MLS Picks: Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids preview, odds and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids sports betting odds and lines, with MLS betting picks, tips and best bets.

Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids meet Sunday night in their first match of the MLS is Back Tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla. The match will start at 10:30 p.m. ET, as the third and final of three games on the tournament schedule for Sunday. Below, we preview the Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids betting odds and lines, and make our best MLS bets and picks at BetMGM.

Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids: Key injuries

Colorado

  • Kortne Ford (knee) out

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Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids: MLS odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 12:50 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Colorado 2, Real Salt Lake 0

Moneyline (ML)

Real Salt Lake (+130) is a slight favorite in this rendition of the Rocky Mountain rivalry, but the smart money is on COLORADO as a +195 dog. The Rapids started the 2020 regular season with 2-1 wins over DC United on the road and Orlando City SC at home. Salt Lake opened with an 0-0 draw at Orlando City and a 1-1 home draw with New York Red Bulls.

Salt Lake won four of the last five meetings between the two clubs at an aggregate score of 14-2, but the Rapids started out much improved in 2020 with four different goal scorers while getting 12 of 27 shot attempts on goal through two games. Real Salt Lake hit the target on just six of 19 shots in their opening two matches.

Real Salt Lake has dominated this rivalry series to date, but the two sides have met too many times for such a stark difference. Look for Colorado to get one back here at a solid value.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Colorado to win returns a profit of $19.50.

Over/Under (O/U)

The best bet in this one is UNDER 2.5 total goals at -112, while the Over is just -118. Real Salt Lake’s first two games of the season saw a total of just two goals, while Colorado’s had six total goals scored.

Scoring is down to open the MLS is Back Tournament. The rust from the long pause in play coupled with the importance of the rivalry game in this Group D contest will mean a tight affair.

Want some action in this one? Place an MLS bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Colorado Rapids at DC United odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s MLS season-opener between the Colorado Rapids and DC United, with MLS betting odds, lines, picks, tips and best bets.

The Colorado Rapids and DC United open up the 2020 MLS season with a Saturday match at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Start time is at 1 p.m. ET. We analyze the Colorado Rapids-DC United odds and sports betting lines within, while providing betting analysis, picks and tips for this matchup.

Colorado Rapids at DC United: Key injuries

Colorado Rapids

  • Nicolas Benezet (nose) questionable

DC United

  • MF Paul Arriola (knee) out

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!


Colorado Rapids at DC United: MLS odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 12:59 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Colorado Rapids 1, DC United 0

Moneyline (ML)

DC United (-106) is favored at home, having won the last three head-to-head meetings dating back to the 2017 campaign. United outscored the Rapids 6-3 over those three games. Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta have since moved on, and Arriola may be sidelined for the full season following his preseason injury. There is value in backing COLORADO RAPIDS (+250) against a different DC United club than with which they’ve historically struggled.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Colorado to win returns a profit of $25.

Over/Under (O/U)

Back the UNDER 2.5 (+130). The last two head-to-head showdowns played to goal totals of 5 and 3, but this is the earliest in the season the two sides have met. DC United lost firepower this offseason and Colorado Rapids shored up the defense with additions of Lalas Abubakar and Auston Trusty, despite the loss of GK Tim Howard to retirement.

It will also be 40 degrees in D.C. Saturday afternoon, and it will be another factor favoring the Under in the season opener.

To get action on this soccer game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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