St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (27) celebrates after scoring against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, March 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
There are still high hopes that the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs will be able to go off without a hitch. I certainly hope this is true because as many of you know, there is nothing greater than playoff hockey. Beyond the excitement and thrill found in seemingly every game, along with the ridiculous amount of OT, the NHL playoffs typically offer great value.
Especially when you compare them to other sports. In hockey the lower seeds always have a better chance of winning than they do in almost any other sport, especially basketball. A bet on a mid-tier team, or even a favorite, will often come with great odds and an opportunity to hedge your bet if you would like.
What many people love most is that there is value in the short odds. Take for instance the fact that the Boston Bruins made the finals last year, and have clearly been the best team all of this year, yet they are still being offered at a 6-1 odds. The top three NBA favorites are hardly offering half of that.
Heavy favorites are common in basketball and football, but in the NHL you very rarely see any team in the -300 range, and almost never any larger than -350. When it comes to the playoffs you may never see that heavy of a favorite. Even in the one vs eight series in the first round.
This allows you an opportunity to bet the favorite on the money line during individual games, which is something you probably wouldn’t do in basketball unless you are comfortable with laying massive numbers.
Just to give you a visual of what I’m talking about here; the ML odds for the number one seeds in the opening game of the 2019 NHL playoffs were Calgary Flames -190 and the Tampa Bay Lightning -220.
In the NBA the ML odds for the one seeds in the opening game were the Golden State Warriors -950 and the Milwaukee Bucks -750. Those are astronomically high when being compared.
Betting on hockey can be extremely profitable, yet it seems to be the least popular sport to bet on. Take advantage of this information during the 2020 NHL playoffs!
The problem everyone is facing right now is the uncertainty of when play will resume, and what the playoff format will look like. Will the teams get any regular season games in order to get their legs under them again or fight for final playoff spots?
If you are looking to place a bet on one of the longer shots, it might be a good idea to wait until more information is available on the NHL’s plans moving forward.
If you are planning to bet on one of the higher seeds, I suggest doing it now, as these current odds will be the most in your favor.
Playoff hockey is the most exciting thing to bet on in all of sports, and a vast majority of series are so evenly matched there is constant opportunity to get a great return on your money.
If you are looking to bet on the NHL playoffs but don’t know which team deserves your bet, I recommend you check out this article detailing the five playoff teams with the most betting value. (enter link to 5 Cup Contenders with Value article)
If the playoffs started today, the team with the longest odds would be the Winnipeg Jets and the Columbus Bluejackets who represent the seventh and eighth seed in their respective divisions, and are both offering a 55-1 payout.
Though those are great odds, it is unlikely either of those two teams make it past the first round. There are better teams who would be more worthy of your bet but are currently out of the playoff picture. Again, this shows the importance of knowing what the structure is going to look like once play resumes.
One small benefit in the stoppage of play is that all the teams will likely be on an even more level playing field. This will increase the chances for the lower seeds to make a deeper run into the playoffs.
You do not need to limit yourself to just one team either. If you believe the Colorado Avalanche (+850) are going to win it all, you should place that bet and ride it out.
But let’s say you also believe that the Calgary Flames (+3500) will be good enough to make it to the conference finals, but will ultimately lose to the Avalanche, you can make money on them multiple different ways.
You can bet potential matchups in the conference finals, or just simply bet the Flames to win it all, and cash out once they reach the conference finals.
Another option is to bet the winner of each series. This is one of my most favorite bets to place, and will keep you invested in the entire series without having to place money on each individual game.
Some of these lines may not be available at the moment, but trust me, you will be able to find them once books and line makers know what the future holds.
It should be a different and exciting experience compared to any other playoffs in NHL history. It may very well end up being the most bet on, and most heavily viewed playoffs in history as well.
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