Hockey bettors are setting their sights on the futures bets around the Stanley Cup. The most common and popular bet would be futures bet on the outright winner of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup. But that is not where NHL Playoff betting stops. We will provide Stanley Cup picks as well as picks for the fun bets that surround the tournament.
Check out our free expert NHL Stanley Cup and Playoff picks. We put our time and research into our betting strategy. Make sure you have one too, so you can incorporate our advice into a successful hockey wagering portfolio.
This is the granddaddy of Stanley Cup betting. Deciding who will come out on top after a new year with a reworked league is no easy feat. In this case, it is best to go with the favorite.
That is mainly because we think the Avalanche are actually undervalued right now. Even though they are the relative favorites, they are still the underdogs against the field. This means that the betting markets are still giving you a great profit margin on this futures bet.
For example, if you place one hundred bucks on the Avalanche to win with Bovada, and they do, you will end up with $400 in profit. That is not so bad for the most likely outcome.
They are relatively undervalued because the second most likely team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, are currently overvalued. As last year’s winners, bettors tend to inflate their odds of winning the Stanley Cup. This means there is a pretty big gap between the Avalanche and any of their other competitors.
Do not be fooled by their recent loss against the St. Louis Blues. The Avalanche are simply looking ahead to the playoffs.
Division Winners
In addition to betting on the winner of the Stanley Cup, you can also bet on who will win each division. Remember, the divisions have been rearranged this year to accommodate COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Carolina Hurricanes to Win the Central Division
The best NHL bet within for division winners is in the Central Division. The east Division, for example, is an impossibly tough split between betting on the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Washington Capitals.
In the Central Division, we have an easier bet. Plus, the Canes have a surprisingly easy schedule awaiting them, making their chances even better than the hockey betting lines might suggest.
That is key to all of our picks. Not only do we find the hockey bets that are likely to come out, but we also find the ones that are undervalued. After all, we cannot eliminate all the risk, we can only make it worth it.
While the Hurricanes will not face the number two or three in the Central Division after this weekend, those two teams, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, will face each other seven times, making it nearly impossible for them to catch up.
This is a nearly sure-fire bet, and one to expand your NHL wagering experience into new and exciting betting options.
NHL Betting Sites
With these picks and analyses in hand, you are ready to sign up at your NHL betting sites. Check out this list of recommended sites. Also, remember that it is always a good idea to sign up at more than one. Why? Because you can compare lines, use bonus codes to get free bets, and sign up bonuses. There’s a lot to gain with this hockey betting strategy.
Chris Wassel is someone who has covered a little bit of everything: business, writing, sports, food, grilling, the Olympics, injuries, politics, and more. He has climbed mountains like Mount Washington and Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and for those who don’t know, he is also big into food challenges. With friends like Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has tackled eating feats like finishing a 16-pound turkey or a 32-inch meat lover's pizza.
Since 2013, he has focused on fitness, fishing, and sports while managing to fit in running, hiking, rock climbing, and even the occasional mini-triathlon. He can lift more than his body weight with ease and is the person you turn to when you want to know if a NASCAR rain delay means a Monday race.
Over his career, Chris has worked at places like Amazon, USA Today, and various rumors and fantasy sports sites. He has been nominated for awards such as the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hockey Writer of the Year and has a collection of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings on display at home. With all this, Chris sums it up best with his motto: "Shut up and play."