This weekend sees the start of the 2023 Premier Lacrosse League. The defending champions are the Waterdogs, but theyâre not the betting favorites to go back-to-back. Here we look ahead to this yearâs competition and tell you who we think will win in our latest Lacrosse betting picks.
- What; 2023 Premier Lacrosse League
- Where; 14 cities across America
- When; June 3rd, 2023 - September 24th, 2023
Itâs almost time for the fifth edition of the Premier Lacrosse League, and with the 2023 season starting this Saturday, weâre taking a look ahead to the competition.
Eight teams will fight it out across an 11 week schedule, with the playoffs starting on September 4th, and the final taking place on September 24th. There is a break on Week 6 of the season, this is when the PLL All-Star match takes place.
The defending champions are the Waterdogs. They defeated the Chaos 11-9 in the PLL Championship final match, winning their first ever title in the process.
THE WATERDOGS ARE YOUR 2022 PLL CHAMPIONS đđ¶ pic.twitter.com/TYDaxfRZAW
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) September 18, 2022
But as youâre about to find out in our Lacrosse betting round up, this hasnât resulted in the best online betting sites for North American sports making Andy Copelanâs team the favorites to repeat their win again this year.
Betting to win the 2023 Premier Lacrosse League
Yes, this yearâs favorites to win the 2023 Premier Lacrosse League are the Whipsnakes at +450. There isnât too much between the teams in the betting though. Following the Whipsnakes is Atlas at +475, and then last yearâs champions, the Waterdogs at +500.
Showing how open the Premier Lacrosse League is, the joint-fourth favorites are the Archers and Chaos, both at +550. Chrome is next at +650. With the outsiders being the Redwoods and the Cannons, both of whom are +1000.
For more details about the bookmakers we have used on our Lacrosse odds table, please visit our sportsbook reviews page. If youâre a new customer looking to open an account, then also visit our betting bonuses and promotions page, here you will find the best sign-up offers currently available to new players.
| Odds to Win 2023 Premier Lacrosse League |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whipsnakes | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Atlas | +475 | +475 | +475 |
| Waterdogs | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Archers | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Chaos | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Chrome | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Redwoods | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Cannons | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
Now, letâs take a look at the teams we think have the best chance of winning this seasonâs Premier Lacrosse League.
Whipsnakes
The Whipsnakes are the most successful side in the brief history of the Premier Lacrosse League. To date, they have two wins from the four editions. But the 2022 final was the first not to involve the Whipsnakes, and they have now not won the title since 2020.
Last season they were favorites to add to their titles haul, but they unexpectedly lost 11-10 to the Waterdogs at the semi-finals stage.
Jim Stagnittaâs team did top the regular-season table with nine wins from their ten matches though. This success was largely built on their strong defense, where they were the only side not to concede more than 100 points throughout the season.
Their performance in the league last year underlined their status as the top Championship team in the PLL. And their 9-1 record was two wins better than second placed Chrome, who finished the regular-season at 7-3.
The Whipsnakes would have been disappointed with the loss to the Waterdogs though. And after two years without a title, they will be more determined than ever to put the record straight this time around.
Archers
Last season the Archers finished third in the table as the joint top offensive team with 130 points scored. Offensive play was the teamâs strength, and we would expect Chris Bates to continue with this formula in the 2023 season.
Their attacking policy was enough to see off the Redwoods 13-8 in their quarter-finals. But it came up short in the semis, where they lost 9-7 to Chaos.
With players like Connor Fields and Marcus Holman on their roster, we can see the Archers challenging for the title. At odds of +550, we would be happy to back them.
Waterdogs
Last seasonâs champions are +550 to repeat their success this season, but weâre thinking they may be a bit short at that price. In the regular-season, Andy Copelanâs team only finished fifth in the table with a 5-5 record.
The Waterdogs were one of the stronger teams offensively, scoring 130 points across the season. They also conceded 133 times, in what was one of the poorest defensive records in the division.
In the playoffs, their offensive style of play served them well though. They defeated No.4 seeds, Atlas, 19-14 in the quarter-finals. And then they outscored the betting favorites, the Whipsnakes by one point (11-10) in the semi-finals.
THE WATERDOGS KNOCK OFF THE WHIPSNAKES!
For the first time in league history, the title game will be played without the Whipsnakes. pic.twitter.com/38AobJzjK9
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) September 11, 2022
They continued to ride the wave in the final, where they defeated the Chaos by two points (11-9) to win their first championship.
The only real downside to their current approach, is backing them can be a bit of a lottery. Scoring plenty of points is a real positive. But they can easily be picked off defensively, as was highlighted during the regular-season.
Our Picks
The Waterdogs will obviously go into the new season full of confidence after their win in 2022. We feel they are a risky pick defensively though, and weâre looking in the direction of the Whipsnakes and the Archers.
At odds of +450 (Whipsnakes) and +550 (Archers) it is possible to hedge bets now and make a profit if either wins. The alternative is to play the long game and wait until one of them drops a match, and their odds drift.
The main danger with employing that tactic, particularly with the Whipsnakes, is if they go on a winning run early in the season, their odds will only shorten. Weâre happy to pick both now.
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