In Stanley Cup playoff action thus far, the Florida Panthers appear poised to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in the East, while the Edmonton Oilers appear to be in command of their Western Conference Final series against the Dallas Stars.

Oilers' Buzz Is Getting Hotter

With the Oilers leading the best-of-seven series 2-1, the Oilers and Stars will square off in Edmonton tonight.  The series is now 3-1 in favor of Florida after the Hurricanes defeated the Panthers 3-0 last night.

Statistics from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which were made public Thursday, show that there has been a lot of betting on the Stanley Cup playoffs.

During the Oilers' 6-1 victory on Sunday night, 75% of PROLINE participants supported the Oilers win, 86% favored Edmonton at the Puckline at -1.5, and 56% selected the Over at 6.5. In tonight's matchup, 68% of PROLINE bettors are supporting the Oilers, 85% expect Edmonton to cover the Puckline at -1.5, and 71% favor the Over at 6.5.

  BetMGM reports that the Panthers experienced the most significant line shift from Round 1 to the present (+750 to +105), with the Oilers next (+950 to +140) and the Stars coming in third (+850 to +700). The Toronto Maple Leafs produced the largest ticket percentage (11%) and the greatest handle (12.1%).

   

OLG: 68% Supporting Oilers for Tonight's Victory

Among Canadians, similar to last year when they reached the Stanley Cup final (before being defeated by the Panthers), excitement surrounding the Oilers nationwide is intensifying.

  The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has published a survey of Ontarians that measures the interest for both spectators and those making bets.

  According to the survey, while three out of five individuals in Ontario intend to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs, two out of five viewers (41%) will bet on one or more of the playoff games. RGC is encouraging Ontarians to pause and adopt a thoughtful strategy regarding their betting – avoiding the temptation to foresee the unpredictable, while wagering beyond their financial limits.      

27% Have Either Sold an Item or Taken a Loan to Gamble

39% of bettors on Stanley Cup playoffs indicated they had placed bets in the last year. More than a quarter have either taken out a loan or sold an item to fund their gambling (27%). Nearly 40% indicated that their gambling led to mental health challenges, such as stress and anxiety (38%), and worry about potential problem gambling (38%).

  The typical wager amounts to $182, with 47% placing bets through an online sportsbook, 29% with relatives or friends, 29% purchasing sports-related lottery tickets, and 20% betting in a pool. Fifty-two percent indicated they will bet $100 or lower, 13% will wager between $101 and $250, 8% will stake between $251 and $500, and 9% intend to bet over $500.

  Forty-eight percent indicated that they wager to increase the thrill of the game, whereas 47% gamble to earn money, 22% place bets because they believe they understand the teams or players, and 21% bet due to their confidence in their odds of winning.

  More than a quarter of gamblers will steer clear of wagering when experiencing emotional turmoil (28%), and one-fifth will hold off on betting while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs (22%)