Betting odds to win the Conference Finals and advance to play for the Stanley Cup are about as close as they can get.
Key takeaways
- The Florida Panthers are -125 to win the East, the Edmonton Oilers are -120 to win the West at BetMGM.
- Bettors are split on Game 1 action thus far.
- BetMGM is off the hook with the Maple Leafs eliminated, but the biggest liability in another market is still alive.
BetMGM released insights Monday, making the defending champion Florida Panthers slight -125 favorites over the Carolina Hurricanes (+105) in the Eastern Conference Final, which starts Tuesday night. The Hurricanes are BetMGM’s biggest liability in that market, controlling nearly 32% of the handle.
In the West, the online sportsbook has the Edmonton Oilers at -120 to win the best-of-seven series when they face off against the Dallas Stars in Game 1 Wednesday. Neither lead the market in ticket count nor money.
ESPN BET has the Panthers at -130 with 64.8% of the bets and 53.8% of the handle to hold off the Hurricanes (+110). The slight underdog Stars (+105) have 56.2% of the tickets and 68.6% of the money at ESPN BET to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. However, the most-bet outcome is the Oilers in seven games.
Big liabilities fall off
BetMGM enjoyed the second-round outcome over the weekend. The Toronto Maple Leafs were the operator’s biggest liability in the Stanley Cup winner market. They held 12.8% of the handle and 11.4% of the bets but the Panthers eliminated them Sunday, costing rapper Drake a hefty wager.
The Colorado Avalanche, BetMGM’s second biggest liability, bowed out in the first round, while the Washington Capitals, listed third, fell to the Hurricanes in the second round.
When the second round began May 5, the Maple Leafs had the bulk of ESPN BET’s handle at 17.1%, but the Oilers were ahead of Toronto with 19.6% of tickets.
Winning it all update
The Oilers at +240 are now the favorites to win it all. Edmonton, which made it to last year’s Final, has 9.7% of the handle, the most of the remaining four teams. The Stars have the third-shortest odds to win the title at +275 but include a market-high ticket count at 8.4% and second at 9.5% of the handle.
With the longest odds at +300, the Hurricanes have 8.4% of the handle, ahead of the Panthers (+250) at 7.2%. Both saw 6.9% of the bets.
The Oilers have 33.5% of the bets and 32.6% of the handle at ESPN BET, the most in both categories of the four opponents left. The Stars are second at 22.5% of the tickets and 24.9% of the money. The Panthers are just over 21% in both, while the Panthers are just below 18% in tickets and money.
Tuesday’s Eastern tilt
Heading into Tuesday’s Eastern Conference Final Game 1, DraftKings saw 66% of the money on the Hurricanes to win, -125 home favorites at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Carolina also holds a slight lead in tickets at 56%.
At ESPN BET, the Hurricanes were even more liked on the moneyline with 69% of the handle and 57.7% of the bets.
Action on Over 5.5 goals was split at DraftKings, with 54% of bets on the Over and 55% of money on the Under.
Wednesday in the West
Despite oddsmakers’ love for the Oilers to win the series, Edmonton is a +105 underdog at home Wednesday at DraftKings with extra-tight splits. The online operator reported 55% of the moneyline handle on the Oilers, but 52% of bets back the Stars.
ESPN BET reported Monday 56.1% of the tickets and 59.6% of the handle were on the Oilers' moneyline. DK said 60% of the handle and 65% of the tickets were on Under 6.5 goals for Wednesday’s Western Conference opener.
Monitoring another market
BetMGM might be off the hook in the Stanley Cup winner market, but its biggest liability to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player after the Final, is still alive.
Dallas right-wing forward Mikko Rantanen went from +3,500 to +400 to claim the Conn Smythe, second behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (+350). Rantanen received 9.6% of the handle and 6.8% of the tickets in the market.
Hurricanes' goaltender Frederik Andersen (+550) is the second biggest liability left and has a market-high 10.8% of the handle at BetMGM.
