The Stanley Cup is the major Ice Hockey trophy awarded to the NHL’s top professional franchise since 1926. Lord Stanley of Preston, the General Governor of Canada in 1892, gave his name to the world’s most prestigious Ice Hockey cup.
The NHL Finals, a culmination of the fierce competition between the Western and Eastern Conference Champions, is a Best-Of-Seven series that offers bettors many options at valuable NHL betting odds to win the Stanley Cup from all leading bookmakers.
For the 2025 season, the Edmonton Oilers from the Western Conference will face the champions, the Florida Panthers, in a rematch of last year's final. This is the first time this has happened since the Penguins and the Red Wings faced each other in consecutive years, 2008 and 2009.
Relying on our Stanley Cup betting predictions, you can confidently explore the best options and prices for all leading and secondary markets from June 5th until the end of the NHL Finals.
2025 Stanley Cup Betting Tips
The easy part of betting on the NHL Finals is that you need to put only the two finalists under your radar compared to the regular season and the previous postseason stages.
Before placing bets, you must check the latest news on injuries and bans, coaches’ tactics, and public opinion about the series results.
Follow our Stanley Cup betting tips and enhance your winning chances of rolling on the ice.
Follow Injury News
There are reliable resources for all the latest info about injuries and bans, including lists of absences and their stats.
It’s the safest path to understanding the impact of a player’s possible absence from the games and building winning Ice Hockey betting strategies. Then, you can place bets, choosing among our Stanley Cup betting predictions.
Home-Ιce Αdvantage
It’s not weird that most athletes perform better at home than on the road in sports. The same applies to Ιce Ηockey, and that’s why all franchises are fighting for the home-ice advantage during the regular season.
When you back a favourite in a Stanley Cup game, pay attention to the possibility of overtime; in that case, home teams seem to have more chances of winning due to their fans’ support.
Goaltending Factor
A critical parameter you should analyse when breaking down Games 1 & 2 and coaches’ tactics. There are two main Ice Hockey-related stats for goaltenders: the Goals Against Average and the Save Percentage.
Following these metrics and our Stanley Cup betting tips, you can understand how often a goalie allows a goal and if he saves shots efficiently.
Public Betting
Sharp bettors evaluate consensus but rarely follow public betting trends; we follow the same strategy before releasing our Stanley Cup betting predictions.
Determining when a selection attracts a lot of money is essential, although a possible odds movement may be caused by other parameters, like a key player’s absence.
Top Stanley Cup Predictions & Odds
We release two daily picks for each game every June period, as you can see by exploring our NHL Predictions Today section.
Our experts’ method is based on in-depth knowledge of the sport, comprehensive statistics coverage, and extensive research to suggest where to bet on the Stanley Cup winner.
Let’s introduce two of our top picks for series Οutrights
Edmonton Oilers To Win The Stanley Cup @1.82
The bookies favour the current runner-ups, as they advance to the finals having the home ice advantage due to a better seeding position. The Western Conference Champions are in the NHL Finals for the second time in a row. In the previous NHL season, they lost the series 4-3 against the Panthers, after coming back from a 3-0 run, as the opponent started on home ice.
Before the 2024 appearance in the Finals, they had eight previous appearances on that stage, claiming gold five times. The last title for the Oilers dates back to 1990.
Both teams appear exceptional in the running postseason; the Panthers eliminated the Hurricanes, Maple Leafs, and Lightning on the road to the trophy final, while the Oilers eliminated the Stars, Golden Knights, and Kings.
This year's competition seems even more difficult to predict, as the rivals have comparable depth in their squads, with similar goal-scoring and shot-saving statistics.
Besides being the favourites at 1.82 odds, Game 1 pays 2.19 to break the home-ice advantage in the 60-minute regular time. What we would expect from every game is a total of over 5.5 goals. We will take this bet whenever offered at good returns. Due to the high scores in all of their recent matches, the 5.5 line is given at 1.67, while the 6.5 is 2.23
Total Over 6,5 (Game 1) @ 2.23 odds.
