Golden Knights reward bettors in Game 7, but now are underdogs

Game 7 was a dream scenario for Golden Knights bettors and a nightmare for Las Vegas sportsbooks.

In beating the Minnesota Wild 6-2 on Friday, the Knights not only delivered a win in their first-round NHL playoff series but also cashed tickets on the game on the money line, the ever-popular puck line (-1½) and over the total of five goals.

“It was a beatdown,” William Hill sportsbook director Nick Bogdanovich said. “Some guy bet $180,000 to win $100,000 (on the Knights) an hour before the game. Combine that with all the parlays and it was a good licking.”

BetMGM also reported a big loss.

“We ended up taking a beating on it because of that puck line,” MGM Resorts director of trading Jeff Stoneback said. “It’s magnified for us because they’re putting more and more people in (T-Mobile Arena), and a lot of people make bets before the game in close proximity at Park MGM and New York-New York.”

The bright side for the books is the victory set up a compelling matchup between the Knights and Colorado Avalanche — the Stanley Cup favorites all season — in a West Division final series that starts Sunday in Denver.

“Game 7 was the best-case scenario for the guests. But for us, it was a win-win because of the handle, atmosphere, hype and enthusiasm in our books having them play Colorado will generate,” Sunset Station sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “I anticipate this being a long, grueling series, and we could potentially see a record handle.”

Knights big underdogs

The Avalanche are -185 series favorites over the Knights, who are +165 at the Westgate, which posted the line at -175/+155 after Game 7.

“Most of the money will come in (Sunday), but so far we have all Avalanche money,” Westgate vice president of risk Ed Salmons said Saturday.

BetMGM took an $11,000 wager to win $6,111 on Colorado to capture the series at -180, though Stoneback expects to need the Avalanche by game time.

The Knights are +155 underdogs to Colorado (-170) in Game 1.

“It’s early, so there’s not a lot of action yet,” Bogdanovich said Saturday. “But they’re going to take the Knights at the plus price. They’re used to laying prices with the Golden Knights, and now you’re getting +160? They’ll salivate over that.

“We’ll definitely need Colorado in the series and in Game 1.”

The Golden Knights would be favored over every other playoff team. But against the Avalanche, they are the biggest playoff underdogs in their four-year franchise history.

On the surface, Colorado has the advantage in Game 1 of being well-rested. It has been off since May 23, when it finished a four-game sweep of St. Louis.

“But having a whole week off can be a deterrent to a team because they can get rusty not playing,” Salmons said. “The Knights have been playing every other day. This is their schedule, and plus they’re probably the healthiest they have been in months now with (Max) Pacioretty back.

“The Knights have everything in place to beat the Avalanche. It’s just a case of can they?”

Best bet

Handicapper Dana Lane picked two first-round series winners in the Review-Journal in the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning. He also picked the Knights to win the Stanley Cup and is sticking with them to upset the Avalanche in the series.

“Truth is, the winner of this series will likely win the Cup,” said Lane (@DanaLaneSports). “You don’t have to think too deep when handicapping most Stanley Cup playoff games because it’s usually as simple as who has the better goaltender and which team is playing well in front of them. This is where I give Vegas the edge.

“I’ll take (Marc-Andre) Fleury over (Philipp) Grubauer, who was hardly tested against St. Louis.”

In Game 1, Lane recommends a play on under 5½ goals.

“The Avalanche, who have not played in a week, will have a hard time matching the intensity level of the Knights to start,” he said. “The under is an attractive option in Game 1 with two teams that will likely go through a feeling out process before the offense gets cranked up.”

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