Skip to content

Stanley Cup

Our free odds tool compares live NHL title odds from every sportsbook to display the best available price for every team.

21+ to wager in most states. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-877-770-7867(CO), Call 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT) 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Call or text 877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov (NC). Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

Stanley Cup Quick Facts

  • The Stanley Cup is the oldest championship trophy in North American pro sports, first awarded in 1893 and named for Lord Stanley of Preston, then Canada’s governor general. It has been the exclusive property of the NHL since 1926.
  • It’s the only major North American championship that engraves the names of every winning player, coach, and staff member directly onto the trophy.
  • The Montreal Canadiens own the most titles by a wide margin with 24; the Toronto Maple Leafs are next with 13, though they haven’t won since 1967.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Cup, beating the Vegas Golden Knights in six games for their second championship and first since 2006, behind a dominant 16–3 playoff run. Captain Jordan Staal took the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP — at 37, the oldest winner in the award’s history.
  • The Final is a best-of-seven between the Eastern and Western Conference champions each June, with home-ice advantage going to the team that posted the better regular-season record.

Stanley Cup Betting Trends

  • Beware the President’s Trophy “curse”: the NHL’s best regular-season team has gone on to win the Cup just eight times in the 36 years both awards have existed, so dominance over 82 games is a weak predictor of a championship.
  • Champions usually come from near the top of the board but rarely as the outright favorite — the eventual winner’s average opening price over the last decade is around +1295, so the value tends to sit in the short-to-mid tier rather than on the chalk or the deepest long shots.
  • The Cup is repeat-friendly: the Penguins, Lightning, and Panthers have all gone back-to-back over the last decade-plus, which keeps the defending champion a live futures play.
  • The Eastern Conference has dominated lately, winning seven of the last 10 Cups — a run Carolina extended in 2026.
  • Lean under in the highest-leverage games: Stanley Cup Final Game 7s are tight and low-scoring, with the last 14 since 1950 all finishing under 5.5 total goals.