Currently, there are 27 MLS franchises, the vast majority of which are located in the United States, plus a few in Canada. These franchises are further divided into Eastern and Western Conferences.

Each MLS team plays the other clubs in its own conference, home and away, during the regular season. They also play all except four or five teams from their opposing conference once. All in all, the total number of regular-season games is 459 or 34 games per franchise.

The advantage of doing well in the regular season

Overall, the top seven teams in each conference at the end of the regular season qualify for the playoffs. Each club is ranked, so the top two teams in each conference receive byes in the early rounds of the playoffs and advance to the next stage.

The top team in each conference advances directly to the MLS semifinals and earns a ticket to play in the CONCACAF Champions League. Make your CONCACAF Champions League bets.

The second and third-placed teams will play in the Leagues Cup the following season which is the equivalent of the UEFA Europa League and is sponsored by bwin.

The MLS final can only pit one team from the Eastern Conference against one from the Western Conference. Some playoff games are played over two rounds, but the first round and the final are played in one game.

The advantage of playing an MLS game at home is considerable, especially when travelling teams have to change time zones.

Betting on the future soccer champion in the USA

The MLS season is structured like other North American sports, unlike the major European soccer leagues. At the end of the season, the best teams meet in a playoff. The champion does not win after an 8-month marathon but rather in a final sprint over the last few weeks of competition.

Playoff soccer is significantly different from regular-season soccer in terms of intensity, result pressure, and squad management.

No relegation makes the games different

Franchise survival is another significant difference from the more elite leagues.

While the clubs at the top of the standings in each respective conference are all fighting for something, it's the bottom of the standings that makes MLS dramatically different. The worst clubs at the end of one MLS season don't have to worry about their league status for the following season.

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