Bettors are putting their money on Connor McDavid to win the Conn Smythe Trophy but remain split on who will hoist the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers captain is garnering 15.08% of all bets on the playoff MVP market at theScore Bet and ESPN Bet, nearly twice as much as Sergei Bobrovsky, who comes in second. McDavid also accounts for 22.96% of the market's handle (money wagered), substantially more than Matthew Tkachuk's 9.77%.
McDavid - with his playoff-leading 31 points - is +200 (33.3% implied probability) to win the Conn Smythe, while Edmonton remains the underdog at +115 (46.5% implied probability).
The Panthers opened at -130 over the Oilers once the series was set, odds that shifted slightly in their favor to -135.
The small move is not a result of one-sided action. The Panthers are receiving 44.72% of the bets compared to the Oilers' 55.28% when it comes to who will win the Cup. The handle splits are even tighter, with the Panthers amassing 49.94% of the money wagered.
However, Florida is getting some love to win the series opener as -140 home favorite. It accumulated 61.1% of the game's moneyline handle.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final begins Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET.
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