Each Thursday, Sports Handle will recap all the top sports betting news in Canada, highlight the Game of the Week, and take a look ahead at some of the most intriguing games to bet on over the weekend.
NHL Betting Preview: Maple Leafs Push Lightning To Brink Of Elimination
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Tampa Bay Lightning — May 12
The Maple Leafs have pushed the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions to the edge of elimination and hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Toronto (+110) visits Tampa (-130) on Thursday night and can close out the series with a victory. The two teams have played over the posted totals (total is 6.5 for Game 6) in each of the last four games in the series. The Lightning, meanwhile, are an incredible 16-0 following a loss since the beginning of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers @ Los Angeles Kings — May 12
The Oilers (-145) surprisingly find themselves in a do-or-die Game 6 on Thursday night in Los Angeles (+125). The Kings, who were a +184 series underdog prior to the series opener, have unexpectedly contained Edmonton’s high-powered attack to this point.
The Oilers will be without stud defenseman Darnell Nurse for Game 6 after he was handed a one-game suspension for head-butting a Kings player in Game 5. Nurse, who leads the team in ice time this postseason with 21:45 per game, has collected one goal and one assist, along with a plus-5 rating.
Calgary Flames @ Dallas Stars — May 13
The Flames (-160) grabbed a 3-1 win on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 series lead over the Stars (+140).
The two teams have played under the total in four of the five games in the series, with two goalies posting shutouts in the first two contests.
Game 6 goes Friday in Dallas, with a potential Game 7 back in Calgary on Sunday.
Who's advancing to the Second Round tonight? ✅
Tune in to the #StanleyCup Playoffs, starting tonight at 7p ET on @NHL_On_TNT, TBS and @Sportsnet! pic.twitter.com/mAKLp6xfpW
The National Basketball League of Canada has selected IMG Arena as its new betting partner.
The exclusive deal will take effect at the start of the 2022-23 season, allowing the NBL of Canada to access IMG Arena’s network of sportsbook operators and data feeds.
“NBL Canada is an established organization with an exciting brand. We are delighted they have chosen IMG Arena to work with them on their entry into sports betting and look forward to building a strong relationship to help grow their offering and audience by engaging fans around the world,” IMG Arena Rights Director Mark Wrigley said in a release last Friday.
The National Basketball League of Canada is a Canadian professional men’s basketball league that was founded in 2011 and features only four teams.
National Basketball League of Canada selects IMG Arena as betting partner:https://t.co/gJvN3kIoQy
— Gaming Business (@CdnGamingBiz) May 6, 2022
DraftKings is planning to launch in Ontario before the end of June, according to CEO and Chairman Jason Robins.
Robins made the announcement during the company’s first quarter report last Friday, which revealed revenue of $417 million, an increase of 34% compared to $312 million during the same period in 2021.
DraftKings is expected to be a major player in Ontario and should compete with Bet365, FanDuel, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, PointsBet, theScore Bet, and others for a major share of the market. DraftKings has not yet been licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, and it has not secured an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario.
DraftKings expects to launch online sports betting and iGaming in Ontario in the second quarter of 2022, $DKNG announced this morning
— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) May 6, 2022
Another operator, NorthStar Bets, joined the fold in Ontario this week.
Like theScore Bet, the NorthStar brand is a locally born sportsbook and iCasino provider in the province.
WE’RE LIVE IN ONTARIO! 🌟
If you’ve been looking for a platform that features a sportsbook with betting insights and a great mix of casino and live dealer games – here we are!
See it for yourself: https://t.co/i1NX8xyT5V
Play Responsibly. 19+ ON Only. pic.twitter.com/fSCLiRB23v
— NorthStar Bets (@NorthStarBet) May 9, 2022
NorthStar is working on a mobile app to roll out in the next couple of weeks. The sportsbook’s odds are provided by Sportradar.
The sportsbook also features a Sports Insight section for picks and analysis of games. Chris Johnston, who previously covered hockey for The Canadian Press and Rogers Sportsnet, is the lead writer for the brand, and former TSN broadcaster Rod Black is a brand ambassador.
NorthStar also boasts a comprehensive online casino featuring live dealer blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and a variety of cumulative jackpot virtual slot machines.
The operator is also an accredited partner of the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA).
There are now 22 live iGaming websites in Ontario.
Greg is a sports editor who has previously worked for respected Canadian media outlets, including Rogers Sportsnet, theScore, and Covers Media Group. He’s covered sports in Canada for over a decade, specializing in NHL, NFL, CFL, MLB, and sports betting. In his spare time, he can be found attempting to break 90 on the golf course or cruising down the slopes at his local ski hill. You can reach Greg at gwarren@bettercollective.com.
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