Premier Lacrosse League Odds, Picks: Best Bets for Archers vs. Waterdogs, Chaos vs. Whipsnakes (July 30)
PLL / Nick Ieraldi. Pictured: Brian Minicus of Chaos Lacrosse Club.
PLL Week 7 continues on Sunday with a matchup between the top two teams in the Archers and Waterdogs on ABC. That game is followed by a rivalry matchup between the Whipsnakes and Chaos.
Our PLL best bets went 3-0 for +3.32 units on Saturday and are now 36-17 this season for +20.89 units. Let’s keep the momentum going with five more bets on Sunday.
If you’re an avid bettor who’s new to lacrosse or a lacrosse fan who’s new to betting, check out my guide on how to bet on lacrosse for some tips to use when placing a lacrosse bet.
Archers LC (-1.5) vs. Waterdogs LC
| Archers Odds | -130 |
| Waterdogs Odds | +100 |
| Total | 23.5 |
| Time | Sunday · 3 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
On a weekend filled with potentially close games on paper, the matchup between the top two teams in the standings is the one where I believe one team has the biggest edge.
Both teams are 4-1 and have played balanced lacrosse through the first five games, but I still think the 1.5-point favorite Archers possess the edge in this matchup.
The first advantage the Archers will have is at the faceoff. Mike Sisselberger is currently winning 70% of his draws, and his three points have forced teams to respect him when he attacks the cage.
The impact of faceoffs has been diminished this year with the shot clock starting at 32 seconds off a faceoff win instead of the 52 seconds from previous seasons, but some teams like the Archers have adjusted fine.
While the Waterdogs have been best at the “concede and defend” approach to the faceoff, the Archers have had plenty of time to prepare, and arguably all of their wing players have the ability to handle the pressure and turn faceoff wins into quality offense.
Additionally, the Waterdogs will be without starting goaltender Dillon Ward and midfielder Connor Kelly. The Waterdogs have fared fine without either of these players in the past but will definitely miss Ward’s momentum-shifting ability in net and Kelly’s range on offense.
While you can bet the Archers moneyline at a decent price, it’s worth betting them to win and cover the spread at -1.5 (+125 at Barstool Sportsbook) instead.
Additionally, the total is just 24.5 at most sportsbooks, but it sits at 23.5 at Caesars. I like this game to move at a fast pace with a lot of goals scored.
Neither the Archers nor Waterdogs have defended fast breaks particularly well, with the Archers allowing goals on 31% of transition chances and the Waterdogs allowing goals on 39%.
The Archers have the two midfielders to make Waterdogs pay in transition, and we should expect the Waterdogs' defensive midfielders — like Matt Whitcher and Ryland Rees — to push the ball on fast breaks as well.
Furthermore, both teams have been the most efficient on offense through five games, with the Archers scoring on a league-high 32.4% of offensive possessions and the Waterdogs scoring on 30.1% of theirs.
As good as these defenses can be, expect the offenses to come to play on Sunday and this total to surpass 23.5 goals (-120 at Caesars).
Finally, a player who should contribute at least two goals to the total is Tom Schreiber. The price is a fair -113 to bet him to surpass his goals prop of 1.5. Given the matchup and presence of backup Matt DeLuca in cage for the Waterdogs, I expect him to find the back of the net at least twice.
All of the Archers' offensive starters are expected to play, including Grant Ament, and that often alleviates the amount of attention Schreiber receives from the defenses. Bet Schreiber to score two or more goals on Sunday.
Picks: Over 23.5 · Archers -1.5 · Schreiber Over 1.5 Goals
Chaos LC vs. Whipsnakes LC (-1.5)
| Whipsnakes Odds | -115 |
| Chaos Odds | -105 |
| Total | 23.5 |
| Time | Sunday · 5:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
Odds via FanDuel
One of the PLL’s most recognizable matchups caps off the weekend, as the Whipsnakes and Chaos face off in the first of two regular-season meetings between the clubs. Despite being 1-4, the Whipsnakes are 1.5-point favorites against the 3-2 Chaos, with the total set at 23.5 at all sportsbooks.
With the exception of starting goalie Kyle Bernlohr’s injury, the Whips finally appear healthy. They’ll have Brad Smith, Matt Rambo and Zed Williams all in the lineup for the first time this season.
While players like Rambo and defenders Matt Dunn and Michael Ehrhardt are still fairly banged up, their presence alone is a difference-maker for a Whips team that still has a high ceiling. This is a litmus test for how good they could be with the right personnel on the field.
Yet, there’s a lot to like about this Chaos team that has played phenomenal defense through five weeks and has re-invented their offense this season.
The Chaos match up well against the Whipsnakes, and as good as Whipsnakes backup goalies Brian Phipps and Brendan Krebs are, Bernlohr’s absence could provide even more quality chances for Chaos.
Rather than pick a side in this game, I’m targeting two player props in this game.
We’ll start with Chaos rookie Brian Minicus’ points prop of 2.5. Coach Andy Towers has done a great job of inserting Minicus into an offensive lineup that was already loaded. Minicus has given Chaos a two-hand threat who can beat his defender to score or use his vision to feed their array of shooters. While he’s only had three or more points in two games this season, context matters.
In his first game, the Chaos were without many of their other offensive starters, and his second game saw him relegated a bit when those said starters returned. Then he exploded for four points against the best defense in the league, scored two points against Redwoods and put up five points on Atlas in his best game to date.
Towers has officially given Minicus the keys to this offense, and he should have plenty of opportunities to surpass 2.5 points on Sunday (-130 on DraftKings).
My second and final prop is one that may turn some heads. Despite another stellar start for Blaze Riorden, I recommend betting him to stay under his saves prop of 15.5 at +102 on FanDuel.
Riorden has led the PLL in saves for the last four seasons and likely would be this year as well if he played in every game. Yet, this number is too high given the matchup.
Despite having plenty of big games, Riorden has surpassed this mark in only six of his last 17 games. For what it’s worth, he’s also stopped 16 or more against the Whipsnakes in only two of his six games against them since 2020. The last game he did so came on June 5, 2021.
Stopping 16 or more shots in a 48-minute game is just a tall task, even for the best goalie in the league. Hold your nose, and bet Riorden to stay under 15.5 saves on Sunday.
Picks: Brian Minicus Over 2.5 Points · Blaze Riorden Under 15.5 Saves
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