Major League Soccer has been on a bit of a mini-break, but one of New York’s teams is back in action this weekend as the New York Red Bulls (6-3-5, 23 points) visit Charlotte FC (5-8-1, 16 points) Saturday (ABC, 3 p.m.).
How are the RedBulls perceived by oddsmakers in New York sports betting?
Over at BetMGM Sportsbook New York, the Red Bulls are +115 favorite over Charlotte FC (+220) with game tie at +230.
MLS, which will be back with a full slate of games June 18, took a two-weekend break to coincide with FIFA’s window (May 31-June 15).
That allowed extra rest for players and to integrate any new players signed during the league’s primary transfer window, which ends June 14.
The Red Bulls, which defeated D.C. United, 4-1, on May 28 for their first home win of the season, are an impressive 5-1-1 on the road as they head into Charlotte.
BetMGM also released updated future odds on their NY betting app Friday for this year’s league champion. The Red Bulls have not made a move in either direction, opening the season at +2000 and retaining those odds currently with 2.8% of tickets and 3% of the handle.
Stick with NewYorkBets.com to help with updates on BetMGM and other top New York promo codes.
New York City FC Second Choice to Capture Title
Defending champion New York City FC (8-3-2, 26 points) currently holds the second-best record in the league and sits atop the Eastern Conference, a point ahead of second-place Philadelphia Union (6-1-7, 25 points).
BetMGM currently lists New York City FC as the second choice to take home this year’s title.
Before the season, New York City FC opened at +1000 and is now down to +650, second only to Los Angeles FC (9-3-2, 29 points), which leads the Western Conference by four points over FC Dallas (7-3-4, 25 points). LAFC is at +475 to win the title.
NYCFC has 7.4% of the tickets at BetMGM, with 11.8% of the handle.
NYCFC, which has won four straight and is 7-1-1 over its last nine games, is off for another eight days before returning to the home pitch at Yankee Stadium against the Colorado Rapids (5-6-3, 18 points) on June 19 (YES Network, 5 p.m.).
Last season, New York City FC captured its first-ever MLS Cup, defeating the Portland Timbers in a penalty kick shootout (4-2) after playing to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes of play.
May Sports Betting Handle Showing Summer Slide
As is the case around the country, New York's sports betting handle showed a decrease for the month of May.
Figures released Thursday by the New York State Gaming Commission showed the handle for the Empire State in May had dropped to $1.27 billion.
It's funny to say something dropped to $1.27 billion, but it actually is more than 9% down from April, when the betting handle posted at $1.397 billion and the national record $1.68 billion set in New York in January.
