Betting on Knights, against Sharks costly combo for sportsbooks

Wagering on the Golden Knights and against the San Jose Sharks has been like a cash machine for NHL bettors this season.

The Knights dealt Nevada sportsbooks a record $6.6 million loss on hockey in June when they won the Stanley Cup. They haven’t missed a beat this season with a league-leading 11-1-1 record.

Despite suffering their first regulation loss of the season in Sunday’s 4-2 defeat to the Ducks, a $100 bettor who wagered on the Knights in every game would be up $567.

The third most profitable team for NHL bettors, the Knights won their first seven games before losing to the Blackhawks in overtime as -350 favorites. They then won four straight before falling to Anaheim, the league’s top money team (+$803) riding a six-game win streak.

“We have not done well to the Knights this year,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “Granted, we did really well on (Sunday’s) game and the game against the Blackhawks, but overall we’re a good-sized loser to the Knights.

“There has been no Stanley Cup hangover for the Knights and, being defending champions, bettors have backed them not only as fans but with their pocketbooks. Big time.”

Books can take consolation in the facts that the Knights, who started the season with three consecutive 4-1 wins, are only 7-6 on the popular puck line (-1½) and have a 6-7 over-under mark.

“Whenever a team runs hot and especially if it’s a local team, you’re going to see a spike in support,” Westgate SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay said. “We’ve certainly seen a spike in action on their games, whether it’s the money line or certainly on the puck line and at home. We cringe on those empty netters.”

The Knights host the Kings on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena.

Baby Sharks

On the flip side, whenever a team runs cold, bettors load up on the other side. That certainly has been the case with the Sharks, who are off to an 0-11 start. Ten of their losses have been by two goals or more, including the past nine. San Jose lost 10-1 to the Canucks on Thursday and 10-2 to the Penguins on Saturday.

“As much as the Knights are a bet-on, the Sharks are a bet-against,” Esposito said. “They’re mainly laying 1½ or even 2½ goals because they just don’t score and they give up so much.

“We’re fading arguably the best team in the league and arguably the worst team in the league pretty much on a nightly basis.”

The Sharks host the Flyers on Tuesday.

“It doesn’t matter what sport it is, when a team is not competitive, it challenges the bookmakers,” Kornegay said. “We make very aggressive adjustments in those situations, like we have on the Sharks. But it doesn’t mean people will stop betting against San Jose. They’re just laying a bigger price than they normally would.

“I’ve been on the floor and I’ve heard people say they just want to bet against the Sharks. They don’t really care what the price is. It sure looks easy now, but things change.

“When guests are laying big prices against the Sharks, all it takes is two or three losses and then it’s back to normal. I do expect it to even out.”

Kornegay said San Jose’s power ranking is “through the floor.” While the Knights are the 6-1 favorites to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, the Sharks are the longest shots on the board by a massive margin.

San Jose is a 10,000 to 1 shot to win it all. Chicago has the next longest odds at 500-1.

“There’s a big gap between the second-worst team in the league and the worst team in the league,” Kornegay said.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.