail to perform well at home due to the pressure of their own home crowd. There are certain match-ups that traditionally produce a lot of goals, so that’s also something to look at when betting on the Totals.

DISTANCE: This might not seem like even a factor at start, but it is a crucial one. Team schedules are sometimes very unfavorable against some teams. Since the continental United States are so big, teams are often called to travel from one side of the country to the other, and back. Also keep in mind for local derbies that have an extra layer of competitiveness.

MANAGER CHANGES: There is always the possibility of staff changes throughout the season, or even in the off-season. Such changes are done in order to change something, and it doesn’t always work out. Certain coaches can work with what they are given, while others simply can’t gel with the rest of the squad. Also look out for specific player-coach relations that tend to affect the rest of the team.

TEAM NEWS: A general view of what is going on about certain teams is always a bonus. Following social media accounts of the teams that you like is an easy way of getting some inside knowledge. Little or bigger things can come up throughout the season, so keeping up to speed with the news is somewhat of a must.

OTHER COMPETITIONS: Teams that play in the MLS also play in other competitions, like the US Open Cup, the CONCACAF Champions League or the Canadian Championship. Moreover, players are often called on international duty. Following multiple competitions might seem too much at first, but you will find that a lot of teams that compete in other competitions tend to act differently before and after those matches.

INJURIES/SUSPENSIONS: Soccer is not always pretty, and often we see players injured either in training or in the course of the match. Sometimes they are even injured doing every-day things like shave, or ride a bicycle. Moreover, players can miss matches due to disciplinary reasons.

PERSONAL RECORDS: OF course every soccer player wants to be remembered. When someone is on the verge of breaking a record like top scorer, he is more likely to do so. Betting on individual player performance is also a very interesting option with high yields. The birth of a child or other personal reasons can also affect the outcome of matches.

WEATHER/PITCH CONDITION: Weather can easily affect certain matches, simply because of the elements. Wind can easily affect the ball while it is mid-air, while rain can create slippery surfaces all over. The pitch condition can affect the game of entire teams, as natural and artificial have different characteristics.

These are all the things you need to take into consideration when betting on the MLS. There are a lot of factors to measure, but you must also trust your gut feeling. Sometimes gut feeling can go against all logic, but consistently betting with a system will be more beneficial in the long run.