NHL big bet alert: Bettor would win half-million dollars if Edmonton Oilers win Western Conference title
A Caesars Sportsbook bettor would cash in big-time if the Oilers win the West.
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No team from Canada has won the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993, and Edmonton hasn't gotten that far since 2006 (lost), but that didn't stop one bettor over the weekend at Caesars Sportsbook from dropping $50,000 on the Oilers at +1000 to win the Western Conference. If so, that would pay $500,000 – the biggest single wager so far on 2022 NHL conference futures at the book. This is the final week of the regular season.
Edmonton is going to finish either second or third in the Pacific Division and face the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs. Edmonton won three of four in the regular-season series. The winner of that would most likely face Pacific champion Calgary in the West semifinals. The Flames would be favored in either matchup.
Offensively, no question that the Oilers are good enough to win not just the West but the Cup with the 1-2 punch of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid leads the NHL with a career-high 118 points and is battling Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers (115 points) for his fourth Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's top point producer. In his last three games, McDavid has eight points. Draisaitl is fourth in points with 108 and second in the league 55 goals, three behind Toronto's Auston Matthews.
The question is whether Edmonton is strong enough in net. Their primary playoff goaltender likely will be Mike Smith, and he's 40 years old with a 2.88 GAA and .913 SV. Solid numbers but not outstanding. If Smith falters, the team could turn to Mikko Koskinen. Smith has been very good of late with eight straight wins and a 10-0-1 record in his last 11 appearances.
The Oilers are 30-3-1 this season when scoring the first goal but did lose Sunday in Columbus when doing so. They are 29-0-0 when leading after one period and 34-2-1 when leading after two periods. They return to action Tuesday in Pittsburgh, the team's final road game of the regular season.
Colorado is the +140 favorite to win the West and the Oilers wouldn't see the Avalanche until the conference finals. Calgary is next at +360 and then Minnesota at +800. That big wager on Edmonton dropped the Oilers from +1000 to +900. I personally think Calgary wins the West.
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