Legal sportsbooks across the US are making the NHL’s Boston Bruins heavy favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year.
That’s because the Bruins completed a four-game sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL Eastern Conference Finals last week. A 4-0 win in Game 4 on Thursday was the final blow.
Now, Boston has moved on to the Stanley Cup Finals. There they await the winner of the ongoing Western Conference Finals between the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues.
The Blues hold a 3-2 series lead. St. Louis won a pivotal Game 5 by a score of 5-0 in San Jose on Sunday.
Now, St. Louis will have a chance to move on its first Stanley Cup Finals series in almost 50 years with a win at home in Game 6 on Tuesday, May 21.
The NHL Futures market
In the meantime, you can bet on any one of the three teams still in the hunt to win the Stanley Cup through the NHL Futures market. Considering history and the current state of things, sportsbooks in Nevada and the seven states with legal sports betting since a federal ban was lifted one year ago have made Boston the big favorites.
Here’s a look at the odds at Kambi powered sportsbooks including DraftKings Sportsbook and 888 Sport online in New Jersey and retail sportsbooks at Parx, SugarHouse, and Rivers casinos in Pennsylvania. Plus, online NJ sports betting competitors FanDuel Sportsbook and Golden Nugget Sports.
| Stanley Cup Champions | Kambi | FanDuel Sportsbook | Golden Nugget Sports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | -152 | -165 | -150 |
| St. Louis Blues | +195 | +200 | +200 |
| San Jose Sharks | +680 | +600 | +600 |
As you can see, the Bruins are the moneyline favorites to win the Stanley Cup across the board. Of course, those odds are sure to change once a Stanley Cup Finals opponent is set. However, it appears likely Boston will be the favorite to win it all from here on out.
Of course, you can also pick a series winner between the Blues and Sharks in advance of the Stanley Cup Finals. Here’s how the series odds look heading into Game 6 Tuesday with the Blues up 3-2:
| Western Conference | Kambi | FanDuel Sportsbook | Golden Nugget Sports |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Blues | -385 | -380 | -365 |
| San Jose Sharks | +300 | +280 | +285 |
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Those odds will certainly change if San Jose can force a Game 7 at home.
But even if they do, you’ll find similar odds posted at sportsbooks in Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico.
The slight difference in the prices only highlights the need to shop around once you’ve settled on a side, no matter what state you’re in.
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The golden age of Boston sports
Remember, a Bruins win in the Stanley Cup Finals will give Boston the championship in three of the four major US sports leagues. The Red Sox are defending World Series champions and the New England Patriots are reigning Super Bowl champions.
The Boston Celtics lost in the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals this year. Therefore, Boston has no shot at all four major sports titles.
The Bruins last won the Stanley Cup in 2011. The Sharks have never won it and have only advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals once. They lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.
The Blues are the oldest active team in the NHL never to win the Stanley Cup. It has been 48 years since St. Louis advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for three straight years in 1968, 1969, and 1970.
