This Friday the Seattle Sounders take on FC Dallas in the final match of their First Round at Lumen Field. The Sounders are the favorites and will be hoping that in their familiar Washington surroundings, they can finally kill off the tie and take their place in the Conference semi-finals. FC Dallas are the underdogs, and in our latest MLS betting picks, we tell you if they are going to cause an even greater shock in the third match and dump the 2019 champions out of the 2023 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Of the eight Round One ties in this year’s new format, at least three have gone to a third and deciding fixture, with four settled after two legs. At the time of writing, the Philadelphia Union vs New England Revolution series has only had one match. The four franchises definitely through to their respective Conference semi-finals are FC Cincinnati, Orlando City, Sporting Kansas, and Los Angeles FC.
So far, Sporting Kansas (W8) knocking out St Louis (W1) in just two matches has been the biggest shock of the playoffs. If Dallas can upset the odds in Washington on Friday, it will come a close second.
Before we get into the match odds, let’s look at the latest betting to win the 2023 MLS Cup now that number-one (Western) seed St. Louis is gone.
The most consistent team in the MLS in 2023 has been FC Cincinnati. The Orange and Blue are seeded one in the Eastern Conference. They defeated Wild Card qualifiers, the New York Red Bulls, in two matches to take their place in the Conference semi-final. With qualification already assured, FC Cincinnati is now +250 to win the Audi Cup.
The Orange and Blue started the post-season at +333. LAFC were +600, with St. Louis at +650. After St. Louis was dumped out, LAFA odds were trimmed to +275. They are now clear second favorites, and they await the winners of the match between the Sounders and Dallas in the Western Conference semi-final.
The best MLS betting sites make the Sounders +1600 to win the 2023 Audi Cup. FC Dallas is +2000.
In the match betting between the Sounders and Dallas, it’s the Sounders who start as the solid favorites. The best soccer betting sites make Seattle -135 to win on the money line. Dallas is +405 to pull off a shock win. The draw is +280.
On the total goals line, under 2.5 is favored at -120. Over 2.5 is +100. In the props markets, no (-125) is the favorite in both teams to score betting, with yes at -105. The soccer betting sites must be expecting a nervous encounter without too many goals when the two teams line up.
More match betting options are available on our odds table. You can read more information about the sites our odds are taken from on our best online sportsbook reviews page.
| Seattle Sounders vs. FC Dallas Betting |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sounders | -135 | -133 | -135 |
| FC Dallas | +405 | +400 | +395 |
| Draw | +280 | +275 | +275 |
In the opening fixture of the three-match series, the Seattle Sounder won 2-0 thanks to goals from Albert Rusnak (P) and Jordan Morris. The Sounders had the better of the possession, with 57%, compared to 43% for Dallas. The Sounders also had more shots on and off-target. Seattle had 19 shots, with just six hitting the target. Dallas had nine shots, with four on target.
In the second match, the tables were turned, as Dallas ran out 3-1 winners. The Toros raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to a sixth-minute header from Paul Arriola and an 18th-minute penalty from Jesus Ferreira. Jordan Morris, who else, pulled one back for Seattle after 48 minutes. But despite throwing everything at the Dallas goal, the Sounders couldn’t force the equalizer. The tie was settled on 89 minutes with a goal from Jader Obrian.
Seattle had the better of the statistics again. This time they had more possession, it was 62%/38%, and the Sounders also had 11 shots (five on target), to the eight shots (three on target) from Dallas. Those statistics can be read in one of two ways; Seattle had the better of the match. Or Dallas only had three shots on target but scored from all of them.
Seattle may have had a penalty at 2-1 in the second match, and had that been given when Ferreira appeared to pull the jersey of Raul Ruidiaz in the box with just over 15 minutes to go, then things may have turned out differently. That slice of luck went in favor of Dallas. But Seattle can’t be too disheartened.
This is because Seattle has been excellent in recent weeks. They only lost four home games in the MLS in 2023, and they went into the 3-1 defeat to Dallas on the back of a ten-match unbeaten run.
Also, in their past 16 playoff matches at Lumen Field, they have won 15. We all know soccer can be an unpredictable sport. But Seattle is in good form. And based on the above stats, a win for the Seattle Sounders is our betting pick.
Check below for our list of the top sportsbooks where you can wager online:
About the Author
Dean is primarily a fan of English football who regularly attends games, and combining his hobby with his job, he is now a full-time sports betting writer. Rather than going down the educational route into sports journalism, Dean learned his trade by writing for his English football betting website since 2009, where he now boasts nearly 15 years of experience. After writing about football daily for years, Dean has taken the skills he learned and now uses them to great effect writing for numerous affiliate sites across the internet. A general all-around sports enthusiast with a passion for English football and cricket, Dean is also well able to turn his hand to writing about golf, tennis, F1, boxing, snooker, darts, and North American sports. Combining his extensive knowledge and experience with British humor and wit, Dean has developed into a trusted voice within the sports betting industry.
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