Messi Effect Alive In 2024: Bettors Love Inter Miami In MLS
Latest data, insights, and best bets to win the championship
Matthew Horner - Aug 2, 2024, 10:03am EDT
BetMGM Data
Every sports bettor knows that having the betting splits and numbers from the sportsbook is invaluable information to have when handicapping for any sport. These numbers show us where most of the bets are being placed, where most of the money is going, and give us the sharper plays to make on occasion. Each week, we get some new data for future markets that show us an update on the ticket and money count for each team. We like to highlight some of the key numbers and show our readers this information if we find it to be interesting.
This week in the MLS, there are some really interesting numbers that I think are worth sharing here. First of all, there is no team that people love more than Inter Miami, which is getting a whopping 22.5% of total tickets in the championship market. They are also getting 17.1% of the handle, which is the second-most of any team in MLS, so it is clear that people are all over them. There is little question as to why, and that is Lionel Messi, who is one of the biggest stars in the world.
As a result of all of this love, their price has moved from +200 to +175 to win the title. There were some other noticeable line movements from where they opened, including the Los Angeles Galaxy, which went from 25/1 longshots to 8/1 right now.
Knowing the biggest liability for the book is imperative, as it is rare that the sportsbook actually has to pay that out. Right now, the Columbus Crew is their biggest liability to win the title, getting 15.9% of the tickets and 13.3% of the handle at 14/1 odds.
Best Bet
Los Angeles FC +550
I love seeing where the biggest sharp plays are when I get this data and sharing that information with you all. Out of all the teams, the Los Angeles FC is the biggest sharp play that I can see. They are getting only 7.4% of the total tickets, but a whopping 24.2% of the handle. That means that the tickets on them are for much larger sums than many other teams on average, showing you where the sharp money and big wagers are.