Vancouver Whitecaps vs Inter Miami Best Bets, Closing Odds & How to Watch MLS Cup Final

• Inter Miami is a -125 moneyline favorite over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup Final
• Lionel Messi has 6 goals and 7 assists so far in five postseason matches
• See my Vancouver Whitecaps vs Inter Miami best bets below, plus the closing odds and how to watch the MLS Cup Final

Arguably the most star studded MLS Cup Final in league history goes down Saturday afternoon as Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami host the Vancouver Whitecaps. Messi anchors a team that also includes legends Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba among others. Vancouver on the other hand, is led by German icon Thomas Muller.

Messi and co. enter play on the heels of a dominant postseason run, a fact not lost on online sportsbooks. Bet365 has pegged Inter Miami as a -125 moneyline favorite to win in regulation, and a commanding -225 favorite to raise the trophy in the MLS Cup odds.

Inter Miami vs Vancouver Whitecaps Best Bets

• Inter Miami Moneyline (-125 at bet365)

I actually have Inter Miami as even bigger favorite, which is in line with some of the other sportsbooks. DraftKings has them priced at -135 on the moneyline, while FanDuel has their odds to win in regulation set at -145. I’ll gladly take the value Bet365 is offering, as the Herons have been an unstoppable force in the playoffs.

Inter Miami Playoff Stats

Inter Miami has outscored the opposition 17 to 4 during their postseason run to the MLS Cup Final. They’ve found the back of the net 13 times in their last three playoff games, while conceding only one goal. As expected, Messi has been the catalyst, with 6 goals and 7 assists in the postseason so far.

The back-to-back MLS MVP didn’t score in the Herons’ 5-0 Eastern Conference Final win over New York City FC, but he did set up two goals to help break the match wide open. Messi’s ability to both finish and facilitate makes him a nightmare to game plan for. His vision and soccer IQ is superior to everyone else on the pitch, and he’s helped teammate Tadeo Allende earn a spot in history.

Allende has scored a record tying 8 playoff goals so far, and his emergence as a scoring threat has drawn a sliver of the defensive coverage away from Messi. That’s allowed the all-time great some breathing room, and we all know he only needs the slightest opening to make the opposition pay.

Lost in the offensive eruption during Inter Miami’s postseason run, has been their improved defense. They’ve conceded only four goals, and very few more dangerous scoring opportunities. They’ve shored up the right side of the defense that was vulnerable earlier in the year, putting up a wall in front of Rocco Rios Novo.

I don’t want to make it seem like the Whitecaps have no chance in this match, it’s just they don’t have the firepower to keep pace with the Herons. Vancouver has scored half as many goals as Inter Miami during its playoff run, and needed penalties on two separate occasions to advance.

The Whitecaps lone chance to upset the Herons hinges on a spectacular defensive effort. Yes, they’ve done it before by knocking them out of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals back in April, but that feels like an eternity ago. Inter Miami has improved immensely since then, and is the most potent scoring team in MLS history (2.51 goals per game). Add that to a defense that’s now an impenetrable unit, and an upset seems incredibly unlikely.

Their roster is arguably the most talented ever and with one more win Messi will add yet another piece of hardware to his already overflowing trophy case.

Closing Odds for MLS Cup: Miami vs Vancouver

As mentioned, the best place to wager on the Herons’ moneyline is at Bet365 at -125 odds. Vancouver comes back as a +290 underdog, while the total currently sits at 3.5. That’s a number Inter Miami can easily clear on their own, just like they have in three of five playoff matches so far.

Odds as of Dec. 6 at DraftKings. Join the soccer crowd with the bet365 bonus code.

How to Watch the MLS Cup Final

The MLS Cup Final is set to get underway at 2:30 pm ET from Chase Stadium, in Fort Lauderdale, FL, The forecast is currently calling for a perfect day for soccer, with sunshine and 86 degree temperatures on deck.

You can tune in to Fox to watch the MLS Cup Final over traditional cable, or stream through Apple TV. For Spanish speaking fans, Fox Deportes will also broadcast the game worldwide.