The 2025 National Lacrosse League playoffs are finally here and we’re looking to build on some positive momentum from the end of the regular season. We went 3-0 last week again, bringing our overall record to 61-47 for +12.465 units this season and 21-3 since March 15. Let’s take a look at what I’m betting in the 2025 NLL Quarterfinals.
Note: The odds presented below are those at the time when Hutton sends his picks out to DubClub subscribers and are subject to change. Subscribe to Hutton Jackson’s lacrosse picks on DubClub so you never miss out on the best odds for these picks. As soon as Hutton places a bet, you’ll immediately get a notification with both the pick and brief analysis. Picks are sent out at least 20 minutes in advance of articles published on Bet On Lacrosse.
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San Diego Seals at Buffalo Bandits
 San Diego Moneyline/Spread | +180 / +2.5 |
 Buffalo Moneyline/Spread | -238 / -2.5 |
| Total | 24.5 |
| Time | Friday · 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+/TSN |
Odds via DraftKings
The Buffalo Bandits host the San Diego Seals on Friday in the first quarterfinals matchup of the weekend. I originally was leaning towards the over in this game when it was 23.5 on Caesars, but that has since moved and the total is now 24 or 24.5 everywhere. While I still expect this game to be high-scoring, I’m backing the 2.5-point underdog.
Buffalo is the better team, but they’ve really struggled to close out games lately. As good as the Bandits have looked at points this season, they’re just 2-8 against the spread as favorite of -2.5 or more. This includes failing to cover as 2.5-point favorites in both games against the Seals earlier in the season, losing outright in the first game and winning by just one in the second.
Their first game against San Diego was notably on short rest, but the Seals were also fairly banged up during that stretch as well, and are much healthier at this point of the season. I also think San Diego matches up well with Buffalo.
Teams that have beaten Buffalo have done so with elite ball movement—not the easiest of tasks with Buffalo’s strong group of defenders and Matt Vinc in net. Yet, San Diego is one of those teams, much like Georgia, that is able to get goalies out of position with sharp ball movement and score with their handful of elite shooters. Having Trevor Baptiste taking faceoffs again will also help San Diego neutralize Connor Farrell and limit any potential Buffalo possession advantage.
I just don’t expect Buffalo to be able to run away with this game and think San Diego can do enough to keep it within three goals by the end of this game. Only three of San Diego’s nine losses have been by three or more goals and they haven’t lost a game by more than four goals all season.Trust San Diego to cover the spread and bet Seals +2.5 at -125 on DraftKings.
As we always do, we’ll sprinkle a little on the Seals’ moneyline odds as well, betting a 0.2 unit on Seals moneyline at +190 on BetRivers. I expect this game to be close throughout and think the Seals have the ability to upset Buffalo again.
If we’re hoping for a Seals outright win, we might as well also take a stab at the longest NLL Finals exacta on the board. Right now the Seals to beat the Roughnecks in the 2025 NLL Finals exacta is +4500 on FanDuel. If either San Diego or Calgary can win their quarterfinal matchup, I like their path to the finals and this is worth a 0.1 unit or smaller bet as a longshot.
I’ll explain why I like Calgary’s path a bit later, but the Seals always play Vancouver tight and even though the Warriors are my pick to win it all, I think the Seals have a better chance of winning a three-game series against Vancouver or Rochester than these odds indicate. However, I think they match up poorly with Saskatchewan and Halifax would be a tight series, so I’d rather bet them to defeat just Calgary in the exacta market. They defeated the Roughnecks earlier this season and have gotten the best of Nick Rose multiple times this year. This exacta is the best way to play a potential San Diego NLL Finals run.
Picks: San Diego Seals +2.5, San Diego Seals ML (0.2 unit)
Calgary Roughnecks at Halifax Thunderbirds
 Calgary Moneyline/Spread | +110 / +1.5 |
 Halifax Moneyline/Spread | -139 / -1.5 |
| Total | 23.5 |
| Time | Saturday · 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+/TSN |
Odds via BetRivers
The Halifax Thunderbirds host the Calgary Roughnecks and when these teams last played, it was an 18-17 shootout in week one. While these teams have both evolved since then, I think Calgary comes out on top again, albeit in potentially a different fashion.
