Barstool Sports founder and high-roller Dave Portnoy placed a $100,000 wager on the Las Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup. It’s not unusual for Dave Portnoy to make headlines with massive sports bets. Portnoy revealed his six-figure wager at DraftKings Sportsbook in a post on his X account on Sunday.
Portnoy’s flashy bet supported a Golden Knights team ranked third in Stanley Cup chances at DraftKings. His $100,000 bet at +650 odds would pay $750,000 if the Golden Knights win their second NHL championship. This would be their first since the 2022-23 season.
The Knights showed support for Portnoy under an original post. The post confirmed that center William Karlsson would return for Game 1 of the team’s second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. Karlsson had missed six months of action. He suffered a lower-body injury against the same Ducks team in early November.
“Davey Pucks Activated,” Portnoy succinctly wrote in a post sharing his bet. After Portnoy responded with the “eyes emoji” that reflected his interest in the news, the Golden Knights posted a picture of an “El Presidente” jersey. As expected, Dave Portnoy’s involvement drew even more attention to the game.
Golden Knights Chances
The Golden Knights were fourth in the Western Conference and 13th in the NHL regular-season standings. They are now on a four-game winning streak with a 1-0 lead in the second round.
The win kept the Golden Knights third in Stanley Cup chances, improving their odds to +550. They now have a 15.4% estimated chance to win, up from 13.3% when Portnoy placed his bet. Notably, Dave Portnoy’s bets have often shifted the conversation in sports betting circles.
Vegas is also -350 (77.8% chance) to win the current series. They would face the winner of the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild, where the Avalanche lead 2-0 and are a -900 favorite to win the series. The Avalanche are also the favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +155 (39.2% chance). The Carolina Hurricanes, who are up 2-0 over the Philadelphia Flyers, are close behind at +180 (35.7% chance).
Portnoy is no stranger to large risks and massive payouts. He recently won $2.8 million from a $600,000 wager when UConn won the 2024 NCAA Tournament. He also took home $1.7 million from a $300,000 wager on Scottie Scheffler to win the 2024 Masters. Overall, Dave Portnoy has made a reputation as a daring bettor on the biggest stages.
That said, he also had his share of losses. He recently missed out on $1.8 million after betting $50,000 on the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl and $1.4 million from a $200,000 bet on the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series.
Eric Butler is a Contributor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on Instagram and X via @ReportandOpine