Similarly to last year, the finalists will be giving a fierce battle, with much of their core squads still unchanged, and many names that could steal the spotlight. In their current form, it would not be unheard of to bet on the Panthers to win. They are likely to claim at least two wins in games 3 and 4.
The bookies have picked up on the tension leading up to the rematch between the 2024 contenders. With so much data available on past trends between the two teams, numerous markets and special bets are offered online. Let's keep digging for potential lucrative stakes.
Stanley Cup Betting Predictions For Top Ice Hockey Markets
We aim to review as many options and strategies as possible to help both novice and sharp Ice Hockey bettors profit from the NHL Finals. As a bedrock in our method, Bookmakers.bet separates game and series wagering, evaluating risk and reward ratios before introducing the series’ best NHL markets.
Let’s look at the best Stanley Cup betting predictions for the Finals.
Game Betting
Suppose you follow a game-by-game strategy, utterly different from betting on the entire series. Firstly, you must choose your side and select the favourite’s or the underdog’s path, evaluating the offered odds.
Then, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research on the finalist you want to support. Injury news and tactics, current form and the days a team gets to rest before the Finals are some primary parameters you must consider.
Please note that there will be two or three days off between games due to players’ fatigue.
For the 2025 showdown, the Oilers seem better equipped than the reigning champions. Their lineup includes multiple-time MVP Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, both of whom have been in top form. We expect many of the games to go to overtime and have high scores, so we will take advantage of combo bets.
Edmonton Oilers to Win + Over 5.5 (Game 1) @2.39 odds.
Conn Smythe Trophy Winner
Before predicting the Conn Smythe Trophy Winner, it’s crucial to examine the history of previous NHL Finals and analyze the criteria fulfilled by their respective MVPs.
The skater who will receive the great honour will be awarded for his series performance and the entire postseason. In recent years, the MVP has usually come from the Champions’ side, except when McDavid won it despite losing the series to the Panthers.
He remains the main favourite for the MVP award according to bookmakers, at 2.00 odds.
Remember that our experts suggest formidable challengers from the underdog finalists in their Stanley Cup betting predictions. The second and third favourites come from the Panthers. Those betting lines pay 3.60 for Sergei Bobrovsky and 5.50 for Aleksander Barkov. The latter is a phenomenal left-centre, with a huge impact on Florida’s strategy.
However, since McDavid has been in the spotlight until now, we do not expect this to change. Last year, we backed him for the Conn Smythe Trophy Winner, despite not being on the favorite side, and we were right on both occasions. This year, it no longer feels risky:
Conn Smythe Trophy Winner ⇒ Connor McDavid @2.00 odds.
Other Winning Stanley Cup Bets
Searching our updated list of the top NHL bookmakers, you will find several options for wagering on the Finals. We make a shortlist of secondary but profitable markets where you can see winning alternatives for your Stanley Cup bets.
Top Goalscorer: In the postseason and during the Stanley Cup series, after a possible tie in the 60-minute regular time, there's no shootout process. Instead, overtime periods are played, and each overtime lasts 20 minutes.
So, any goals scored in overtime count for all skaters who compete for the Finals top goalscorer award. For the 2025 season, the main favourite is Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl at 3.75 odds, a decent choice among our Stanley Cup betting tips.
Series Handicap: The odds on the Finals work differently at the beginning of the series than halfway.
You can place an Οutright bet predicting the games' handicap at the beginning of the series or back the leading team after three or four games. After four games, both finalists will have played two home clashes at the crucial point. We doubt that the lead will be more than one game, so the line on Panthers having a +1 Handicap at 1.50 payout can be considered.
Total Power Play Goals: The optimal situation for Ιce Ηockey teams is to play as much as possible at full strength (6 vs 6) or 5-on-5 conditions. Power play goals or pieces scored when a finalist has a one or two-person advantage can hugely impact the series.
Both title contenders play excellent umbrella and overload formations based on 5-on-4 conditions. They have great skaters who can move the puck in the opposite direction and make quick shots in the defensive zone.
