BetRivers: An Avalanche of bets pour in for Colorado to win Stanley Cup 

The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs that begin tonight are known as the most unpredictable of postseason tournaments among the major team sports, but bettors at the sportsbooks BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com are leaving little doubt about who they consider the favorite. 

The Colorado Avalanche carry odds of +285 to claim the Cup. The next lowest team’s odds are nearly double the Avs’ number — the Florida Panthers at +550. Florida forged the league’s best record in the regular season, just ahead of Colorado. 

Check out the Avs' Playoff Pump-up video here.

The Avs have attracted 19 percent of the handle and 22 percent of bets at the two sportsbooks. The Panthers are a distant second in both areas at 12 and 11.5 percent. 

The only other team close to the top pair on the odds board is the Calgary Flames at +650. However, they have drawn the eighth-most money and wagers at 3.7 percent apiece. 

The longshot generating the most buzz among bettors is the Pittsburgh Penguins at +2000. The Penguins have picked up the third biggest handle (9.2 percent) and amount of bets (11.4 percent) despite winding up with the 11th best record. 

Another longshot sparking interest is the New York Rangers (+1600), with 8.8 percent of the handle. 

Wagering is tepid on the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning (+1000). A small portion of bettors is counting for a three-peat, with 6.2 percent of the handle and eight percent of wagers directed toward Tampa Bay.

Stanley Cup 2022 Odds

• +325: Colorado Avalanche
• +550: Florida Panthers
• +700: Calgary Flames
• +800: Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs
• +1200: Tampa Bay Lightning
• +1400: St. Louis Blues
• +1600: Edmonton Oilers, NY Rangers
• +1800: Minnesota Wild
• +2000: Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins
• +3000: Washington Capitals
• +3300: LA Kings
• +4000: Nashville Predators
• +5000: Dallas Stars

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