How to bet on lacrosse

PlayNow Sports is the official sports betting partner of the Vancouver Warriors.

Lacrosse is one of the world’s most entertaining and high-octane professional sports. It’s also among the simplest to learn – with grounded rules making lacrosse incredibly accessible for first-time viewers and bettors. Here, you’ll find everything you need to bet on Canada’s national sport.

In this step-by-step lacrosse betting guide, you’ll see:

✔ Where you can bet on lacrosse in British Columbia

✔ How to bet on lacrosse

✔ Why bet on lacrosse

✔ Lacrosse betting tips

Get the latest odds on the Vancouver Warriors and more with lacrosse betting on PlayNow Sports.

Bet on lacrosse

Where to bet on lacrosse

Featuring the most popular lacrosse betting markets, PlayNow Sports is your home for local, legal and secure betting in BC.

Plus, when you sign up and place your bets at PlayNow Sports, the revenue generated from online gambling stays right here in the province, supporting many provincial and community organizations, including education and health care.

Lacrosse Betting Markets

If you’re an avid fan of other popular sports, you’ll likely be familiar with the moneyline, the point spread, and totals. Let’s evaluate how each betting market could apply to lacrosse.

Available markets can vary; visit PlayNow Sports for the latest lacrosse odds and markets. Be sure to check the sports rules and conditions before placing a bet.

Money line

Money line markets require you to predict which team will win the matchup. It’s the ideal starting point for anyone new to lacrosse betting online.

Here’s a quick example of how a lacrosse money line market works:

Vancouver Warriors to beat Saskatchewan Rush @ 1.50.
Saskatchewan Rush to beat Vancouver Warriors @ 2.50.

The Rush are considered underdogs as their price is greater than Vancouver's. Therefore, a bet on the Saskatchewan outfit will pay out improved winnings for the same stake should they win. On the other side of the coin, the Warriors are strong favourites as the BC side carries shorter odds.

Let’s look at how this translates to a real wager:

A $10 bet on the Rush to win will return $25 (including $15 profit).
A $10 wager on the Warriors will return $15 (including $5 profit).

Point spread

Lacrosse spread betting adds spice to an already thrilling sport by giving one team an advantage and the other side a disadvantage. A tremendously popular market in the NFL and NBA, this bet type truly shines when used for lacrosse due to the simplistic scoring system and average number of goals per game. See an example of why, below:

Vancouver Warriors (-1.5) to Win @ 1.80.
Saskatchewan Rush (+1.5) to Win @ 1.80.

The +1.5 next to the Rush’s name tells us that the Saskatchewan team is the underdog and has been handed a lead by the sportsbook. By the same token, Vancouver’s -1.5 signifies that the Warriors have been hit with a deficit to overcome. The lopsided odds seen in the money line market are diminished, and you can now back the Warriors at the same price as the Rush.

Any of the following results will see bets on the Rush win:

Saskatchewan wins the game
Saskatchewan loses by one goal

Wagers backing the Warriors will only pay dividends if the Vancouver team win the game by two goals or more.

Total goals (Over/Under)

Like hockey and soccer, lacrosse points are scored by striking the ball into a net.

Lacrosse games regularly host upwards of 20+ goals. Therefore, the figures involved in the Over/Under market are notably higher than those seen in other goal-centric sports. Check out a clear-cut example of the total goals lacrosse betting market, here:

Over 24.5 Goals @ 2.00.
Under 24.5 Goals @ 1.80.

In this instance, we’ve listed ‘Over 24.5 Goals’ as the “underdog” – but not by much. A $10 wager on this selection in a game comprised of exactly 25 or more goals would return $20.

Wagers of the same value backing the “favourite” outcome — Under 24.5 Goals — would earn $9 should the lower-scoring metric come good.

Parlays

Parlay betting allows you to add two or more wagers to your betslip. The more picks you add to the selection, the greater your odds become. This type of wager can be used in tandem with money lines, point spreads, and totals.

For example, here’s a lacrosse three-bet-parlay (also known as a treble):

Vancouver Warriors, Buffalo Bandits, and Halifax Thunderbirds to Win @ 3.70.

All three outcomes must go your way in order to see a return on the wager. You can even mix and match markets, as demonstrated below:

Vancouver Warriors to Win (money line)
Buffalo Bandits (-1.5) to Win (point spread)
Rochester Knighthawks at Calgary Roughnecks – Over 23.5 Goals (Over/Under)

The entire bet crumbles if one outcome lets you down – but that’s part of the risk-and-reward nature of parlays. As such, this market is recommended to bettors who’ve already experimented with singles across the three main lacrosse betting options.

Futures

For lacrosse, there are two unique professional leagues to bet on with PlayNow Sports:

Futures bets are wagers on the outright winner of these competitions. Unlike game-based markets, futures are based on who is crowned champion at the end of a campaign. You’re free to back the league favourites, underdogs, middling outfits, and everyone in between.

If your chosen team reigns victorious by the season’s end, the bet wins.

Lacrosse betting tips

Watch games

Fans of other rough-and-tumble sports such as football and ice hockey understand that there is no better way to ingratiate yourself with rules and teams than to tune in.

British Columbia is home to the Vancouver Warriors – an offical partner of PlayNow Sports. Consider familiarising yourself with the team by visiting a game in person, or checking out YouTube highlights for a quick rundown of recent outings.

Check out the data

You can use data to guide your decision making without delving into confusing metrics. Platforms like the National Lacrosse League stats page offer insights into which teams and players are currently performing best – allowing you to place stats-backed wagers. Historical matchups, current form, injury news, and repeating patterns will help to guide you in the right direction. Just remember, while data and statistics can be interesting, past performance is not always an indicator of future results.

Read the news

Between player transfers, injury updates, coaching changes, and more – plenty of factors can influence the outcome of lacrosse games. Access to the latest in-season and off-season updates is available via the National Lacrosse League and Premier Lacrosse League websites.

Differing formats

Each team in the National Lacrosse League plays 18 games per season, whereas Premier Lacrosse League sides compete 10 times per regular season. Moreover, the PLL is split across two conferences (Eastern and Western). The NLL opted to abolish its conferences in favour of a singular division in 2024. Understanding the differences between both divisions will help you to align with your preferred format.

Physicality is Key

NHL and NFL fans seeking a new physical sport are in luck: lacrosse is renowned for skill-based physicality and defensive ability. Certain actions are not permitted — such as targeting above the neck or below the waist — but players may conduct a legal “crosscheck” within a reasonable distance of the ball.

Speed is another crucial element to consider. Lacrosse is played at a rapid pace, with quicker movement and decision-making generally rewarded with improved results. If you’re on the hunt for a fast-paced, high-scoring sport packed with talented players across every roster, look no further than lacrosse.