Huge Variations in 2020 Stanley Cup Odds Demonstrate Importance of Price Shopping; Senators Range from 100/1 to 300/1
- Most online sportsbooks have released early odds to win the 2020 Stanley Cup
- The odds for several teams differ significantly from site to site, meaning bettors need to price shop before wagering
- See which sites have the best payouts for which teams
After the St. Louis Blues captured their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, all odds-making eyes turned to the 2019-20 NHL season.
As the offseason progresses, all manner of prop bets will pop up at online sportsbooks. But one prop that’s already posted at most sites is the biggie: who’s going to win the 2020 Stanley Cup.
The big books are aligned on which team is the favorite (Tampa Bay) and which team has absolutely no shot (Ottawa). But the odds across the sportsbooks vary widely for several teams, including the Lightning and Senators. The table below shows where bettors can find the best odds for the teams with the widest ranges, and it indirectly shows the importance of shopping around when making any bet.
The best payout is highlighted in bold.
Best 2020 Stanley Cup Odds
| Team | Odds at Sportsbook 1 | Odds at Sportsbook 2 | Odds at Sportsbook 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Sabres | +6600 | +3300 | +6600 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | +3000 | +2500 | +3500 |
| Dallas Stars | +2200 | +2800 | +2000 |
| LA Kings | +8000 | +5000 | +8000 |
| Minnesota Wild | +3300 | +5000 | +4500 |
| New Jersey Devils | +8000 | +5000 | +7500 |
| New York Rangers | +6500 | +4000 | +6600 |
| Ottawa Senators | +25000 | +10000 | +30000 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +675 | +800 | +700 |
| Washington Capitals | +2000 | +1600 | +1800 |
*Odds as of June 17, 2019. Follow links in the table to see odds for all 31 teams.
Longshots Can Win in the NHL, So Price-Shopping Is a Must!
Sportsbooks took losses in each of the last two Stanley Cup finals because both featured massive longshots that a disproportionate number of bettors had backed at long odds.
In 2018, the Vegas Golden Knights reached the finals with many bettors holding tickets as high as 500/1. The Golden Knights didn’t ultimately hoist the Cup in their expansion season, but bookmakers had to protect against potential losses by giving the Capitals longer-than-reasonable odds in the finals.
This year, the Blues were as long as 70/1 midway through the season, and they entered the playoffs as the biggest liability for many sportsbooks, both online and brick-and-mortar.
Game 4 of the #StanleyCup Final is on tap, and @Covers_Vegas is inside #TheBook at @TheLINQ with a video action report. @CaesarsPalace sportsbooks’ Jeff Davis and Matt Lindeman say book is a loser to Boston tonight, but huge Blues futures liability has Caesars rooting for Bruins. pic.twitter.com/qeLbb3opRo
— Covers (@Covers) June 3, 2019
The NHL is a league of parity, particularly once the postseason begins. The four top seeds all lost in the first round this year, and the Blue Jackets’ sweep of Tampa Bay was the only one that really shocked people.
In total, the lower-seeded team won 8 of 15 series in 2019. The previous two playoffs were chalkier, but recent history is still a solid indication that longshots can overcome the odds in this league.
As the offseason progresses, SBD’s NHL analysts will weigh in on where we feel the value lies. This is merely an important reminder that prices can and do vary widely in the Stanley Cup futures market. Don’t put any money down without comparing the odds at different sites.
The Senators are not going to win the Stanley Cup. There’s a very good reason — nay, there are 23 very good reasons — why they are listed at +21700 (on average) and no other team is longer than +7500 (Detroit).
But if, somehow, they pulled off a Vegas-esque run in 2020, bettors who wager at sportsbook 3 stand to make 200% more than bettors who wager at other sites. A $100 futures bet at 300/1 pays $30,000. A $100 bet at 100/1 pays $10,000. That’s worth opening a second (or third, or fourth) account.
The differences for several other teams — teams that have a real chance to make a run — are sizable, as well, if not quite so drastic.
Betting on the Devils at sportsbook 1 will potentially payout 38% more. Betting on Dallas at sportsbook 2 will return as much as 30% more.
Quick reminder: Dallas just pushed the Stanley Cup-champion Blues to seven games in the second round of the playoffs. Don’t forego an extra $800 (on a $100 bet) because you don’t want to fill out another sign-up sheet.
Sascha was a hockey player in his youth, a lawyer in his capricious mid-20s, and has been with SBD since 2014. He specializes in football, basketball, politics, baseball, and hockey.
