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The Boston Bruins were the heavy favorites to secure hockey’s greatest prize when the Stanley Cup Playoffs kicked off following their historic season, and it was hard to imagine any teams were going to give them much trouble based on how they’d played up to that point.
However, anyone who’d bet on the boys and black and gold to win it all was handed an L after they were eliminated by the Panthers in the first round, which marked the start of an unlikely run that saw Florida make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before the Golden Knights coasted to the title in five games.
It was an impressive showing from a Las Vegas team that had staged an even more improbable run to the Finals before losing to the Capitals in their inaugural season in 2018. They also defied some pretty steep odds this season, as the franchise was listed at +2500 to win it all at the start of the 2022-23 campaign and was sitting at +1400 when the playoffs kicked off.
You’d think most sportsbooks would’ve adjusted their lines to attempt to ward off any losses they found themselves facing as the Golden Knights inched closer to a Stanley Cup win, but it appears there was only so much oddsmakers in Las Vegas and the rest of the state could do to prevent taking a hit courtesy of their hometown team.
According to The Los Angeles Times, the Nevada Gaming Control Board says sportsbooks in the state lost a grand total of $6.6 million on hockey bets in the month of June after gamblers threw down more than $320 million on the Stanley Cup Finals.
It’s unclear if that number accounts for futures bets placed before the Panthers and the Golden Knights kicked off their series, but if it was limited to wagers that were put down that month, it would mark an uncharacteristic misstep for an industry that has mastered the art of making sure the house always wins.
However, I have a feeling they’re going to be just fine in the long run.