Both of these offenses are some of the best in the NLL, with both getting strong faceoff play as well. Yet, the edge goes to Calgary as far as defense goes. The Roughnecks had one of the worst defenses in the league before trading for 2024 Goaltender of the Year Nick Rose.
Rose has been playing like he’s deserving of back-to-back goaltender of the year titles, ranking first in goals saved above average according to NLLStats.com and first in save percentage among goalies with at least seven starts. He’s held his last three opponents to under 10 goals and is averaging just 9.43 goals against as member of the Roughnecks.
Meanwhile, Halifax has had a goaltender dilemma all season. The Thunderbirds have the third-least efficient defense and expected starter Drew Hutchison’s -5.92 goals saved above average is fourth-worst among current starters and not much better than other Halifax goalie Warren Hill. The Thunderbirds have also been very reliant on transition offense, but Calgary has allowed the fourth-fewest transition goals.
I think Calgary gets the outright win and recommend betting Roughnecks moneyline at +110 on betRivers or at +100 or better elsewhere.
I also like betting a little on the Calgary Roughnecks to win the NLL Finals at +1100 on bet365. I love the potential path for the Roughnecks—they can avoid Buffalo, Rochester, San Diego and Vancouver before the finals. If they get past Halifax, they’ll play either Saskatchewan or Georgia (both teams they already beat) and have beaten all but San Diego at least once this season. While I think they’d have a tough time winning a three-game series against either Buffalo, Vancouver (or San Diego as I mentioned), the value for them to get to the NLL Finals is there with these odds.
Pick: Calgary Roughnecks ML
Rochester Knighthawks at Vancouver Warriors
 Rochester Moneyline/Spread | -110 / +1.5 |
 Vancouver Moneyline/Spread | -120 / -1.5 |
| Total | 22.5 |
| Time | Saturday · 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+/TSN |
Odds via Caesars
Vancouver hosts Rochester on Saturday night and, unfortunately, the road will end for one of my favorite teams this season. Both Rochester and Vancouver have won six of their last seven, but I expect the Warriors to come out on top this weekend.
With Christian Del Bianco in net these past six games, Vancouver’s top-ranked defense somehow got even better. They’ve held four of their last six opponents to 10 goals or fewer and are allowing an average of just 8.67 goals per game during that span. Despite Rochester having one of the most prolific offenses in the league, this is a bad matchup for the Knighthawks.
The Vancouver offense has also come to life recently, and his getting scoring production from a variety of players. Rylan Hartley has been strong in net, but Rochester allows the fourth-most fastbreak goals—an area that Vancouver has found success since Del Bianco has joined the line-up and been able to convert saves into transition offense.
I expect Vancouver to get the win at home and recommend betting 0.6 unit on Warriors moneyline at -120 and 0.4 unit on Warriors -1.5 at +130 on Caesars.
I also think Warriors to win the championship at +850 on DraftKings is still a great look, despite telling you to bet them for weeks now, including at +3000 a month ago. I’m surprised that the Knighthawks’ odds to win the title are the same or longer than Rochester’s, considering that they’re favored in this game and match up with Buffalo a lot better than Rochester does, in my opinion. So once again, I still think there is a little value left on a Vancouver team that is good enough to beat any team they face.
Picks: Vancouver Warriors ML (0.6 unit), Vancouver Warriors -1.5 (0.4 unit)
2024-25 NLL Season Best Bets: 61-47 for +12.465 units
All bets are to win 1 unit or more (i.e. 1.2 units at -120, 1 unit at +120) unless otherwise specified.
Subscribe to Hutton Jackson’s lacrosse picks on DubClub so you never miss out on the best odds for these picks. As soon as Hutton places a bet, you’ll immediately get a notification with both the pick and brief analysis!
