Looking to bet on the Stanley Cup but no sure where to start? Luckily for you, our experts at MansionBet have done all the work for you. We have ranked the top NHL sportsbooks based on our detailed evaluation process and years of experience.
Stanley Cup Betting: Odds to Win the Stanley Cup & Top Sportsbooks
Stanley Cup Odds 2024/24
When choosing between Stanley Cup betting sites, odds to win the Stanley Cup can be a huge factor. Odds will vary between sportsbooks, so shopping for the best Stanley Cup odds is a great strategy to maximize your potential payout. Here are this year’s odds to win the Stanley Cup as things currently stand.
Stanley Cup Playoff Format Explained
The NHL consist of 32 teams total separated into two conferences of 16 teams – the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference is separated into two divisions – the Eastern Conference has the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions – the Western conference has the Central and Pacific divisions.
After 82 regular season games, the top three teams from each division will advance to the playoffs. In addition, two wild card teams from each conference will advance, creating a total of eight best of seven series in round one. The second and third place teams in each division will square off, while the number one seeded teams will play the wild card teams.
In total, there are 15 best of seven series and a team must win four straight to hoist the Stanley Cup. For home ice advantage, the NHL operates by the 2-2-1-1-1 format. The higher seeded team in each series will host games 1,2,5 and 7.
It is important to note that overtime rules are completely revamped for the NHL playoffs. In the regular season, teams play 3-on-3 hocky for five minutes before the game is decided by a shootout. Both the shootout and the 3-on-3 aspect are removed for playoff Hockey. Teams play 20 minutes periods of 5-on-5 hockey until one finds the back of the net.
How to Bet on the Stanley Cup - Checklist
If you are new to sports betting or looking to bet on the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time, then you have come to the right place. Our experts at Mansion Bet have created a step-by-step process for you to follow to find a sportsbook and place your first wager.
- Read our list of best Stanley Cup betting sites and choose the site that best suits you.
- Checkout our page of the best sportsbook bonuses and see what signup bonuses your sportsbook offers.
- Click on the link provided on our website and follow the instructions provided to create an account.
- Make a deposit.
- Check if your sportsbook is offering any wagering promotions worth taking advantage of.
- Place your first NHL wager!
Best Stanley Cup Betting Sites
Our experts here at MansionBet have taken the time to evaluate the best Stanley Cup betting sites. Let’s take a closer look at what we like and what can be improved on these sportsbooks.
Sports Interaction
Sports Interaction is a Canadian betting staple that has been alongside the country’s top sportsbooks for years. Being from Canada, the options to bet on the Stanley Cup playoffs are excellent.
👍 What we like:
- Plenty of futures
- Newly introduced mobile app
👎 What can be improved:
- Limited Payment methods
- Limited player prop market
Betway
One of the top sportsbooks in Canada and worldwide, Betway has solid bonuses but lacks in Stanley cup Futures odds.
👍 What we like:
- Bet Builder
- Outright futures for each NHL playoff series
👎 What can be improved:
- Option to wager on the outright Stanley Cup winner
- Accessibility to customer support
- More than just basic payment options
Bet99
One of the newest and most promising sportsbooks to burst onto the scene, Bet99 has partnered with NHL superstar Austin Matthews, so it comes as no surprise that they have a solid selection for wagering on the Stanley Cup playoffs.
👍 What we like:
- Plenty of futures
- Plenty of player props
👎 What can be improved:
- No mobile app
888Sport
A prominent Canadian sportsbook for years, 888sport has excellent features but a lack of futures for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
👍 What we like:
- Bet Builder
- Player props
- Plenty of bonuses and promotions
- Most recent and most popular bets for each market
👎 What can be improved:
- Slow payout speed
- Futures only available for current series
Bodog
A well know and trusted Canadian brand, Bodog has an excellent Stanley Cup betting selection but offers less competitive odds for favourites.
👍 What we like:
- Prop builder/name your bet
- Plenty of futures including awards and the NHL draft
- Plenty of player props
👎 What can be improved:
- High prices on favourites
- Lack of promotions
Betsafe
Betsafe is a solid sportsbook with lots of exciting features and a great selection for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
👍 What we like:
- Single game parlays
- Solid futures selection
- Solid player props
- Pre-build bets
👎 What can be improved:
- No phone line
- Quick welcome bonus expiry
LeoVegas
A sportsbook that has grown into a top competitor in recent years, LeoVagas has a solid NHL playoff betting market, but is much easier to navigate on their mobile app.
👍 What we like:
- Bet Builder
- Solid futures selection
- Solid player props
👎 What can be improved:
- No phone line
- Confusing website interface
Most Popular Stanley Cup Wagers
You may know that you want to bet on the Stanley Cup but with so many options available to you, deciding what you want to wager on isn’t the easiest task. To make things simple for you, we have explained each of the most popular forms of betting for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Moneyline
A moneyline wager is the simplest form of Stanley Cup betting you will find. You are just choosing which team you believe will win the game. Odds will be given to determine your overall payout with a minus sign (-) representing the favourite and a plus sign (+) representing the underdog.
