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St Louis FC and LAFC are at the top of the betting for the MLS Western Conference title this year, but Seattle Sounders could be the value pick to win in the West.
Who do Bettors Favor?
Checking out the best-rated online sportsbooks we can see that bettors favor the reigning MLS Cup holder LAFC to win the Western Conference at around +150. St Louis City is not far behind on +250 while both Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake are also in contention, ahead of Austin at +800.
| Western Conference Winner |  |
| LAFC | +150 |
| St Louis | +250 |
| Real Salt Lake | +450 |
| Seattle | +450 |
| Austin | +800 |
| San Jose | +1600 |
| Dallas | +2000 |
| Vancouver | +2500 |
LAFC On Course
The reigning MLS Cup holder, LAFC has been the best team in the West for some time now, and although it went into the midseason break four points off the pace behind Conference leaders St Louis, there is unlikely to be any panic in the ranks at this point.
Having won the title already, LAFC is a team that will be confident about its ability to hit top form in the closing weeks of the regular season and could well be on course to win in the West.
That said, there is very little juice left in the team’s price in the Western Conference futures market, and for all the talent and experience in the squad, it has shown some signs of weakness this summer. The problems began around the same time that LAFC lost the CONCACAF Champions League final. Since the end of May, it has won only three out of eleven games and has won only one of the last five on the road, which means it makes minimal appeal at the current odds.
St Louis Offers Little Value
St Louis City has had a remarkable debut MLS season so far, but it offers very little value in the Western Conference winners market, compared to its more experienced rivals.
It started life in MLS in excellent style, with five consecutive wins but has had two poor runs since then, the latest of which was a four-game winless streak in June. It still has a good lead at the top of the West, but that four-point gap is not likely to put much pressure on the chasing pack, and LAFC will be confident of overhauling the current leaders.
St Louis has yet to be tested under the pressure of the closing weeks of the regular season and it is also notable that head coach Bradley Carnell has had to rotate his squad frequently so far, putting out 21 different lineups in 23 MLS games. At its current odds, St Louis doesn’t look a good pick.
Seattle Under the Radar
Currently lying in fourth place in the Western Conference, Seattle Sounders is flying under the radar to an extent, but represents value in the Western Conference Futures betting market.
The team has not found any consistency all season so far, and since the middle of April, it has only managed to record back-to-back victories once. A total of eight defeats from 24 games explains why the team is not currently better placed in the table, and it has been particularly ineffective at home, where it has won just two of its last eight games.
Yet despite that inconsistency, it is only five points behind the Western Conference leader St Louis and has plenty of time to close the gap and win in the West. And no franchise in MLS is more experienced at showing its best form at the business end of the season.
MLS Western Conference Contenders
There is only ten points behind seventh and first in the Western Conference, and several teams have the potential to close the gap and be Conference-winning contenders.
Real Salt Lake is currently in third place in the table, and has been on a remarkable run of form, going nine games undefeated since the start of June, but whether it can keep up that form is debatable. A better option could be Austin FC, which went into the break in fifth place, nine points behind St Louis.
On paper, Josh Wolff’s team has been thoroughly inconsistent this season, but it has been improving overall, winning seven and drawing one of its last twelve MLS games. Having finished second in the West last season, it has the necessary experience to mount a serious challenge again this year.
The other interesting option in the West is Vancouver Whitecaps. The Canadian team is seventh in the West currently, but has proven to be particularly tough to beat at home. Vanni Sartini’s team has lost only one of its last twelve at BC Place, and only twice in the entire season so far, and that solid foundation makes it a good underdog pick.
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