Lacrosse Betting: 6 HUGE Tips on How to do it RIGHT

Lacrosse betting is increasing in popularity and it is not hard to understand why. If you’re looking to learn how to do it right, then we’ve got you!

Lacrosse has seen a rapid rise in popularity. However, unlike other sports, there have been very few betting options until now.

Over the past two years, professional leagues such as the Premier Lacrosse League and National Lacrosse League have partnered with DraftKings, BetMGM, and other sportsbooks like FoxBet, and Caesars, and started offering lacrosse lines. Fans of college lacrosse now have the option to join NCAA men’s lines for their first season.

We have six tips for you, whether you are a seasoned bettor or a fan of lacrosse looking to learn about betting. Lacrosse betting will seem like a piece of cake after reading these 6 tips, so let’s move on and discover everything you need to know!

1. Learn the differences between lacrosse leagues: very important in lacrosse betting

Lacrosse betting is not hard if you understand the game and how things work.

It may surprise some people to learn that men’s lacrosse has two distinct versions: box and field lacrosse. Field lacrosse can be played outdoors (often on football pitches) with 11 players, including a goaltender, on each side. Box lacrosse can be played indoors in arenas that have six players, including a goaltender. The dimensions of the goal are also different. Field lacrosse uses a 6′ high x 6′ wide cage, while box lacrosse uses a 4′ high x 4’9” wide cage.

While professional and collegiate field hockey are basically the same sport, there are key differences such as a shorter shot time and shorter game lengths, smaller field dimensions, and the addition of a 2-point arc in professional lacrosse.

Bets are available in the National Lacrosse League, Premier Lacrosse League, and NCAA men’s lacrosse. Although the flow of a game of lacrosse is very similar, it’s important to only use data that pertains to the particular lacrosse variation you intend to wager on.

So, learning this information will help your lacrosse beting journey.

2. Monitor underdogs against the spread

In lacrosse betting, you also need to monitor underdogs against the spread.

Lacrosse games have margins of victory that are comparable to professional and college versions of the same sport. College lacrosse spreads resemble more basketball spreads than professional lacrosse spreads. Professional lacrosse spreads however are closer to the NHL puck line.

In order to make a comparison that will help you understand things better, we will use data that was valid in July 2022, just as an example. We will be focusing on data from the two PLL seasons as well as the NLL season (July) to show the point spreads.

The Bet On Lacrosse Report shows that there were 2.5-point spreads eight times and 1.5-point spreads 34-times during the 2021 season. 1.5-point underdogs have covered at a rate of 67.65% during that time span. They are currently 23-11. They’re 6-2 and cover at a staggering 75% rate for 2.5-point underdogs.

Do you want more evidence that underdogs in lacrosse can make a profit? During this 42-game sample, underdogs were 22-20 straight up. Your bet on an underdog would be at 52.38% if it was placed on the moneyline. You’d also be making more money betting on underdogs on a moneyline.

Favorites have performed well in the NLL, winning at a 76.92% clip. However, the professional box lacrosse league has witnessed a similar trend against the spread. Through 39 games, the 1.5-point underdogs currently stand at 14-17 and cover at 45.16%, while the 2.5-point underdogs at 6-2 are covering at 75%.

We are not suggesting you play blindly against the spread. There is always nuance to any trend. If you believe that your team has an advantage in their matchup, then it is worth considering taking the teams that are scoring the spread. However, sportsbooks will not be able to handicap professional lacrosse games as accurately as they can.

Lacrosse betting will come in handy for you as soon as you master this advice.

3. When betting totals, use Pace of Play in lacrosse betting

Despite the differences in each version, the average total for the past two years has been around 23 goals per match. This generalization does not take into account the differences in the pacing of each version. Due to the shorter shot clocks and smaller field dimensions of professional leagues, a 60-minute NCAA game of lacrosse moves at a slower pace than a 48-minute NLL or 60-minute PLL game.

Because college lacrosse has fewer possessions due to the longer shot clock and wider field, college lacrosse’s pacing can have a greater impact on totals than the NLL or PLL. It can also be a good predictor of whether totals will exceed or fall below the sportsbook set amount.

Lacrosse betting means paying attention to everything.

For example, take the matchup between Utah and Denver in 2021. Lacrosse Reference reports that Denver was ranked 65th among the 69 Division I teams for 2021. This is not surprising considering the fact that the Bill Tierney-led team plays at a slower pace compared to the NCAA average. Denver took 48.54 seconds on average to take its first shot after gaining possession. Compare this to Robert Morris who averaged 36.33 seconds to get its first shot off after gaining possession. It took him an additional 80 seconds.

