The winding road the Stanley Cup Final took to get to Game 7 hasn’t just been wild for the players, coaches, and fans of both teams.
Edmonton rallying from a 3-0 deficit in the series to force a final game at Florida has taken bettors and sportsbooks on a thrill ride over the last couple of weeks.
The Oilers were listed at +1,200 to win the series at Fanatics Sportsbook after Game 3.
Heading into Monday night’s Game 7 on the road with a chance to become the second franchise to ever win a title after being down 3-0, Edmonton is -105 on the moneyline.
And the betting market is eating up the underdog storyline.
“Fanatics Sportsbook bettors are all over the Oilers to complete a historic comeback,” a spokesperson for the online sportsbook said on Monday.
The sportsbooks are rooting for the Panthers.
All over the place
DraftKings has experienced one of the wildest series movements a bettor could imagine. Before Game 4, Florida was -3,500 to win the Stanley Cup, with Edmonton listed as a +1,300 underdog.
Heading into Game 7, the online sportsbook's Stanley Cup odds have Florida -115.
The Oilers, who are looking to become the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993, have received 71.4% of the tickets and 78.7% of the handle among all moneyline bets for Game 7 at Fanatics.
ESPN BET reported that 69% of the tickets and 53% of the money are on the Oilers at -110.
The Oilers began the series at +105 to win Lord Stanley’s Cup and reached +1,300 at BetMGM, where they’re now getting 60% of the handle at -105 on the moneyline.
Going under
The biggest odds shift at Fanatics is on the under. The online sportsbook originally set the total at 5.5, and while it’s stayed at that number, the odds for the under have shifted from -115 to -150 with 75% of the money leaning that way.
Fanatics is rooting heavily for a couple of first-period goals in Game 7. The sportsbook has received a ridiculous 95.7% of the tickets and 90.2% of the money on the under 1.5 goals at -130 in the most popular prop bet of the game.
BetMGM also opened the total at 5.5 with fairly balanced odds, but this operator did drop to 5 with 44% of the bets and 64% of the handle favoring the under.
Oilers-Panthers total is 5.5 in Game 7.
— John Ewing (@johnewing) June 24, 2024
Since 1950, 14 straight Stanley Cup Final Game 7s have stayed under 5.5 goals per @EvanHAbrams. pic.twitter.com/0PKvwD5t1J
The course has been reversed at ESPN BET, which reported 75% of the tickets and 64% of the bets on over 5.5 goals.
The award goes to …
The Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the playoff MVP, has seen a similar roller coaster ride as the series odds.
Connor McDavid, one of the NHL’s brightest stars, was +900 to take home the honor at DraftKings before Game 1. He dipped to +190 before Game 2. After the Game 3 loss, and the Edmonton center scoring a total of zero goals in the first three games, McDavid’s Conn Smythe Trophy odds skyrocketed to +1,600. That came down to +650 after he recorded one goal and three assists in Game 4 to help keep the Oilers alive.
He reached -150 after he scored twice in Game 5. Despite not putting up numbers in either category in Game 6, McDavid is now -3,000 to win MVP heading into Game 7.
No rush
Bettors aren’t rushing to get in on that action. Fanatics, which has McDavid at -35,00 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, said he’s received the fifth-most bets since Game 6 ended.
ESPN BET has seen 25% of the tickets but 49% of the money on McDavid.
Still, his winning the award isn’t going to crush sportsbooks since few bettors were likely looking to get in on his massively plus odds after Florida went up 3-0 on June 13.
BetMGM said it has a bigger liability on Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who’s received the second-highest handle behind McDavid at 28%.
Another big move for BetMGM was Florida center Aleksander Barkov dropping from +3,000 at open to +1,400.
ESPN BET had Bobrovsky at -500 following Game 4. The Florida star heads into Game 7 at +10,000 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
