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Stanley Cup Betting Guide

The Stanley Cup is the biggest date on the annual calendar for NHL hockey fans, with 26 million Canadian viewers alone tuning in to watch the best-of-seven 2021 series that saw Tampa Bay Lightning win.

To get ready for the next event, this guide will show you exactly how Stanley Cup betting works, the best betting sites to place a wager and the most popular bets to take.

Best Stanley Cup Betting Sites in 2024

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Canada’s top sportsbook
1
4.5 /5
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4.3 /5
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4.1 /5
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4.2 /5
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3.8 /5
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3.9 /5
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3.8 /5
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3.9 /5
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3.9 /5
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An Introduction to the Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is the annual championship decider in the NHL (National Hockey League). It was first presented in 1893 and is now the biggest club prize in the sport.

  • Stanley Cup - Fact 1

    The NHL contains 31 teams, seven of which are based in Canada

  • Stanley Cup - Fact 2

    The teams are split between two conferences, Western and Eastern, with two divisions in each

  • Stanley Cup - Fact 3

    Each team plays 82 games in the regular season

  • Stanley Cup - Fact 4

    A total of 16 teams qualify for the playoffs, eight from each conference

  • Stanley Cup - Fact 5

    The top three from each division advance, along with two wild cards from each conference

  • Stanley Cup - Fact 6

    There follows a series of best-of-seven elimination matches to decide the champion of each conference

  • Stanley Cup - Fact 7

    Those champions then face each other in a best-of-seven series to find out who takes home the Stanley Cup itself

How Stanley Cup Odds Work

All top hockey betting sites will offer their customers many different types of bets and ways to wager on the Stanley Cup.

To illustrate how odds work, we’ve picked out the most popular and easiest market to bet on: who will win the Stanley Cup?

Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
1.7
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
2.2

So, if you bet C$10 on the Penguins, who are favourites with their lower odds, you stand to win C$17. While, for a C$10 bet on the Red Wings, who are underdogs, you could win C$22.

Odds at sportsbooks can also be displayed in other ways, such as fractional and American odds, so you can choose between them. Play around with our Stanley Cup odds calculator below:

Popular Stanley Cup Betting Options

Match Bets

  • Cup winner

    Cup winner

    No handicaps, no complicated calculations, just a simple choice. Who do you predict is going to be this year’s best in hockey?

    Eg:
    Los Angeles
    Kings
    1.6
    Los Angeles Kings
    New Jersey
    Devils
    2.5
    New Jersey Devils
  • Total goals – over/under

    Total goals – over/under

    This bet is for how many goals you think will be scored between the two teams in a game. Either more (over) or fewer (under) than a certain amount the sportsbook has set, eg 5.5.

    Eg:
    Under
    5.5
    1.90
    Over
    5.5
    1.90
  • Puck line bets

    Puck line bets

    Unique to hockey, this is a points spread or handicap bet. For example, if the sportsbook gives one team a 1.5-point advantage, the favourite must win by two or more goals.

    Eg:
    Vancouver
    Canucks
    +1.5
    1.90
    Vancouver Canucks
    Boston
    Bruins
    -1.5
    1.90
    Boston Bruins
  • Correct score bets

    Correct score bets

    A more testing challenge, but all top sportsbooks offer odds on the exact scoreline of the game. For example a 4-3 win for the Edmonton Oilers at 11.0.

    Eg: Edmonton Oilers to
    win 4-3
    11.0
    Edmonton Oilers
  • First scorer bets

    First scorer bets

    Who will be the first to find the net? If you know one player always enjoys a fast start, he’s the man to back.

    Eg: Colin Miller
    5.0
    Colin Miller

Future bets

  • To win the division

    To win the division

    When you have a strong feeling that your team can top their division this year, you’ll be able to back your hunch well in advance.

    Eg: To win the Atlantic Division:
    Montreal Canadiens
    4.5
    Montreal Canadiens
  • To win the conference

    To win the conference

    An even bolder option is to decide who you think will take their conference. Betting earlier in the season should ensure longer odds.

    Eg: To win the Eastern Conference:
    Ottawa Senators
    16.0
    Ottawa Senators
  • To win the Stanley Cup

    To win the Stanley Cup

    Even before the season has started, you’ll be able to wager on your fancy to lift the Cup several months away.

    Eg: Toronto Maple Leafs
    26.0
    Toronto Maple Leafs

What is Stanley Cup Live Betting?

  • All top sportsbooks offer in-play betting, where you can bet during a live game
  • The odds will fluctuate according to the play
  • You will be able to bet on many markets, including ‘next scorer’ and ‘winner of the match’
  • Betting on a comeback can often lead to more lucrative odds
  • Live Stanley Cup betting hockey often increases the excitement of watching a game
Stanley Cup Live

Stanley Cup Timeline

Lord Stanley, the Governor General of Canada, donates a trophy that is won by Montreal Hockey Club

1893

Professional teams are allowed to challenge for the Cup for the first time

1906

Seattle Metropolitans are the first American team to lift the trophy. The NHL is founded, and nine years later it takes full control of the Stanley Cup

1917

The Cup is cancelled after five games because of the flu epidemic

1919

The number of teams in the NHL is reduced to half a dozen, known as the Original Six

1943

Detroit Red Wings beat Montreal Canadiens in overtime of the seventh game of the final

1954

Six teams are added to the league, doubling it in size

1967

For the first time, no Canadian team qualifies for the post-season

1970

Montreal Canadiens, inspired by Ken Dryden, beat Chicago Black Hawks 4-3 to triumph

1971

Wayne Gretzky scores 11 goals in seven games as Edmonton Oilers beat Philadelphia Flyers

1987

Montreal Canadiens beat LA Kings 4-1 to take their record 24th Stanley Cup

1993

No Stanley Cup is awarded as the NHL season is cancelled because of a row over salary structure

2005

Boston Bruins beat Vancouver Canucks in the seventh game of a fiercely-contested final

2011

Recent Stanley Cup winners

  • 2018
    Washington Capitals
    Washington
    Capitals
  • 2017
    Pittsburg Penguins
    Pittsburgh
    Penguins
  • 2016
    Pittsburg Penguins
    Pittsburgh
    Penguins
  • 2015
    Chicago Blackhawks
    Chicago
    Blackhawks
  • 2014
    Los ANgeles Kings
    Los Angeles
    Kings
  • 2013
    Chicago Blackhawks
    Chicago
    Blackhawks
  • 2012
    Los Angeles Kings
    Los Angeles
    Kings
  • 2011
    Boston Bruins
    Boston
    Bruins
  • 2010
    Chicago Blackhawks
    Chicago
    Blackhawks
  • 2009
    Pittsburg Penguins
    Pittsburgh
    Penguins

Conclusion

Hockey fans in the United States and Canada look forward all year to the Stanley Cup. With its long and eventful history, it is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar.

For hockey bettors, it offers a large number of ways to speculate on the action. Now that most people in Canada own a smartphone, and with sportsbooks offering customer-friendly ways to bet, it’s never been easier to wager on the action.

For more details about betting on the hockey in Canada, check out our home page.

Conclusion

FAQs

What is the Stanley Cup?

The annual championship finale of the NHL, played between the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences across a best-of-seven games series.

What are the most popular Stanley Cup bets?
What are the best Stanley Cup betting sites?
Can I bet on the Stanley Cup on mobile?