The influence of legalized sports gambling has taken over the Stanley Cup Finals with a bombardment of TV advertising and broadcast wager analysis.
But what does it all mean?
Here is a breakdown of the odds, prop bets and trends to know before Game 1 between the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning. Plus, a glossary of terms for beginners to better understand legalized sports wagering.
Series odds
Favorite: Avalanche (-190)
Underdog: Lightning (+160)
* Odds are sportsbook consensus provided by as of Tuesday morning.
Game 1 Odds
Money Line: Avalanche (-159) / Lightning (+133)
Puck line: Avalanche -1.5 (-192) / Lightning +1.5 (+157)
Total: 6 (-110)
* Odds are sportsbook consensus provided by as of Tuesday morning.
Prop bets to consider
Stonewalled: The Avalanche have averaged 4.6 goals through the postseason but now face arguably the NHL’s top netminder in Andrei Vasilevskiy. Colorado has +180 odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook) to score under 2.5 goals if you believe the Avalanche will have trouble scoring in Game 1. A winning $10 bet yields a $28 return.
MacKinnon magic: Nathan MacKinnon has scored multiple goals twice in a single playoff game this postseason. Is another epic performance on tap to begin the Cup Finals? MacKinnon has +900 odds (via PointsBet Sportsbook) to score two or more goals in Game 1. A winning $10 bet yields a $100 return.
Flip a coin: Those hoping to win big on a more random outcome can bet on whether the total goals scored in Game 1 adds up to an even (-125) or odd (-105) number, via Caesars Sportsbook.
KEY TERMS
Odds: American odds are based on a $100 scale. A betting favorite will have a minus (-) in front of the total money needed to risk in order to win $100. A betting underdog will have a plus (+) in front as the total money you’ll win for every $100 risked. Example: If betting on the Avalanche to claim the series at -190, you must wager $190 to win $100 — plus your $190 bet back — for a return of $290. There are several services available online.
Money line: A wager on a team’s odds to win the game outright. Example: The Avalanche is listed as a -159 favorite in Game 1. A $10 wager would yield a $16.29 return. Conversely, a successful $10 bet on the Lightning to win at +150 would return $25.00.
Puck line: A wager on the points spread where odds are based on a team winning or losing by a certain number of goals. Example: The Avs are a +1.5 in Game 1. A winning bet on Colorado results when the Avalanche scores at least two more goals than Tampa Bay. A winning bet on the Lighting (-1.5) means Tampa Bay either loses or wins by one goal.
Alternate puck line: A wager on the spread that is adjusted for more/fewer goals with longer/shorter odds. Example: Avalanche fans certain of a Game 1 blowout might wager on the Avs at 2.5. A winning bet results if Colorado wins by at least three goals. The payout will be larger than a standard puck line.
Total: A wager, commonly known as the over/under, that predicts the total goals between both teams scored in a game. Example: The total is set at six for Game 1. A winning bet on the over results when seven or more goals are scored. A winning bet on the under happens when five or fewer goals are scored.
Team prop bets: A wager that predicts how a specific team will perform. Example: Common bets in this category are team goal total and margin of victory.
Player prop bets: A wager that predicts how a specific player will perform. Example: Common bets in this category are over/under wagers for individuals’ total goals, assists, points or shots in a single game.
Series/game/period prop bets: A wager that predicts what will happen in a series/game/period. Example: Common bets in this category are over/under wagers for when a game will finish (OT or regulation) and individual period puck lines.
