Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Guide: Series odds, futures and Conn Smythe favourites

Buckle up, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are here, and if the regular season was any indication, we’re in for a wild and chaotic ride.

And for what it’s worth, the betting scene should be no different.

Before you put some wagers down, using odds from the Bet365 Sportsbook, here’s an all-encompassing guide of everything you need to know regarding line prices.

All betting lines are as of Sunday, May 1st.

The Colorado Avalanche (+350) are the hunted.

Jared Bednar’s squad will open the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the prohibitive betting favourite to go all the way this season ahead of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida Panthers (+425).

Meantime, according to oddsmakers, the Calgary Flames (+750) represent Canada’s best shot at eradicating this nation’s 28-year Cup drought. In fact, the Flames boast the third-best odds of the 16 playoff teams.

Speaking of which, the last two Stanley Cups have been won by the Tampa Bay Lightning (+1100), who will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs (+1000) in the opening round. Of course, the Bolts are trying to become the first team in nearly 40 years to three-peat as league champs.

Following their epic collapse to the Arizona Coyotes on the final day of the regular season that saw them drop into the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference into a matchup with the mighty Avs, the Nashville Predators (+5500) are overwhelmingly priced as the biggest dogs.

Staying consistent with those numbers, Colorado (+130) and Florida (+210) are the odds-on favourites to come out of their respective Conferences. Furthermore, it should come as no surprise considering all eight teams hit the 100-point plateau this season that the East seems to be a bit more wide open.

Odds to win Eastern Conference:

Odds to win Western Conference:

In general, there are tons of untapped value to squeeze from the opening round with most of the series expected to be close ones. Good luck trying to handicap the Rangers (-115)/Penguins (-105) showdown; it opened as a pick’em, New York’s now a slight favourite. Meanwhile, that Nashville price (+475) is a hefty one, but it’s pretty much on par with who they’re playing (Colorado -650).

If you’re looking to get even more adventurous with your bets, you can try to call your shot by accurately picking both the winning team and the number of games played in a series. Obviously, there’s a bit more juice associated with that since it’s harder to pull off.

Best odds: Avalanche to win 4-1 (+210)

Best odds: Flames to win 4-1 (+260)

Best odds: Oilers to win 4-1 (+333)

Best odds: Wild to win 4-3 (+400)

Best odds: Panthers to win 4-1 (+260)

Best odds: Maple Leafs to win 4-3 (+425)

Best odds: Penguins to win 4-2 (+450) & Rangers to win 4-2 (+450)

Best odds: Hurricanes to win 4-3 (+425)

Andrei Vasilevskiy and Victor Hedman have won the past two Conn Smythe Trophies, who will take home playoff MVP honours this time around?

According to the DraftKings Sportsbook, Nathan MacKinnon has the best shot, which falls directly in line with Colorado being the Stanley Cup favourite. That said, considering a game hasn’t even been played yet, this is probably your best opportunity to go value hunting. For what it’s worth, there are lots of attractive prices available across the board.

Happy shopping!