All 15 National Lacrosse League teams take the field in Week 16 with the weekend kicking off with two West Conference matchups on Friday night. I’ve got my sights set on the later of the two games: a matchup between the best and worst team in the West.
If you’re an avid bettor who’s new to lacrosse or a lacrosse fan who’s new to betting, check out my guide for some tips to use when placing a lacrosse bet.
San Diego Seals (-3.5) vs. Vancouver Warriors
| Seals Odds | -300 |
| Warriors Odds | +235 |
| Total | 24.5 |
| Time | Friday, 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
The 8-2 San Diego Seals head to Vancouver to face a 3-9 Warriors team. The disparity between records is underscored in the spread as the Seals enter as 3.5-point favorites. This is only the third time that a 3.5-point spread has been posted since NLL betting odds were first offered in 2021.
The last two times we saw a spread of 3.5, the underdog — the Georgia Swarm (both times) — covered. While that’s a small sample size focused on a different team, it does emphasize how difficult it is to cover 3.5 in this league.
The Warriors have lost by at least four goals several times this season, but it’s important to look at their last three games since veteran Aaron Bold took over in net. Vancouver lost by five goals to the second-best team in the West in Calgary in that first game, but then beat both the Saskatchewan Rush and Las Vegas Desert Dogs outright. They’ve been way more competitive with a much more stable presence in net.
I like betting the Warriors to cover the spread more due to the Seals' inability to win by margin this season. The Seals have won by four goals or more in just two of 10 games, and their average margin of victory is only 2.3 goals. Furthermore, three of the last four matchups between these teams have been decided by two goals or fewer.
The Seals beat the Warriors 16-11 earlier this year, but I think Vancouver will keep it much closer tonight. The Warriors have been playing well in recent weeks, but that’s not reflected in the spread. Bet the Warriors to keep it close and cover.
Pick: Vancouver Warriors +3.5 (-125 on DraftKings).
