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What Is the ‘Stanley Cup’ in Sports Betting?

what-is-the-stanley-cup-in-betting

In sports betting, the “Stanley Cup” refers to the National Hockey League (NHL) championship. When you bet on the Stanley Cup, you are wagering on the outcome of the NHL playoffs, most commonly through a futures bet or by betting on the final championship series.

Below you’ll find some of the popular bets made for the Stanley Cup.

1. Stanley Cup Futures Bet

This is the most common meaning. A futures bet is a long-term wager placed on an outcome that won’t be decided until a later date.

  • What it is: A bet on which team will win the Stanley Cup.
  • When you bet: These odds are available almost year-round. You can bet on a team:
    • Before the regular season starts.
    • During the 82-game regular season (odds will change based on team performance).
    • During the Stanley Cup Playoffs (odds will shorten as a team advances).
  • Example: In October, you bet $100 on the Dallas Stars at +900 odds to win the Stanley Cup. If the Stars win the championship in June, you would win $900.

2. Stanley Cup Final Betting

This refers to betting on the best-of-seven championship series itself, which is played between the winners of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference.

This opens up many different betting markets:

  • Series Winner: A straightforward bet on which of the two remaining teams will win the championship series.
  • Individual Game Bets: For each game (Game 1, Game 2, etc.) of the Final, you can place standard bets:
    • Moneyline: Who will win the game.
    • Puck Line (Spread): A bet on the margin of victory, usually set at +/- 1.5 goals.
    • Total (Over/Under): A bet on the combined number of goals scored by both teams.

3. Stanley Cup Playoff Props

During the playoffs and the Final, sportsbooks offer a wide range of “proposition bets,” or prop bets, related to the championship.

  • Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: A popular bet on which player will be named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the playoffs.
  • Series Correct Score: Predicting the exact final outcome of the series (e.g., “Panthers to win 4-2”).
  • Total Games in Series: Betting on whether the series will end in 4, 5, 6, or 7 games.
  • Team to Reach the Final: A futures bet on a team to simply win their conference and play in the Stanley Cup Final, regardless of whether they win the trophy.