The Rangers are begging to break the bookies these playoffs. DraftKings Director of Trading Johnny Avello told The Post that the most popular team in hockey betting is by far the biggest liability and a massive risk for the sportsbook going forward.
“The Rangers are a huge hazard for us, we get bet all year long on every single game, they’re the most popular team in hockey when it comes to hockey betting,” Avello said. “There are New Yorkers throughout the country, so every game, in every state and in every series expects to have a massive amount of money come in on the Rangers.
“I can tell you, easily, that the Rangers are our biggest liability these playoffs.”
In a series that figures to have many ebbs and flows, the Blueshirts are home underdogs in Game 2 (+105) against the Hurricanes but are now favored to win the series (-140) after a Game 1 win.
“They are underdogs in Game 2 because we factor in the urgency with which the Hurricanes will play after losing Game 1,” Avello explained.
The Rangers, who are now favored to win the series, expect to go off as underdogs in Game 2, having not been favored in either of the first two home games this series.
“The Rangers are going to get bet big here in Game 2 around +102 but we’re okay with that,” Avello said. “We set the line where we feel the Rangers will get bet, but we feel like it’s a fair line to Carolina.”
If they do pull off another victory, oddsmakers across the sports betting landscape will likely pay dearly.
“If the Rangers lost Game 1, they would’ve been bigger underdogs in the series, around +220 or +240,” Avello said. “But since they won Game 1, they need to be favored in the series, but not this game.”
Are the Rangers faithful and mystique of The Garden being discounted in this series?
“The Garden is definitely worth a lot,” Avello said. “In hockey, the equalizer is about $.30 [meaning +100 would generally move to -130 and so on] on the moneyline in most cases.”
But with one game under their belt away, Avello expects the Hurricanes to furiously charge forward, having already experienced just how crazy Madison Square Garden can be as a visitor.
“In Game 2, home ice isn’t worth that much,” Avello said. “It’s worth something but not the full number that it would normally be worth because the Hurricanes are in a position where they really need to win the game, and they are a quality hockey team. The Hurricanes are a very good hockey team on paper.”
When the Rangers fly south to Raleigh for Game 3, home ice will be priced similarly for the Hurricanes.
Said Avello: “What you’re going to see is the Hurricanes are probably worth a similar number in their first home game, but … Carolina will figure not to be favored as strongly in Game 4 if they win Game 3.”
The Rangers get a big opportunity with the public betting world behind them and the books against them Tuesday night in front of what is expected to be a raucous crowd.
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