As the 2025 NBA and NHL finals kick off one after another, Canadian sports fans are greeted with an unprecedented "moment of glory" — two Canadian superstars, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Connor McDavid, lead the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Edmonton Oilers respectively into the pinnacle of their seasons.
Meanwhile, the well-known sports betting platform BetMGM has also released the latest season's NBA and NHL betting data report, revealing the teams and players that fans are most concerned about.
MVP leads Thunder to the crown, Lakers become the hottest NBA betting object
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not only won the MVP of this NBA season but also led the Thunder into the finals against the Indiana Pacers. His odds for the finals MVP on BetMGM have skyrocketed from +900 to -625, making him one of the focal points of betting.
However, from the overall regular season betting data, the Los Angeles Lakers remain the most bet on NBA team, holding 6.19% of the betting amount share and 5.84% of the ticket rate, leading traditional powerhouses like the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.
On the player side, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is the most favored player by bettors — his individual betting share reached 1.9%, ranking first among all NBA players. Gilgeous-Alexander ranks fifth in player appearance-related betting, demonstrating his dual impact on the market and the field.
NHL Betting Chart: Golden Knights hottest, Ovechkin tops McDavid
Although McDavid led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup finals and will challenge the Florida Panthers again, the betting data shows that the Oilers are not among the favorites. The Las Vegas Golden Knights are the hottest NHL team in betting, leading in both betting amount and ticket rate.
On the player side, Alex Ovechkin, the legendary forward of the Washington Capitals, tops the NHL player betting chart, with individual betting shares of 1.91% and 2.22% respectively. McDavid ranks ninth, with a slight decline in betting heat compared to last season. This may be related to the media attention on Ovechkin's ongoing challenge to Wayne Gretzky's historical goal record of 894 goals.
Betting trends reflect a mismatch between commercial heat and field performance
BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini points out that although the Thunder is favored by the betting market to win the championship, betting companies prefer to see the Pacers win the finals, "because that would bring a higher unexpected return."
Overall, the "mismatch" between market heat and actual performance has become a major highlight of the betting market — those who perform well on the field are not necessarily betting favorites, and vice versa, indicating that sports betting data also reflects the public's unique preferences and cognitive habits.
No matter who ultimately wins the championship, Gilgeous-Alexander and McDavid, the two "Lights of Canada," have already written an unforgettable page for national fans. Behind them, a huge betting market is quietly recording this dual game of sports and capital.
