What’s On Tap: NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, And NCAA Super Regionals
The post What’s On Tap: NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, And NCAA Super Regionals appeared first on SportsHandle.
Each week, our “What’s on Tap” series previews the week ahead in the world of sports betting. Come here for a summary of upcoming financial happenings, legislative and regulatory meetings, industry conferences, top games scheduled for the week, and much more.
Monday, June 3
Operators to discuss Q1 results with MGC
Representatives from the nation’s top sportsbook operators will hold presentations before the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) on Monday. The meeting will take place roughly two weeks after the prominent operators spurned the MGC on a roundtable on betting limits. It is unclear if the representatives will offer any insights on in-game limits at Monday’s meeting. A host of sportsbooks saw their revenues dented during the first quarter due to unfavorable sports outcomes.
UNC hosts LSU for spot in Super Regionals
There are five elimination games on Monday’s slate in the NCAA Division I men’s baseball tournament, highlighted by LSU versus North Carolina in Chapel Hill. LSU, the defending national champion, stayed alive on Sunday with a victory over the Tar Heels. UNC, the nation’s No. 4 team, defeated the Tigers a day earlier. UNC is a slight -125 favorite at BetMGM.
Also on Monday, Oklahoma State will face Florida in Stillwater, while East Carolina will take on Evansville in Greenville. The Pirates thrashed Evansville 19-6 on Sunday, two days after suffering an upset to the Purple Aces in the opener. East Carolina is a -350 moneyline favorite, while the Cowboys are -190 favorites over the Gators.
Thursday, June 6
Kyrie returns to Boston for NBA Finals
Kyrie Irving had a tumultuous departure from Boston in 2019 when he signed with the Brooklyn Nets at the start of the free agency period. Criticized by Celtics fans for his perceived lack of leadership, Irving struggled in his final postseason with the team.
Five years later, Irving returns with the Mavericks as the teams open Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
For the Celtics, forward Kristaps Porzingis is expected to return after missing several weeks with a calf injury. Porzingis will also be facing his old team. The Mavericks will face Porzingis for the first time in the playoffs since his trade from Dallas in 2022.
The Celtics have odds of -225 at FanDuel to defeat the Mavericks (+185) in the Finals.
Saturday, June 8
Swiatek bids for third straight French
Iga Swiatek recorded a double-bagel on Sunday, defeating Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0 in the French Open fourth round. Swiatek dismissed Potapova in just 40 minutes, delivering her quickest victory ever at Roland Garros. The world’s top-ranked women’s singles player needs two more victories to advance to Saturday’s final.
Swiatek, the two-time defending champion, is a heavy favorite to win her third straight title. At DraftKings, she has odds of -190 to prevail on Saturday. Only two others, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, have odds below +1000. No. 3 Coco Gauff, the only American left, has odds of +1200.
Sierra Leone favored in the Belmont
For the first time in 156 runnings of the Belmont Stakes, the Triple Crown race will be held at Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York. New York racing officials moved the prestigious race to the historic track as Belmont Park undergoes comprehensive renovations.
Sierra Leone (3/1) is expected to return after finishing second at the Kentucky Derby in a three-horse photo finish. Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan and Preakness winner Seize The Grey are also expected to enter the final leg of the Triple Crown.
McDavid-Tkachuk face off in Stanley Cup Finals
Connor McDavid scored on a gorgeous backhand on Sunday, leading the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2006. Eluding several defenders, before deking to his backhand McDavid arguably scored the most impressive goal of the postseason. McDavid, a three-time NHL Most Valuable Player, heads to the Cup finals for the first time in his career.
The Oilers will travel to South Florida to face the Panthers in Saturday’s Game 1. While executing a stifling forecheck during the Eastern Conference Finals, the Panthers eliminated the Rangers on Saturday night. The Panthers held the Rangers to five goals over the final three games of the series.
Florida opened as -125 favorites at ESPN BET to hoist the Cup.
McDavid is the +200 favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for Finals MVP. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Aleksander Barkov are next at +400, followed by Matthew Tkachuk at +600. An injury to Tkachuk in last year’s Stanley Cup Finals derailed the Panthers’ chances against the Golden Knights.
Sunday, June 9
Djokovic eyes 25th major title
Novak Djokovic outlasted Lorenzo Musetti in the wee hours of Sunday morning, finishing the five-set thriller at 3:07 a.m. local time. Djokovic needs three more victories to return to the finals of the French Open, the year’s second Grand Slam.
Djokovic, who holds a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, seeks his fourth title at Roland Garros.
Several accomplished opponents lurk on the other side of the draw, namely Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and Australian Open champ Jannik Sinner. DraftKings installed Alcaraz (+160) as the favorite, as of 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday. Sinner and Djokovic trailed close behind at +330 each. The trio are the only players left in the draw with odds under +750.
Have a good week, everyone!
The post What’s On Tap: NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, And NCAA Super Regionals appeared first on SportsHandle.
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