If a team is a -120 favourite, you will need to place a $12 wager to receive a $10 profit. If a team is a +120 underdog you will make a $12 profit if you place a $10 wager.
Point Spread
Hockey’s version of the point spread is referred to as the puckline. This is used to even the playing field between teams of different skill and give the underdog a greater chance to win.
In Hockey, all point spread lines are set at -1.5/+1.5 meaning the favourite must win by 2 goals or more and the underdog must either lose by one goal or win the game. If the game goes to overtime, the underdog will automatically win since a goal differential of one is guaranteed.
Total Points (Over/Under)
Oddsmakers set a fair total that they believe both sides will combine to score in the match in the hopes of creating a 50/50 wager on the true total to be higher or lower than this number.
Totals are often given as decimal numbers (5.5, 6.5, etc.) to prevent a push from occurring, ensuring both a winner and a loser. At a total of 6.5, 6 goals or lower would result in a win if you bet the under, and 7 goals or higher would result in a win if you bet the over.
Prop Bets
The best betting sites offer proposition bets, separate from the traditional total, moneyline, and point spread wagers. These are wagers that do not involve the final score or outcome of a game.
Some common Stanley Cup betting props include a specific player to score a goal (Connor McDavid anytime goal scorer), a team/ player to record a specific number of shots on goal (Austin Matthews over/under 4.5 shots on goal), and a goaltender to record a specific number of saves (Marc-Andre Fleury over/under 27.5 saves).
Future Bets
These wagers are like long term investments. Top sportsbooks provide the option to place wagers on events that will not be decided in the span of one game. Some examples of future bets for Stanley Cup betting include which of the two teams will win the series, a team to make the Stanley Cup finals, Stanley Cup Finals MVP, etc.
Parlay Betting
A parlay bet is when two or more wagers are combined onto one bet slip. All bets included in the parlay wager must win in order to receive a payout.
Parlaying events increases your potential payout, but also increases the overall risk of your wager. Top sportsbooks will provide a same game parlay option allowing you to combine multiple wagers from the same NHL playoff game into one bet slip.
Some event will not be able to be parlayed together so make sure to double check your bet slip before confirming the wager. Parlays are also not limited to the same sport, so you can combine an NHL playoff bet with a bet from any other sport your sportsbook provides.
Live Betting on the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Live betting on the Stanley Cup playoffs is a great way to increase the excitement of the event either at the game or from the comfort of your own living room.
Since live betting odds change quickly and are updated based on events that occur during the game, the best way to take advantage of this is by downloading the sportsbooks app. Everything will update in real time and you can cash out of wagers on the go.
Live betting can be a great way to take advantage of scoring that has altered the odds. If a team you believe will win goes down 1-0 early but this does not affect how confident you are in them winning the game, this is a great time to place a live wager and receive more favourable odds.
Live odds are updated for almost everything including the moneyline, the puckline, totals, and player props. A common live bet you can place is the who will be the next goal scorer in the game.
Who Will Win the Stanley Cup in 2024?
Sports Interaction lists the Boston Bruins (+266), the Carolina Hurricanes (+834), and the Colorado Avalanche (+845) as the top three teams to win the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Betway lists the same three teams in order but at slightly different Stanley Cup odds with the Bruins at +250, the Hurricanes at +700, and the Avalanche at +850.
The Bruins are the clear favourite with a +568 gap on Sports Interaction and a +600 gap on Betway between them and the second most likely team to win. David Pasternak is widely viewed as the second most valuable player this season ranking second behind only Connor McDavid in NHL MVP odds.
Goaltender Linus Ullmark is the clear favourite to win the Vezina Trophy, while both Pasternak and Ullmark lead the Conn Smythe Trophy odds for the NHL playoff MVP. Not only did the Bruins have 13 more wins than any other team in the regular season, but veterans Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Krejci make the team a force to be reconned with in the postseason year in and year out.
The Carolina Hurricanes come into the playoffs with the second highest odds to win the Stanley Cup. The second-best team in regular season standings has gotten excellent performances out of all three of their goalies, with Antti Raanta, Fredrik Anderson, and Pyotr Kochetkov all ranking in the top 12 in goals against average. They are led by young centerman Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho and anchored by veteran defenceman Brent Burns who was acquired this past offseason.
The 2021-2022 champion Colorado Avalanche come in with the third best NHL Stanley Cup odds. Both Nathan Mackinnon and Mikko Rantanan eclipsed the 100-point mark for the first time in each of their careers, while 23 year old Cal Makar is widely regarded as the top defenceman in the league. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has performed well in his first season with the Avalanche, ranking eighth league wide with a 0.919 save percentage.
