Scoreboard Doesn’t Expect Portland Timbers To Silence Sounders Tonight

The Seattle Sounders face another challenge to their fragile perch atop the Major League Soccer Western Conference standings. The latest Portland Timbers odds at the Oregon Lottery’s Scoreboard app have Seattle protecting its 1-point lead, however.

Portland is a slight underdog heading into tonight’s match in Seattle. The best opportunity to bet may be to stake two of the best attacks in the league.

Latest Portland Timbers odds at BetMGM, Scoreboard

The three-way moneylines at BetMGM Sportsbook and Scoreboard look like this as of 7 a.m. PST Wednesday. Oregon bettors can watch the match, set for 7 PST tonight, on ESPN+.

Although Oregonians can’t bet online with BetMGM, they can place legal wagers at Spirit Mountain Casino. The retail BetMGM Sportsbook is about 60 miles southwest from Portland in Grand Ronde.

Oregon bettors can access the Scoreboard online sportsbook from anywhere within the state.

Although Portland is the underdog in this match, oddsmakers believe the result will be close. Scoreboard’s shortest odds in its “Winning Margin” market are +290 on Seattle, winning by a mere goal.

The numbers bear that out. For example, the Timbers have won three of their last five meetings with the Sounders. Furthermore, all three of those victories came by a 2-1 score.

Both clubs also come into this match with identical recent form, having lost, drawn, then won in their past three matches. Neither club reports any significant injuries ahead of Wednesday’s tilt.

Although Seattle leads the West in points right now, Portland could erase that deficit entirely tonight as it only trails by three points. The Timbers might be just the club to challenge the Sounders’ successful backline as well.

Overcoming Seattle’s defensive prowess for a win

The only club that has found the back of opponents’ nets more often than Portland has been Seattle. That difference in goals for is a mere goal, however.

Where the Sounders have a marked advantage is in goal differential. Seattle comes in at +16, best in the West, and tied with Columbus Crew SC for tops in all of MLS in that category.

Both teams have an identical 56 shots on goal and 135 shots, meaning their rate of converting their chances is among the best in the league at 25 (Timbers) and 26 goals (Sounders). Both teams are averaging over two goals a game, so goal-total markets look tempting.

Scoreboard has +325 on over 4.5 goals at full time. If you’re a bit more optimistic about Portland’s chances to penetrate the Seattle backline, you can get +650 odds on the over of 5.5 at BetMGM.

Both books have props on individual players on both sides of this match as well. Timbers forward Jeremy Ebobisse, who leads Portland with five goals and recorded a SOG against the Sounders the last time out, is +200 to score at Scoreboard.

Seattle forward Raul Ruidiaz is having a stellar season, just one goal of the MLS-leading pace. BetMGM offers +150 odds on him netting a goal on Wednesday.

If the Timbers can make their set-pieces work to overcome one of MLS’s best defenses, this match could be a close, high-scoring affair. On paper, that’s what the numbers suggest will take place.