Best Bets: Odds On Messi Winning MVP, Top Goal Scorer

Messi is 6.00 to win MLS top goal scorer at PointsBet Canada

Messi is 3.00 to win league MVP at BetRivers Sportsbook

The arrival of soccer superstar Lionel Messi to the shores of North America and into the uniform of Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF in July took the international soccer world by storm.

Miami Counts On Messi To Spark Team

Messi’s performance on the pitch over his first four games for Miami in what has been Leagues Cup play so far has resulted in an impressive seven goals and one assist.

As these numbers indicate, there has been a men-against-boys feel to Messi’s initial North American performance. 

The MLS season for Miami picks up again on Aug. 20 when the South Florida team plays Charlotte FC, creating excitement and sports betting opportunities for fans on both side of the border.

Messi is a legend in the sport and could be the spark Miami needs. A 36-year-old native of Argentina, he has won La Liga, Ligue 1, the Champions League and the World Cup. 

Currently, Miami sits at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference standings, 12 points out of ninth place, with 12 MLS games left to play. If Miami finishes ninth, they will play the eight-place team in a match to see who then qualifies for the first round of the MLS playoffs. 

So that’s a deep hole for Messi to lead his new team out of. 

Betting Odds

According to PointsBet Canada MLS futures, Messi is at 6.00, behind Denis Bouanga (4.25) of Los Angeles FC, Hany Mukhtar (4.50) of Nashville SC and Luciano Acosta (6.00) of FC Cincinnati in the league’s top goal scorer market. 

That’s without Messi having played an MLS league match yet. 

Over at BetMGM Sportsbook, it’s Mukhtar at 4.00, Bouanga at 4.50, Acosta at 6.00, with Messi at 6.00.

Incredibly, despite being in last place, Inter Miami is at 6.50 to win the Eastern Conference at BetMGM, behind FC Cincinnati (2.60), Philadelphia Union (4.50), and New England Revolution (6.00). Miami is at seventh spot in odds (13.00) to win the MLS Cup. 

That’s the Messi effect in action.

Also, BetRivers Sportsbook has Messi on top at 3.00 to win MLS MVP, and they have him third (6.00) after Mukhtar (4.50) and Bouanga (5.50) to lead in goalscoring.

In Ontario, fans can mark Sept. 20 on their calendars. That’s when Messi and Inter Miami visit BMO Field for a 7:30 p.m. match against Toronto FC. Proline currently has Toronto at 200.00 to win the MLS Cup.