The Stanley Cup Final starts on Wednesday, but it’s never too late to get a jump on series prop bets. The Colorado Avalanche are playing for their first Cup since 2001, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are going for their third consecutive title. This betting guide will give insight into some of the best value plays for prop bets throughout the series.
Game 1 Series Double: Avs to Win Game 1 and Series
The Avalanche have won Game 1 in each of their three playoff series this season, and they’ve done so in convincing fashion. In those three Game 1s, Colorado has scored 18 goals and has outshot their opponents by a combined total of 146-87. On the other side, the Lightning are only 1-2 in Game 1s this postseason, getting outscored 11-2 in the losses. Their lone win was Tampa’s 4-1 victory in Game 1 of the Lightning’s sweep of the Florida Panthers in the second round.
Colorado looks good to win the first game and is a heavy favorite to win the whole thing. Getting better than even money for them to win both (+105) is a great play. There is a lot of value in combining these two with Colorado’s recent success in series openers, especially with the Avs’ odds to bet the outright winner continuing to plummet.
Correct Series Result: Avalanche 4-2 (+375) or Lightning 4-3 (+650)
Colorado swept its opponents in the first and third rounds, and Tampa Bay swept through the second round. Despite that, this looks like a series that could go pretty deep. Both teams match up well, and both have been pretty resilient all season. Colorado has been great on the road this season, is the favorite going in, and is getting fantastic odds (+375) to win in six games.
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However, if the Lightning get to a Game 7, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will make a difference. His recent history in clinching games is well known, and that is a major advantage if they get to a Game 7. While Colorado’s odds to win in six are good, Tampa’s number to win in seven games (+650) is fantastic. This might be wishful thinking since nearly every fan wants to see a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final, but the Lightning have the edge if it gets that far.
Series Winner: Avalanche (-190)
There’s pretty good value on both teams for this one, but Colorado’s odds lost a lot of value after the Avs swept through the Edmonton Oilers to win the Western Conference. This was a bet that hopefully many bettors placed before this point in the playoffs, but here we are. The Avalanche won both regular-season meetings between the teams, and both were one-goal games. They’re rocking through the playoffs, too, having lost just two of their 14 games this postseason.
Colorado’s the favorite, but few that have watched the playoffs the past couple of seasons would be surprised if the Lightning lift the Cup again. They have value here, too, as Tampa’s money line (+155) is pretty good for a team that’s won the last two titles. However, Colorado looks like the best bet to hoist the Cup for the first time in more than two decades.
Odds via BetMGM
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