Oddsmakers do not like Columbus Crew SC’s chances in 2018

The Black & Gold are less than favorites when it comes to winning MLS Cup.

By Pat Murphy@_Pat_Murphy Feb 27, 2018, 10:46am EST

The Major League Soccer season kicks off on Saturday with Columbus Crew SC traveling to defending MLS Cup champions Toronto FC.

With the start of the league’s new year comes expectations and the odds for this season’s MLS Cup winner is out from Las Vegas betting site Bovada.

As expected, TFC are the clear favorites to repeat at 3.5/1 followed by last year’s runners up the Seattle Sounders — who have the same odds as second-year club Atlanta United — at 8/1.

If you want to find Crew SC on the list, you’re going to have to scroll down a bit. The Black & Gold are given 25/1 odds, tied with three other clubs for seventh-best out of 11 different odds, to take home MLS Cup come December.

While plenty has changed for Columbus over the offseason — gone are strikers Ola Kamara and Justin Meram with new faces to pop up in the lineup — this is the same team that has been a part of three of the last four MLS postseasons, made two conference finals and one MLS Cup appearance and was within one goal of hosting the championship game last year.

Based on recently history, no one should count out Gregg Berhalter’s team making a run at the trophy come the season’s end.

With that said, odds are simply projections. Toronto, given what the team accomplished last year and the moves they’ve made this offseason, should be the favorites. But does 25/1 seem a little low for this Crew SC side?