Columbus Crew Odds & Betting

Columbus Crew Odds and Betting

Columbus Crew are Ohio's most popular soccer team and have enjoyed MLS success in the past. The Crew won the MLS Cup twice, once in 2008 and then again in 2020, so if you're just getting into soccer, backing the Crew is a smart move.

Given that sports betting is now legal in Ohio, we want to show you just how easy it is to bet on Columbus Crew. We explain how MLS odds work and introduce you to the different markets available, so you can build excellent value on your betting slip this season.

How to Bet on Columbus Crew

With more franchises arriving in the MLS every year, it's an exciting time of progression and development for the league. Ohioans can now back FC Cincinnati, and Columbus Crew in the MLS, and support for the Crew has been growing in recent years. 

Now that sports betting is legal in Ohio, you can back Columbus Crew in more ways than one this season. As well as buying a season pass at lower.com Stadium, you can back Columbus by placing a huge variety of wagers weekly. 

The most common Columbus Crew betting types include: 

The moneyline 

Spread betting 

Totals (over/under) betting 

Prop betting 

Parlay betting 

Live betting 

Futures betting 

While some of these terms might seem a little daunting if you've never placed a wager in your life, the reality is that sports betting is super simple to get the hang of. 

So, without further ado, let's take a look at how MLS odds work and which bets and markets are available to Columbus Crew fans this season.

How do MLS Odds Work?

Although soccer is more popular in Europe than it is in the US, the MLS has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. And now that Apple has announced a ten-year deal to show MLS matches, the sport's popularity is only likely to increase. 

When it comes to betting on the MLS, you will see odds represented in the American, British (fractional), or European (decimal) format. As a US-based bettor, you only really need to worry about understanding American odds. 

Here's what American MLS odds might look like: 

Columbus Crew (-130) vs. Atlanta United (+150) 

The odds are given in numerical form and are accompanied by a plus or minus. Negative odds are given to the favorites, while positive numbers are given to the underdogs. 

So, in this example, Columbus are favorites to beat Atlanta in their upcoming match. But what do the numbers mean? 

Well, the negative odds indicate how much you need to place to win $100, while the positive odds signify how much profit you can make from a $100 bet. 

So, for instance, if you agree with the sportsbook and back Columbus to defeat Atlanta this game week, you would need to bet $130 to bag a profit of $100. Conversely, if you fancy the upset, a $100 bet on Atlanta would return $150. 

Now that we've run through the basics, let's take a look at the different Columbus Crew bets you can place on the MLS this season.

Most popular Columbus Crew Bets Explained

The moneyline

The most common type of bet you can place on any sport is the moneyline, and soccer is no exception. Here, your only job is to decide which team you think will win the match that's taking place in front of you. 

You don't need to worry about how many goals each team scores or which player is the first to score. All that matters in a moneyline is who wins the fixture. 

However, one thing that's really important to consider is that the tie often comes into play in soccer, so you can always back it if you can't pick a winner between the two teams. Here's what an MLS moneyline involving the Crew might look like: 

Columbus Crew (-160) vs. Chicago Fire (+190) Tie (+150)

In this example, Columbus are favorites in their Eastern Conference fixture against Chicago. We know this because they are given negative odds, while the Fire are given positive. 

So, if you agree with the sportsbook that Columbus will win this fixture, you will need to bet $160 to return a profit of $100. Conversely, a $100 bet on Chicago will return $190 in profit, while a $100 bet on the tie will give you $150 back. 

As you can see, MLS moneylines are really easy to understand. But if you want to change things up on your betting slip, you might consider some of the bet types below. 

Spread betting

Spread betting in soccer is usually tight, and most sportsbooks set the spread at 0.5 or 1.5. A spread bet essentially levels the playing field by giving the favorites a handicap and the underdogs a head start. 

