MLS Cup - the odds

Although I don't make it out to Las Vegas nearly enough, nor do I have an account with an online gambling site, I like to follow the betting odds. I've always been intrigued by the line and even if I don't have anything riding on them I keep tabs on the favorites and underdogs in any given sport during the year, though most of my attention is with American football.

Soccer and in particular MLS, of course, doesn't get the publicity many of us want it to get here in the United States, and that is also true in the gambling world. I've been to Vegas sports books and have been able to bet on the weekend's English Premiership matches or lay money on World Cup futures but haven't seen MLS games there.

I scoured the web and was able to find a couple of places to bet on the game, with Tijuana-based Caliente. Columbus is a slight favorite and the over-under is at 2.5 (I'd have to take the over). Another sites that has the match is BetUS.com, which also has lines on the Mexican league playoffs as well as all the top European leagues. Then there is the site I contribute to, where all season long I've written match previews with predictions.

Now, typically American sports leagues' playoff games and especially the championship final(s) carry with them all sorts of different crazy bets: who is going to score the first goal/run/points? what will the combined number of hits/points/touchdowns/fumbles/etc. be in the first half? which player(s) will have more combined hits/runs/yardage/three-pointers/etc. in the game?

I couldn't find any such bets for the MLS Cup. So I figured I'd make some here, just for kicks. If you want, you can send me money for bets but the house wins all bets regardless so you probably won't get anything in return.

Who will score the game-winning goal in MLS Cup 2008?
Robbie Rogers, Crew - 5/1
Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Crew - 8/1
Alejandro Moreno, Crew - 12/1
Eddie Gaven - 15/1
Brad Evans, Crew - 18/1
Chad Marshall, Crew - 30/1
Steven Lenhart - 40/1
Pat Noonan - 50/1
Jason Garey - 60/1
Field - 100/1

Juan Pablo Angel, NY - 6/1
Dave van den Bergh, NY - 10/1
Dane Richards, NY - 15/1
John Wolyniec, NY - 25/1
Mike Magee, NY - 50/1
Macoumba Kandji, NY - 75/1
Field - 100/1

Who will score the first goal in MLS Cup 2008?
Robbie Rogers, Crew - 3/1
Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Crew - 5/1
Alejandro Moreno, Crew - 5/1
Eddie Gaven - 8/1
Chad Marshall, Crew - 20/1
Brad Evans, Crew - 40/1
Steven Lenhart, Crew - 60/1
Pat Noonan, Crew - 60/1
Jason Garey, Crew - 70/1
Field - 100/1

Juan Pablo Angel, NY - 2/1
Dave van den Bergh, NY - 5/1
Dane Richards, NY - 7/1
John Wolyniec, NY - 18/1
Kevin Goldthwaite, NY 40-1
Field - 100/1

Over-under goals for the first half
1.5

Over-under cards for game
4.5

Over-under set-piece goals
1.5

Who will be named MLS Cup Most Valuable Player?
Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Crew 5/1
William Hesmer, Crew 8/1
Robbie Rogers, Crew 10/1
Eddie Gaven, Crew 12/1
Alejandro Moreno, Crew 15/1
Frankie Hejduk, Crew 20/1
Chad Marshall, Crew 25/1
Field, Crew 75/1

Juan Pablo Angel, NY 6/1
Dane Richards, NY 10/1
Danny Cepero, NY 15/1
Dave van den Bergh, NY 18/1
Juan Piatravallo, NY 40/1
John Wolyniec, NY 40/1
Kevin Goldthwaite, NY 50/1
Mike Magee, NY 75/1
Field, NY 100/1

Will there be extra-time?
Yes + 140
No -130

Will there be penalties?
Yes + 160
No - 110