Best MLS Bets for Feb 22, 2025 – Top Predictions & Expert Analysis
2025 MLS Betting Preview for February 22
WagerTalk MLS handicapper Nick Borrman presents his February 22 Best MLS Bets with predictions and expert analysis for matches including Columbus Crew vs Chicago Fire, Seattle Sounders vs Charlotte FC and more! Which teams is he looking to pick up points and which will have high or low scoring matches? Read his MLS betting preview for February 22 now!
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Columbus Crew vs Chicago Fire | February 22 | 7:30pm ET
Columbus +215 | Draw +330 | Chicago +500
Asian Handicap: Columbus -1.0 | Total: 3.0
Interesting to note, Columbus chose not to play any preseason matches and instead just focused on training. Odd considering most teams played 4-5 matches.
Chicago had an encouraging preseason with three wins, two draws and two losses, neither of which was by more than one goal.
New manager Gregg Berhalter has changed up the roster a ton with more than half of the starting XI new this season. That’s his M.O. as he tries to put together a very balanced roster which usually helps teams tremendously in the midfield and backline, two areas Chicago desperately needed improvement.
The concern is with so many new faces in town, it may take some time for the players to gel on the field, but that’s the reason Berhalter went with six preseason matches to build that chemistry and from what I’ve seen, they should be able to hit the ground running this season.
Columbus lost Cucho Hernandez and that immediately lessens their offensive prowess. Over the last two transfer windows, Columbus has traded away their three best players and have replaced none of them. Eventually that is going to catch up.
This match opened Columbus -1.25 which has fallen to -1.0. While we missed the best number, I still see value on Chicago here at +1.0 knowing we need to lose by two goals to lose this wager.
MLS Prediction: Chicago Fire +1.0
St Louis City SC vs Colorado Rapids | February 22 | 8:30pm ET
St Louis -105 | Draw +280 | Colorado +225
Asian Handicap: St Louis -0.5 | Total: 3.25
If you follow me for MLS this season, you will hear this theme often, well, for the first month or two anyway, and that is simply to fade teams playing midweek in the Champions Cup.
History has proven this a very profitable strategy as MLS teams are generally not deep enough to juggle short rest to put their best XI on the field.
In this case, Colorado just played Tuesday beating LAFC at home in a big first leg win. But traveling on the road on short rest has me worried.
All I can remember about Colorado from last season is them finishing with six straight losses, four to end the regular season and limp into the playoffs, only to be demolished by the eventual champs, LA Galaxy 9-1 on aggregate.
Their preseason seems to have gone OK, and they did earn that nice win Tuesday, but I just don’t like their spot here.
Though they failed to make the playoffs, St Louis had a solid finish to the season last year. After the arrival of a few important transfers, Hartel and Teuchert, they really seemed to click them into high gear.
With a full preseason now under their belt to re-introduce themselves, I think we see that high(er) level of play continue to start the season.
SLC didn’t lose much during the offseason but did bring on a teammate of both Hartel and Teuchert on Germany’s U-21 team. He brings a solid presence as centre-back, a position they desperately needed help in.
MLS Prediction: St Louis City ML or -0.5 (-105)
Seattle Sounders vs Charlotte FC | February 22 | 10:30pm ET
Seattle -135 | Draw +260 | Charlotte FC +330
Asian Handicap: Seattle -0.75 | Total: 2.5
Seattle is many experts’ favorite to come out of the Western Conference this season which isn’t much of a surprise considering this team made it all the way to the MLS Cup Final last season, losing 0-1 to LA Galaxy and falling just short of another title.
The team finished with the 4th best xG differential per match at +0.34, deserving of their deep run. Much of that success was thanks to their #1 ranked defense, allowing just 1.11 xGA per 90 minutes. They also ranked #1 in pure volume allowing only 3.9 shots on target per match.
Seattle lost their all-time leading goal scorer in Raul Ruidiaz but brought in both veteran Paul Arriola and Jesus Ferreira, the US International team’s forward.
They also added a previous Sounder, Kim Kee-hee, who had left the club to play in the K League of South Korea. He will slot back in his familiar centre-back position, further bolstering the league’s best defense.
Charlotte was a team that was fantastic to watch, if you liked the Under. They led the league with a 14-20 O-U 2.5 goals record averaging a mere 2.4 total goals per game.
At home, Charlotte allowed only 15 goals in 17 matches, the fewest in the East. This season they look primed to repeat that with two midfield additions in Biel and Williamson.
Their recipe for success has been to sit back deep and make it extremely frustrating on their opponent to find space and thus create many chances, hence why so many of their matches finished Under the total.
This match is screaming defense from both sides and one goal could be all we see and enough to find a winner.
MLS Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals (-110)
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