Major League Soccer Predictions and Picks – Saturday, June 18 (2022)

Don’t worry, Major League Soccer fans, the international break is almost over! On Saturday, June 18, we have a whopping ten MLS games to bet on. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Better still, we couldn’t ask for a more exciting clash to get the action underway. The Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles FC kick things off at Lumen Field before the other nine games go down later that day.

Join me as I go over my MLS predictions and betting picks for Saturday, June 18. Before we get to those predictions and picks, though, we need to take a look at Saturday’s MLS odds.

Here are Saturday’s Major League Soccer odds, courtesy of BetOnline.

As you can see, there are no away favorites in MLS on Saturday. BetOnline favors all ten home teams to triumph, so there is plenty of value to be found in Saturday’s MLS odds.

LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union, and FC Dallas are all heavily favored by the bookmakers. Elsewhere, Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles FC and Chicago Fire vs. DC United should be tighter encounters.

It’s time to get stuck into my predictions for Saturday’s MLS games. I have decided to cover four standout matchups in detail before going over the rest of my Major League Soccer predictions for Saturday.

In the Western Conference, only first-place LAFC has picked up more wins than LA Galaxy this season. It is also worth noting that Greg Vanney’s side boasts the second-best defensive record in the conference, having conceded a measly 15 goals in 14 games.

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that I’m backing the high-flying Galaxy to dispatch the lowly Timbers.

Believe it or not, Philadelphia STILL has just one MLS defeat to their name in 2022.

Having picked up six wins and seven draws across their first 14 games, Jim Curtin’s men find themselves second in the Eastern Conference – one point shy of first-place New York City and six points clear of seventh-place Cincinnati.

Granted, Cincy secured four straight MLS wins between late April and early May. But they head into Saturday’s clash on a two-game losing streak. After conceding a combined total of seven goals against New England and Montreal, the Ohioans look set to struggle against Philly.

This matchup brings together two sides at opposite ends of the Western Conference. While Dallas is sitting pretty in second place, the Whitecaps find themselves down in eleventh.

The Texans have lost just two of their previous 12 MLS outings, securing seven wins and three draws in the process. In addition to having the best defensive record in the West, they also have the fourth-best offensive record.

As for the Caps, they come into this game on the back of a humiliating 4-0 thrashing against Seattle. Having lost eight of their 15 league outings this year, they are heading for more misery this weekend.

No team in the West has claimed fewer wins than San Jose in 2022. Worse still, no side has conceded more goals. You get the picture, right? The Earthquakes are not enjoying a very successful season.

On the flip side, Real Salt Lake sits third in the West – ten points clear of thirteenth-place San Jose. Not only have Pablo Mastroeni’s boys won three of their last four games, but they have also won four of their previous six.

BetOnline’s odds for this matchup tell you everything you need to know about the gulf between RSL and San Jose right now. Accordingly, I’m backing the team from Salt Lake City to claim all three points on Saturday.

Here are the rest of my MLS predictions for Saturday. As you can see, I expect three draws to occur. Elsewhere, I’m backing the Red Bulls, Columbus, and Orlando to beat Toronto, Charlotte, and Houston, respectively.

This season, 86% of Montreal’s MLS games have seen both teams score, while 79% of Toronto’s MLS clashes have seen both teams find the back of the net. That’s why I’m backing their games to produce goals at both ends on Saturday.

Of all the home favorites on Saturday, Orlando appears to offer the best value. Given that Houston has suffered six defeats across their past nine games in all competitions, I’m confident that Orlando will beat the Dynamo.

I also expect the clash between Philadelphia and Cincinnati to dish up under 2.5 goals. Why? Because only three of the Union’s 14 MLS games have produced over 2.5 goals this year.

How and Where to Bet on Major League Soccer