The Boston Bruins have enjoyed a historic start to the NHL season, recently becoming the fastest team in NHL history to reach the 80-point plateau by doing so in their 47th game, beating the previous record by two games.
Before you get too excited about that feat and what it means for Tuesday’s opening of retail Massachusetts sports betting, also know this: Since breaking the mark, the Bruins have lost three in a row. That was bound to happen after getting off to a torrid start of 38-4-5 (81 points).
Now 38-7-5, the Bruins are on their first losing streak of the season, but they are expected to right the ship in no time.
Boston-area bettors no doubt will hope the Bruins can continue their winning ways so they can wager with confidence on their hometown team.
Where Odds Are on Bruins
This new era of sports betting begins with the Bruins as the current favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup.
BetMGM Massachusetts lists Boston as the favorite to win the Cup at +500. The Bruins are followed by the defending champion, the Colorado Avalanche, at +575 and the Carolina Hurricanes (+900).
With a sizeable lead in the Atlantic Division, sportsbooks seem to have accepted that Boston will end the year in the same position they are now. In fact, FanDuel Sportsbook Massachusetts sees the Bruins as runaway winners to take the division at -1250, with the closest competition in the Toronto Maple Leafs at +1300.
How Bruins Are Thriving
The Bruins’ success can be attributed to a combination of factors. Goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have been incredible. They are big reasons the Bruins have allowed a league-low 109 goals this season, 20 fewer than the next best team (New York Rangers) heading into this week.
Ullmark has been great, in particular, with a league-best 1.90 goals against average. He is the odds-on favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie. Barstool Sportsbook Massachusetts has Ullmark leading the field with odds of -195.
Boston also paces the league in goals scored with 187. The Bruins’ goal differential of +78 to start the week led the league by 38, a staggering number.
David Pastrnak has led the way on offense. He entered the week with 38 goals, second to Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (41). He also is fourth in the NHL with 72 points. On FanDuel, Pastrnak is currently the second favorite to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP, a trophy McDavid is heavily favored to win with odds of -700. Pastrnak checks in at +1800.
With the season more than half over, the Bruins clearly have established themselves as a worthy Stanley Cup favorite.
With the March 3 trade deadline bearing down, figure on the team looking to add some depth for a playoff run that will be tough with both the Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning standing in their way before they can even escape the Atlantic Division.
With Pastrnak and Ullmark leading the way, the Bruins can count equally on their deep offense and strong defense, no doubt a great recipe for upcoming playoff success.
Now that retail betting is live in the state, there is no better time to go on BetMassachusetts.com for Massachusetts betting promos.
Bettors will also want to be on the hunt for top-tier offers like the Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts promo code when that goes live on Friday, March 10.
