As the 2026 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament approaches, the NCAA Lacrosse Championships odds picture looks very different from what sportsbooks expected initially. Maryland and Syracuse opened as clear favorites, but the markets have shifted dramatically.
Who has emerged as the new leading candidate at online betting sites? In this betting preview, I break down the updated odds, assess the top contenders, and share my 2026 NCAA Lacrosse Championship predictions.
NCAA Lacrosse Championship 2026 Winner Odds
Here are the updated NCAA Men’s Lacrosse odds, courtesy of BetUS:
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Princeton Tigers | +250 |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish | +350 |
| North Carolina Tar Heels | +550 |
| Syracuse Orange | +800 |
| Virginia Cavaliers | +900 |
| Cornell Big Red | +1100 |
| Richmond Spiders | +1800 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions | +2000 |
| Duke Blue Devils | +2200 |
| Georgetown Hoyas | +4000 |
| John Hopkins Blue Jays | +4000 |
The Princeton Tigers (+250) have surged to the top of the board at top lacrosse betting sites. At +250, Princeton has a 28.6% implied probability to win their seventh title and first since 2001.
They’ve surged over the last month. In late March, Princeton was priced at +650, implying just a 13.3% chance to win. Today, that probability has more than doubled to 28.6%.
The Maryland Terrapins, who opened as the favorites, will miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years. In their absence, Princeton has moved past the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+350) in the market, though the Tigers still sit as the second choice with a 22.2% implied probability.
The North Carolina Tar Heels (+550) have also seen their odds improve. North Carolina has shortened from +800 to +550 since late March, with their implied probability rising from 11.1% to 15.4% to win the NCAA Lacrosse Championship.
You can find updated 2026 NCAA Lacrosse betting odds at BetUS by navigating to Sportsbook > Lacrosse > To Win Outright NCAA 2026.
2026 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship Favorites
Three contenders stand out as the most likely winners of the men’s college lacrosse title in 2026. Before jumping into my best men’s college lacrosse picks to win, let’s analyze the the updated main favorites as of early May:
Princeton Tigers (+250)
The six-time national champions are firmly back in the national spotlight and have emerged as the pre-tournament favorites and No. 1 overall seed after a stellar regular season.
Through the Ivy League Tournament, Princeton finished 13-2 and enter the NCAA Tournament on fire, riding an eight-game winning streak with all the momentum on their side.
The Tigers are coming off a dominant 19-9 win over a talented Cornell team that captured last year’s national title. After edging Yale 12-10, Princeton then rolled past Cornell to claim the Ivy League crown. With Cornell still close to the level of its championship roster, that performance was especially impressive.
A little rage never hurt anyone 😅 — except maybe Cornell's hopes for an Ivy League championship.
Princeton came out blazing and beat the Big Red 19-9, snapping a seven-game losing streak against Cornell. pic.twitter.com/29ejo9t9vz
— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALMag) May 3, 2026
That’s far from the only signature win on Princeton’s resume. The Tigers made a major statement in non-conference play, ripping off three straight victories over Maryland (13-12), Syracuse (11-7), and North Carolina (11-9). Taken together, there’s little doubt Princeton has earned the tournament’s top seed.
Matt Madalon’s squad is one of the most balanced units in the country, averaging 14.43 goals per game, equating to a top-5 number in the NCAA. Paired with a physical defense that allows just 10.07 goals per game, Princeton looks a step ahead of most opponents.
The duo of Nate Kabiri and Chad Palumbo has been among the best in the nation. Kabiri leads the Tigers with 68 points on 32 goals and 36 assists. Palumbo paces the team with 36 goals and adds 24 assists. Together, they are poised to be a nightmare matchup for defenses throughout the NCAA Tournament.
Expect Princeton to make a deep run and be a serious contender among the top NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship picks.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+350)
Notre Dame is seeking their third national championship since the 2023 season, and the Fighting Irish shouldn’t be taken lightly. They remain firmly in the hunt to extend their recent dominance in the NCAA Tournament.
Before Princeton caught fire and ripped off an eight-game winning streak, Notre Dame actually held the best college lacrosse championship odds. They were dangerous wire to wire in the regular season, finishing with a strong 10-2 record.
The Irish enter the NCAA Tournament off a disappointing 15-10 loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament semifinals, but that setback came after a stretch of impressive wins. During that run, they knocked off four quality opponents: Richmond (12-8), North Carolina (10-5), Duke (7-6), and Syracuse (16-11).
What makes Notre Dame particularly dangerous is their ability to win in different ways. They can lean on their offense or clamp down with their defense, and that versatility is built for tournament play. Defensively, they rank among the nation’s elite, sitting in the top 10, allowing just 8.33 goals per game this season.
Josh Yago has recorded 3+ points in 5 of 6 games and leads the Irish in goals (15) and points (21). Dependable.#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/2siTi70YjX
— Notre Dame Lacrosse (@NDlacrosse) March 20, 2026
The Fighting Irish don’t have a 30-goal scorer, though, while Princeton has two on their roster. Still, Josh Yago is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous players in the tournament. Yago notched 24 goals and 14 assists to lead the Fighting Irish with 38 points.
Notre Dame’s defense and experience is the biggest obstacle in front of Princeton and the NCAA Tournament. However, they need another attacker to step up to be the difference.
North Carolina Tar Heels (+550)
North Carolina enters the NCAA Tournament as a dangerous but inconsistent contender. The Tar Heels posted a solid 12-4 record, yet their ACC Championship run ended in a lopsided 16-6 loss to Virginia that raised concerns about their form.
They opened the conference tournament on a promising note with a 12-10 win over Syracuse, but overall have been uneven down the stretch, winning just two of their last five games.
No. 3️⃣ Seed
🐏 @UNCMensLacrosse 🐏#NCAAMLAX pic.twitter.com/5GUS8NJOTX
— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX) May 4, 2026
In addition to the ACC title loss to Virginia and a 10-5 defeat to Notre Dame, North Carolina also fell 16-12 to Duke. Their lone bright spots in that span were the win over Syracuse and a narrow 16-15 overtime victory against Virginia on April 18.
On paper, the Tar Heels still look strong. They rank in the top 10 nationally with 13.87 goals per game and are tied for 16th with Drexel in scoring defense, allowing 9.87 goals per contest. However, recent performances against elite opponents haven’t been convincing, and their play has lacked consistency.
North Carolina certainly has the talent to get hot at the right time, but they don’t enter this tournament with ideal confidence or momentum. Given their recent form and volatility, I recommend passing on the Tar Heels as one of the top NCAA Lacrosse Championship 2026 picks to win it all.
NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship Longshots
In what is anticipated to be a wide-open tournament, there are a couple of longshots to consider for your NCAA Men’s Lacrosse picks. These teams present strong value, so targeting them with a small wager is sensible:
2026 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship Predictions and Betting Pick
For my best NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship pick, I’m sticking with the Princeton Tigers. I grabbed them back in March at +650, and while that number is long gone, there’s still a strong case to be made at +250.
Princeton enters the tournament as arguably the hottest team in the country and has all the pieces to make a title run. With one of the nation’s best offensive duos in Kabiri and Palumbo, the Tigers can overwhelm defenses and are a nightmare to keep pace with for four quarters.
They also have a proven track record against top competition, owning quality wins over both Syracuse and North Carolina. This is a well-rounded group that can win on both ends of the field and adapt to different game styles.
Put it all together, and Princeton remains my top betting pick to win the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
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