Only four teams remain in the US Open Cup and Orlando could be a good bet to win the tournament for the first time.
Who do Bettors Favor?
Looking at the best sportsbook sites (and you can check out our latest online sportsbook reviews via this site) we can see that bookmakers are agreed on the favorite in the US Open Cup. The New York Red Bulls are available as -120 favorites to win the competition, with Sporting Kansas City and Orlando some way behind, though closely rated. The obvious outsiders here are USL team Sacramento Republic, who can be bet at +2500.
| US Open Cup Winner |  |
|---|---|
| NY Red Bulls | -120 |
| Sporting Kansas | +275 |
| Orlando | +300 |
| Sacramento | +2500 |
The History and Stats of the US Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is by far the most historic soccer tournament in the country. This edition marks the 107th renewal in a history that began in 1914.
The competition has more than 100 teams, with the first two rounds being confined to amateur and lower league clubs. With the exception of the top eight teams from the previous season, most MLS teams begin in Round Three, with the competition culminating in a September final.
It is hardly unexpected that these teams have dominated the league since MLS's inception in 1996. Only one non-MLS team, the Rochester Rhinos (1999), has won the Cup, while the Charleston Battery (2008) is the only other non-MLS team to have advanced to the final. It has been won by DC United, Sporting Kansas, Seattle Sounders and Chicago Fire four times.
Red Bulls Obvious Favorites
The New York Red Bulls have never won this contest, despite twice making it to the final, in 2008 and 2017. They have been in excellent form in the MLS this season, and have been impressive on their route to the Open Cup's quarterfinals, with only one relatively simple fixture on their schedule.
After defeating Hartford in the Third Round, they blastCharlotte FC at home and defeated DC United by a score of 3-0. However, their best performance came in the quarterfinals, when they easily defeated fierce rivals and defending MLS Cup champions NYCFC 3-0 to advance.
The Red Bulls are the obvious favorites based on what we've seen so far this season, but the draw hasn't been kind to them by pairing them up against Orlando, who can be obstinate opponents. Taking a short price on a Red Bulls outright victory does not appeal given that this competition has seen its share of surprises and that by the time the final rolls around, the Red Bulls are likely to have competing priorities.
Sporting Kansas Struggling
Not only is Sporting Kansas the only side out of the remaining four to have won the Open Cup, but they also share the record among MLS teams with four victories. However, their struggles this season put their Open Cup odds in perspective.
Despite having five MLS victories, Kansas hasn't been able to build on any of them and is currently last in the Western Conference, a full seven points below the playoffs despite having played more games than the majority of the clubs above them.
On their path to the final four, they defeated Houston and Dallas, but they did it at home in both cases, just as they did when they faced USL 1's Union Omaha in the quarterfinal. Although they have been paired with the worst of the semi-finalists, they are not a team to bank on.
Orlando Tough to Beat
Orlando's matchup with the New York Red Bulls is the hardest of the final four, but they will have the advantage of playing at home and are a difficult team to beat.
Oscar Parejo’s squad has been steadfast throughout the season and is capable of grinding out draws no matter how hard they are pushed back, a quality that can be invaluable in knockout soccer. They defeated current Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union in an earlier round of this tournament and are only three points behind the Red Bulls. At their current price, they look a good bet.
Sacramento out to Upset the Odds
Sacramento Republic have thus far been the highlight of the competition. After advancing through three rounds of play against USL and lower league competition, they defeated the San Jose Earthquakes before defeating LA Galaxy on the road in the quarter-final.
Since USL teams haven't won this competition since 1999, their chances of winning the Cup have to be extremely small, but with home field advantage against weak MLS opponents, they stand a decent chance of pulling off another upset in the semi-final and reaching the Cup final.
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