The Edmonton Oilers enter the Stanley Cup Final as slight favorites to break the 32-year drought without a Canadian championship, and most bettors in North America are confident they will succeed.
According to the betting lines, the Oilers have a slight edge with -125 to win the Stanley Cup over the Florida Panthers. Initially, the bets opened with -110 for both teams, but strong betting activity pushed the Oilers up to -130 before settling at the current number.If the lines hold, Edmonton will match the Vegas Golden Knights, who defeated the Panthers in 2023, as the longest favorites at the start of the Stanley Cup Final since 2007, according to historical betting data.
“These teams match up very well, and we could be looking at a ‘pick ’em’ on neutral ground. Edmonton has been very strong at home during the playoffs, so hosting games 1 and 2, and a game 7 if necessary, explains their slight advantage entering the series.”
Adrian Horton, North American sports trading director.
The betting public has supported the Oilers throughout the season in the futures market, and that has continued in the championship series. Including the eliminated teams, Edmonton attracted 22.5% of the bets and 18.5% of the total wagered to win the Stanley Cup; when narrowed down to open bets only, the Oilers have a 67% advantage in bets and 60.4% in money over the Panthers.
BetMGM and FanDuel note that Edmonton has the most bets and the most money wagered specifically for series bets, with the latter noting that the most popular selection in the Series Correct Score market is Oilers 4-2. The former says that its betting activity in Ontario, Canada, is largely in line with the rest of the continent, as Edmonton has 58% of the bets and 52% of the money there.“BetMGM is backing the Panthers in a Stanley Cup final rematch. The Oilers have been a losing result for us all season.”
Matthew Rasp, sports betting operator at BetMGM.
Of course, the only jurisdiction where bettors support the Panthers is Florida. Hard Rock Bet, the state’s only sports betting operator, reports that 64% of bets back the home team, compared to 34% in all other states where the sportsbook operates. For Game 1 specifically, that number rises to 70% of bets and 77% of the total wagered in favor of the Cats.
In betting, 42% of the bets and 56.3% of the total wagered support the Panthers’ money line (currently +100) for Game 1, while 40.8% of the bets and 85.2% of the total wagered are on the Oilers’ puck line of -1.5 (+190).In its Ontario counterpart, over 65% of the money is backing Edmonton to win and over 71% is backing the Oilers to cover the spread.
