Alex Ovechkin scored a goal Monday, giving the Washington Capitals great goal No. 891 in his illustrious NHL career. He now needs only four goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time mark. See our Ovechkin goal scoring record page at BetVirginia.com for more details.
With eight games remaining in the regular season, Ovechkin is on pace to topple the Great One before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. Should it happen over the next couple of weeks, the league plans to have an on-ice celebration of the historic moment with Gretzky on hand to congratulate his successor.
But there’s so much uncertainty about when, or if, Ovechkin breaks the record. So buying a ticket for one of the Caps’ last eight games is tantamount to betting on the record itself at Virginia sportsbooks.
The cost to attend upcoming games is going up drastically. Some fans might luck into a single seat at regular price, but most tickets are selling for far more than their original price on sites such as StubHub and Vivid Seats. Upper-level seats for the Capitals’ April 10 home contest against the Carolina Hurricanes are going for more than $250. Want to be closer to the ice? Those tickets are selling from $350 to more than $4,500.
Being at a game where a record is broken is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for most fans. It’s something to talk about with your friends, kids, grandkids and anyone else who will listen to you. It’s a priceless moment that, if you’re lucky enough to be one of the 18,000 or attending when the record falls, you’re likely to cherish the rest of your life.
But what happens if you go to a Caps game and Ovi doesn’t make history? Yes, you can still say you were lucky enough to watch him as he chased Gretzky, but there is a sense of disappointment. Or worse, say you have a ticket for Washington’s April 12 game at Columbus – like I do. Should he break it beforehand, you’ve already lost out on the chance to see history made.
This is where sports betting on Washington Capitals odds can come into play.
Most sportsbooks are offering odds on Ovechkin breaking the record. For example, DraftKings offers odds on whether he will set the new mark this season (odds on yes are -265 as of Wednesday morning) and the team against which Ovechkin will score goal No. 895 (favorite as of Wednesday morning is the Blue Jackets at +150).
While these are certainly markets to consider, there are other more lucrative markets where you can risk a smaller amount for a bigger return. For example, for Tuesday’s game against the Hurricanes, FanDuel Virginia Sportsbook has odds of +5500 that Ovechkin will score three or more goals in the game.
If you bought a ticket for $200 to an upcoming game, a $4 wager would cover your ticket price should he score four goals against the Canes. For what it’s worth, Ovechkin has scored four goals four times, with the last coming in 2017. So, it’s unlikely he’ll do it against Carolina, but you only need to put up what you might spend at Starbucks in case it does.
It would be wise, if possible, to do that for each game ahead of the one you plan to attend. As Ovechkin draws nearer to the record, you can wager on whether he’ll score two or more, or score any time in a game. Those odds will be much shorter, though. At bet365 Virginia Sportsbook, his anytime scoring odds against the Canes are +125.
You’re heading to the arena in hopes of seeing history unfold before your eyes. It’s natural to be optimistic, but it doesn’t hurt to also be realistic. Of the 58 games Ovechkin has played this season, he was goalless in 27. The odds may be slightly in your favor that you’ll see him get a goal, but there’s a good likelihood he won’t.
In this instance, you’ll want to find a sportsbook that offers totals on goals. Not everyone does. Some offer them for points instead. ESPN BET provides odds on total goals, and for Wednesday, the odds that Ovechkin finishes under 0.5 goals is -175. That means a $17.50 winning wager would return a $10 profit at Virginia sports betting apps.
Given that these odds are shorter, you might not be able to completely recoup your ticket cost just going with this strategy. However, it could cover the cost of parking or buy a nicer dinner afterward.
Obviously, the hope is to see Ovechkin break the record. Thousands of hockey fans across the country are hoping to be the lucky ones to witness history. For those who miss out, sports betting can at least help you cover some of the costs you incurred in that pursuit.
USA Today photo by Winslow Townson
Author
Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
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