If You Bet $100 On Lionel Messi To Score In His First 6 MLS Games, Here's How Much You Could Have Made

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi joined Major League Soccer's Inter Miami in a move that came as a surprise to many.

In his first two games playing for Miami, Messi scored three goals and had one assist. Here’s a look at how bettors have done backing the Argentine superstar.

What Happened: Messi made his debut for Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup, with Inter Miami facing off against Cruz Azul on July 21.

In the game, Messi came on as a substitute and scored the game-winning goal for Inter Miami, which won 2-1.

Messi drew his first start for Inter Miami on July 25, with Inter Miami defeating Atlanta United 4-0. In the game, Messi had two goals and an assist.

Bettors who wagered on Messi to score a goal at any point would have cashed bets in both games. Bettors who took their winnings from the first game and rolled them into the second Messi match would have done even better.

Bettors could have continued this trend, with Messi continuing to find the back of the net and helping Inter Miami advance to the Leagues Cup Finals.

Through his first six games with Inter Miami, Messi has nine goals and three assists, scoring in each game.

In the six games Messi has played with Inter Miami, the team has 21 goals. That’s compared to 22 goals scored in the team’s 22 regular season MLS games last season when it was without Messi.

Here’s a look at how rolling the $100 bet on Messi to score a goal would have done each game and how much it would be worth today. Betting odds vary by sportsbook. The following odds were from DraftKings:

Game 1 vs. Cruz Azul: -125, $100 into $180, profit of $80

Game 2 vs. Atlanta United: -120, $180 into $330, profit of $150

Game 3 vs. Orlando City: -135, $330 into $574, profit of $244

Game 4 vs. FC Dallas: -155, $574 into $944, profit of $370

Game 5 vs. Charlotte FC: -225, $944 into $1,364, profit of $420

Game 6 vs. Philadelphia Union: -150, $1,364 into $2,273, profit of $909

A bettor who wagered $100 on Messi to score a goal in all six games using the initial bet and rolling the winnings into the next game would now have $2,273 and be up 2,173%. Not a bad return for backing a superstar.

Related Link: Lionel Messi Impact: Inter Miami Dominating Social Media, Jersey Sales, Tickets And More 

What’s Next: Messi’s next game is the Leagues Cup Finals where Inter Miami takes on Nashville at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 19.

Inter Miami is favored to win at odds of -110 on DraftKings Inc DKNG. Nashville is the underdog at odds of +260, and the draw is listed at +285. A draw in regulation would see the game decided in extra time, including a possible penalty shootout.

Messi has odds of a goal scored at any point in the match at -135.

To watch the game, you’ll need to have signed up for MLS Season Pass on AppleTV. Apple Inc landed the exclusive rights to MLS games in a 10-year deal valued at a reported $2.5 billion. The contract began with the 2023 season and came at the perfect time for Apple.

Apple also participated in the deal that led to Messi's transfer to the MLS. The tech giant is reportedly offering the soccer superstar a portion of the revenue from all new MLS Season Pass subscriptions sold. MLS Season Pass comes with a cost of $14.99 per month, or $12.99 per month for existing AppleTV+ subscribers. There are also full season packages available.

Other companies that could benefit from Messi’s success at Inter Miami include Ares Management Corp ARES, which invested in the club, and MGO Global Inc MGOL, which managed the online Messi store.

Read Next: Exclusive: DraftKings CEO Says Messi 'A Big Game Changer For MLS' 
Photo: WIkimedia Commons