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 at least twice, if not three times, during the regular season and those in the other conferences for two or three games per season.

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.

The second and third-place finishers 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.

Recommended betting in MLS

49% of the games in the American League this season ended with the home team winning and 27% with a draw. On average, 2.79 goals are scored per game. Home advantage has some effect, especially when teams have to switch time zones.

Betting on the future champion

In all soccer leagues, you can bet on the champion of the season.

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, the pressure of result and squad management.

No relegation makes the games unique

Franchise survival is another major 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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