Here's what an MLS spread bet could look like: 

Columbus Crew (-1.5) (-120) vs. Toronto FC (+1.5) (+120)

In this example, Columbus have been given a 1.5 handicap, but they're still favorites to beat Toronto. So, if you want to cover the spread, Columbus would have to win the fixture by two clear goals for your bet to come in. 

However, if you decide to back Toronto, if they keep the margin of victory below 1.5, your bet will win. So, if the game finishes 3-2 in favor of the Crew, your bet on Toronto would still win. 

Totals (over/under) betting

Instead of backing a team to win an upcoming MLS fixture, you can place a bet on how many goals you think will be scored in the game. 

Before the game, the sportsbook will study the form and history between the two teams and set the total line accordingly. 

For instance, a totals bet on the MLS could look something like this: 

Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati 

Over 2.5 goals (-110)

Under 2.5 goals (-110)

Your job here is to decide whether more or fewer goals than the totals line will be scored in this battle of Ohio. You could bet the under if you think things will be tight, which is often the case in derby matches. 

If the game finishes in a 1-1 tie, it would mean that two goals were scored during the fixture and ensures that your bet on the under comes in. 

Most sports fans prefer betting the over as it stays alive for the entire game. But still, you need to study each team's recent form to discern whether the upcoming fixture is likely to score high or low. 

Prop betting

Prop betting is a great way to build value on your betting slip. It enables you to place wagers that aren't concerned with the overall outcome of the game. Instead, prop bets deal with the action during the game. 

In soccer, prop bets are typically split into team and individual bets, as we illustrate below: 

Columbus Crew team prop bets 

How many corners will Columbus win in the first half? 

The total number of yellow cards for Columbus in the fixture? Over/under 3.5.

Will Columbus be awarded a penalty kick in the fixture? 

Columbus Crew individual prop bets 

Cucho Hernandez first goalscorer? 

The number of assists for Lucas Zelarayan? 

Eloy Room clean sheet? 

Another popular prop bet in soccer is known as both teams to score. You can build a parlay bet (more on this below) that focuses on whether each team will score, as opposed to picking a winner, and it's a great way of keeping things interesting during a game week. 

Parlay betting

A parlay bet is sometimes referred to as an accumulator and enables you to bring multiple selections into the same betting slip. It's a great way to add value to your slip, and the more teams that you include, the better your odds will be. 

The easiest type of parlay bet in soccer is to bring several moneyline bets together. Here's what a simple MLS parlay bet might look like: 

Columbus Crew, New York City, and LA Galaxy to win (+340)

While parlay bets boost your odds, they're difficult to win as all of your selections must occur for you to win the bet. 

For instance, if Columbus and New York do the business, only for the Galaxy to concede a last-minute goal to tie, your bet will be bust. 

So, parlays are undoubtedly fun, but relying on big parlays every week isn't the best soccer betting strategy! 

Live betting

The vast majority of sportsbooks allow you to place live bets after the first whistle. Also called in-play betting, live betting gives you the chance to bet on multiple markets when the fixture is underway. 

In-play soccer bets might include things like the next team to score, the total number of shots in a half, or perhaps the next player to pick up a yellow card. 

Live betting is great fun when you're watching a soccer game that is a little dull or if you're tuning into a fixture that doesn't feature the team you support. 

Placing multiple in-play bets keeps things interesting for you and gives you a reason to stay tuned into the action until the final whistle.

Futures betting

As the name suggests, futures betting allows you to place wagers on outcomes that might happen throughout or at the end of the season. 

Here are some Columbus Crew futures bets that you might consider placing for the upcoming MLS season: 

Columbus to win the Eastern Conference? 

Columbus to make the playoffs? 

Columbus to win the MLS Cup? 

Columbus to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League? 

You can also place futures bets on players. For instance, you might fancy Cucho to win the golden boot at the end of the season by finishing as the MLS top scorer. 

It's best to place futures bets before a ball is kicked, but you can also back the Crew with a futures bet throughout the season. Just be mindful that the odds are likely to shorten as the action gets underway.