How To Bet On The Stanley Cup Finals
If you are looking to risk money on your picks or on our Stanley Cup betting predictions, either for daily or futures bets, you should follow a specific path to understand what you can achieve based on the odds and your available bankroll.
So, follow our footprints and learn how to bet on the NHL Finals to make a profit.
- 1 Follow Main Markets: Moneyline, Puck Line, and Totals markets are the most profitable ones for ice hockey. We choose them for NHL All-Star Game predictions and the whole season betting; in all cases, you take a 2-way street choosing between the favourites’ and underdogs’ odds and the best lines. That means you theoretically have a 50:50 chance of winning.
- 2 Use Stats: Sharp Ice Hockey bettors use stats in their favour to analyse the behaviour and the potential performance of the team they’re backing. Power-play and kill ratios, Corsi metric, and teams’ and players’ averages should be analysed in order to create a sufficient betting model.
- 3 Early Payout Offer: Leading bookies provide an early payout offer in ice hockey. You can take advantage, especially in the Stanley Cup Finals, where the underdog franchise can make upsets and win your bet when the team you back takes a 3-goal lead during the game.
- 4 Bet on Underdogs: Remember that you have to deal with the best NHL teams, so there aren’t major differences between the two contenders. Betting on Moneyline underdogs or Against The Spread by backing home teams is a profitable option you should consider.
Where To Bet On Τhe Stanley Cup
Our experts provide daily coverage throughout the National Hockey League, so you can find picks for seasonal betting. Bookmakers.bet releases two NHL Stanley Cup betting predictions for each game to offer you more alternatives on both main and secondary Ice Hockey markets.
Leading daily markets provide more value in their strategy for game-by-game NHL bettors. If you want to follow our Stanley Cup betting tips, you can choose among Moneylines, Puck Lines and Totals, the most straightforward, common and understandable types.
Both finalists in the Stanley Cup Finals have exceptional quality and ice skills. Still, specific parameters separate the favourite from the underdog team to lift the cup. These are: 1) home-ice advantage, 2) best goaltending, 3) more experience, 4) higher number of goalscorers and top assists-men, and 5) fewer injuries/bans.
Exploring our lists, you can find the best Stanley Cup bets for 2025 among leading NHL bookmakers who offer a broad range of Ice Hockey betting markets, high odds and offers that can bolster your bankroll. So, follow them if you want to back Moneylines, Puck Lines and Totals from our Stanley Cup betting predictions for the Panthers vs Oilers showdown.
Betting on the Stanley Cup MVP is one of the most challenging parts of Ice Hockey betting. There are several skaters, goaltenders, and offensive and defensive players for both contenders, who have high odds of claiming it. Try to find undervalued prices and a way to capitalise on the momentum of the skater you decide to back by looking into his current form.
Short-handed goals are rare in Ice Hockey. The lines are low (i.e., 0,5), which means the most probable short-handed goal scenario is for any finalist to score just one throughout the series. A team becomes short-handed when a skater is playing with a 4-on-5 disadvantage in the penalty box.
Our experts expect close games and series in their Stanley Cup betting predictions, so there is an increasing possibility of more than two empty net goals; especially if a Game 7 becomes necessary, that number is reachable. During the Finals, it’s highly expected that both teams will need at least one goal in the regular finish. That condition seems an excellent chance for the opponent to score an empty netter if the under-pressure team leaves its net defenceless, pulling the goaltender out. We evaluate the line as low so that you can take advantage of it.
The offensive effectiveness of both contenders needs a comprehensive stats analysis and a probable scenario for bettors who will attempt to profit from the total number of goals in the series. Firstly, you must predict the number of Stanley Cup games; if a Game 7 becomes necessary, then the Over on both finalists seems a decent option. On the other hand, you should check the goalies’ sharpness if you want to place an Under. It’s one of the more challenging markets, and we analyze it game-by-game in our Stanley Cup betting tips.