MLS Cup Finals: NYC FC Vs. Portland Timbers Betting Odds

• New York City FC is favored with (+160) odds on the three-way moneyline.
• The Portland Timbers have a (+170) betting line as the slight underdogs.

PORTLAND – The Portland Timbers and New York City FC are set to play in the MLS Cup finals on Saturday and the odds slightly favor NYC FC.

How They Got Here

Both the Portland Timbers and New York City FC were the No. 4 seed in their respective conferences. However, the Timbers were slightly better overall with their 17-13-4 record compared to New York City’s 14-11-9 record.

Record is only half the story as it’s fair to argue that NYC FC was actually the better team. Both teams scored 56 goals but NYC only conceded 36 goals compared to Portland’s 52.

Given that there are arguments to make for both teams being better than the other, it shouldn’t be too surprising to find legal sports betting sites giving the team similar odds on the three-way moneyline.

Those who want to take the possibility of penalty kicks out of the equation can also find near pick ‘em odds on the To Win prop.

New York City has likely had the tougher ride to the finals having beaten the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5 seed in their conference while Portland has only beaten the No. 1, No. 5 and No. 7 seeds on theirs. NYC FC’s recent play has definitely played a part in them having the slightly shorter odds.

Which Team Will Win The 2021 MLS Cup?

It is important to know that the Timbers will have the benefit of playing in front of their home fans, but many of the advanced statistics indicate that New York City FC is and always has been one of the best teams in the MLS.

NYC FC had the largest expected goal difference and the third-most shot-creating actions per game. Plus, their defense ranked second in fewest expected goals conceded, making it a question as to how they only finished as the fourth seed in the conference.

Analytically, the two teams aren’t even close and all categories seem to favor New York City. Whether the home-field advantage will cancel things out is yet to be seen but MLS betting sites may have left a lot of value on NYC FC’s betting lines in this matchup.

The game will begin at 3 p.m. EST on Saturday and can be seen on ABC.

News tags: MLS | MLS Cup | New York City FC | Portland Timbers | soccer