Stanley Cup Betting Bonuses
For large sporting event such as the Stanley Cup, top sportsbooks like to offer special bonuses and promotions to encourage new bettors to place wagers on their website. This can include more lucrative welcome offers, odds boosts, and free bets.
Stanley Cup betting bonuses can be difficult to find, and are sometimes only advertised to existing customers, so opening multiple accounts to be able view and take advantage of all these offers is a great strategy. On the other hand, welcome bonuses can only be obtained once per sportsbook, so make sure to only activate the best bonuses.
Here are some top promotions for this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
Previous Stanley Cup Winners and Statistics
Statistics and trends and betting are everything when looking to give yourself a small edge in wagers that involve a great deal of luck. Let’s take a look and the past Stanley Cup winner over the past decade and dive deeper in some important statistics you need to keep in mind.
Year | Winner |
2022 | Colorado Avalanche |
2021 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
2020 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
2019 | St. Louis Blues |
2018 | Washington Capitals |
2017 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
2016 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
2015 | Chicago Blackhawks |
2014 | Los Angeles Kings |
2013 | Chicago Blackhawks |
Statistics to Keep in Mind
- A Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup Finals since the Montreal Canadians back in 1993 (three of the seven teams are in the 2023 playoffs).
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have the sixth highest odds to win the Stanley Cup, but hold the record for longest active Stanley Cup drought in the NHL at 56 years – having last won in 1967.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have the longest playoff series win drought at 17 seasons
- Other playoff series win drought from teams competing in the 2023 playoffs include the New Jersey Devils (10 seasons), the Los Angeles Kings (8 seasons), and the Minnesota Wild (7 seasons).
- Four teams in this year’s playoffs have yet to win the Stanley Cup (Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Nights, Winnipeg Jets).
- Eight different teams have won over the past 14 seasons.
- Two teams have won consecutive championships since 2016 (Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning)
2024 Stanley Cup Information
For all the important information you need to know regarding playoff formatting, dates, and streaming, please refer to this section throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.
First Round: April 17th – May 1st
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins (1) vs Florida Panthers (WC2)
Toronto Maple Leafs (2) vs Tampa Bay Lightning (3)
Carolina Hurricanes (1) vs New York Islanders (WC1)
New Jersey Devils (2) vs New York Rangers (3)
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Nights (1) vs Winnipeg Jets (WC2)
Edmonton Oilers (2) vs Los Angeles Kings (3)
Colorado Avalanche (1) vs Seattle Kraken (WC1)
Dallas Stars (2) vs Minnesota Wild (3)
Second Round: TBD
Quarter final 1 – Winner of Bruins / Panthers vs. Winner of Leafs / Lightning
Quarter Final 2 – Winner of Hurricanes / Islanders vs. Winner of Devils / Rangers
Quarter Final 3 – Winner of Nights / Jets vs. Winner of Oilers /Kings
Quarter Final 4 – Winner of Avalanche / Kraken vs. Winner of Stars / Wild
Conference Championship: TBD
Semi Final 1 - Last two teams remaining in the Eastern Conference
Semi Final 2 - Last two teams remaining in the Western Conference
Stanley Cup Finals: June 8th – 18th 8:00 pm Eastern
Eastern Conference Champion vs Western Conference Champion
Where to watch:
🍁 Canada – Sportsnet, TSN, and CBC
🗽 USA - ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT and TBS
Stanley Cup Betting FAQs
When do the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin?
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on April 17th with the finals taking place from June 8th – 18th
Where can I watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
In Canada you can watch on Sportsnet, TSN, and CBC. In the United States you can watch on ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT and TBS.
Who is the favourite to win the Stanley Cup in 2023?
The Boston Bruins are heavy favourites to win the Stanley Cup Finals.
Where can I bet on the Stanley Cup?
Checkout of list of the top Stanley Cup betting websites and go through the pros and cons before deciding where you should bet on the Stanley Cup finals.
What is the format for the NHL playoffs?
The postseason consists of a 16-team playoff of 15 total best of seven series. You are required to win four series to be crowned the Stanley Cup Champion.
Conclusion
The Stanley Cup is one of the top sporting events in Canada with numerous promotions available. The NHL has one of the longest postseasons of any sport, ranging over three sperate months, so you will have an extended period to take advantage of bonuses and odds boosts.
All the sportsbooks we mentioned offer Stanley Cup live betting, which is a market that has exploded over the past few years and given Hockey fans more opportunities to wager than ever before. You can wager on almost everything imaginable including player props, future bets, and same game parlays.
If you are looking to increase the excitement of the Stanley Cup playoffs, signing up for one of our top sportsbooks is a great place to start.
- Canadian Betting Sites
- NHL Betting Sites
- Stanley Cup Betting