Denver was faced with a slower-paced Utah team, which ranked 39th on the pace chart in 2021. The game ended in a 9-8 victory with 78 possessions and 17 goals.

Fans saw Syracuse and Virginia score 30 goals each in their first meeting in 2021. In pace last year, Virginia was ranked 15th while Syracuse was 29th. The teams met for 92 possessions in their matchup on February 27, 2021.

Although offensive efficiency plays an important role in total score, it is more valuable to look at the pace of play and their offense efficiency than just looking at goals per match. This can help you predict whether or not a game will go over or below the total set out by the oddsmakers.

So, by taking this into consideration, your lacrosse betting strategy will improve.

4. You should look for offensive efficiency paired with possession advantages in lacrosse betting

Lacrosse is unique in that it allows teams to have a large number of possessions. Although possessions do not necessarily translate into goals, teams can get a significant advantage by acquiring more possessions when they are paired with an effective offense.

Contrary to basketball, possessions do not alternate after a team wins. Play resumes in the middle of the field with a faceoff, much like hockey. It is possible for teams to gain an advantage at faceoffs, which is different from hockey. Some of the most skilled faceoff experts regularly finish a season over 65%.

This is especially evident in NCAA men’s hockey and, to a lesser extent, the PLL. In these games, dominant faceoff specialists can have a significant impact on the outcome. However, despite being important, a possession advantage does not correlate with team success if it is not paired with an effective offense.

The Archers were the most efficient offense in PLL 2021, but their faceoff rate was second-to-last at 44%. The Waterdogs had the lowest offensive efficiency in 2020 with a 56% faceoff percentage but finished third in this category.

None of the teams advanced beyond the first round in the postseason. The 2020 Whipsnakes were the only team to combine a high faceoff percentage (70%) and an efficient offense (1st in the league). They won the 2020 PLL Championship undefeated, and also had a +31 score differential.

A high faceoff percentage is not an indicator of overall team success. However, when combined with an efficient offense and matched against an inefficient defense, it can create an advantage that bettors may profit from. So, lacrosse betting requires you to keep your eyes on the game.

The NLL is a box lacrosse league that has more faceoff specialists. However, the higher number of possessions in NLL significantly reduces the impact of top faceoff specialists and is not an indicator of their success in determining the final score. Even when paired with an effective offense, it does not indicate success in predicting the final score. For the moment, handicappers should not use faceoff percentages to handicap NLL games.

This is great lacrosse betting advice, isn’t it? But wait…we have more for you!

5. Monitor injuries and news for an advantage in lacrosse betting

Like any other sport, it is important to monitor injuries and other news in lacrosse betting. Lacrosse lines are not like other sports, where line movement can occur quickly after injury news or other news is released. Even when players are declared inactive, they rarely move. It is better to wait until the game starts to place a wager on lacrosse, as the closing line value is usually minimal or not applicable.

This will change over time as lacrosse becomes more popular. However, it offers lacrosse betting enthusiasts an opportunity to get an edge. You can make a better decision when you bet.

The impact of injuries on a sport should be considered as any other. A team losing its top scorer in any lacrosse variation is cause for concern, but a starter being injured in professional lacrosse games tends to have a smaller impact than an elite college player being placed on the inactive list. A team that loses its key starter in NLL, which is six-on-6, may have a greater impact than one in the PLL, which is 11-on-11.

Injuries and other news should always be considered on a case-by-case basis. If properly considered, it can give bettors advantage over sportsbooks. Even though injury news does not directly affect the handicap of a particular game, it can still have an impact on whether a bettor decides to place a wager or not.

Perhaps you haven’t thought about injuries so far, but in lacrosse betting every single detail matters. Especially the next detail that we are going to share with you!

6. Keep track of your bets

To become a successful lacrosse betor, one of the best things you can do is keep track of your bets. You can easily monitor them in the app you used for betting on lacrosse. This way, you will be able to maintain a good bankroll. Lacrosse betting is easier, safer, and more pleasurable when you use an app that is well built.

Lacrosse Betting: Conclusion

Lacrosse betting can be very, very easy if you take into consideration these 6 tips. It is a very beautiful game to watch, and very fun to bet on! You will soon gather all your friends around and bet on lacrosse together, and you’ll have a huge advantage: you will be able to share these tips with them!

As always, remember to bet with your head and not over it!

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