The NHL postseason is officially underway and Floridians are in for a major treat, as a pair of local teams get set to meet on Tuesday night. It’ll be none other than the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hard Rock Bet, the only legal sportsbook in Florida, has the Panthers listed as a short -115 favorite for the series, while the Lightning are available at -105.
Familiar foes meet again
There’s a lot to unpack in this series, especially when you consider the history between these two teams. For starters, this will be the fourth time in five seasons in which both of Florida’s NHL teams will face off in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay initially got the best of Florida en route to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021, eliminating the Panthers early on in both postseasons. Florida was able to exact its revenge in 2024, however, knocking out Tampa Bay in the first round before running the tables and hoisting the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup trophy.
Battle lines have been drawn
All of that being said, it’s safe to say this series will not be short on excitement. Hockey fans throughout the Sunshine State are buzzing in anticipation, and we’ve got all the data on how locals are betting on this intrastate rivalry. Let’s get into it.
Starting with series futures, there has been a fairly even split across the map. The graphic below showcases each Florida county’s general rooting interest based on the percentage of series-winner bets placed on either team.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of South Floridians are pulling for the hometown Cats to avoid an early exit and hopefully defend their title.
As we move a bit over on the map toward the Tampa area, a sea of Lightning blue takes over and extends up through most of the state. A good chunk of the remaining counties up north are generally split, highlighting just how much local fans are stepping up for their teams this go around.
County by county breakdown: Lightning vs Panthers
| COUNTY | TEAM | % OF BETS |
| Alachua | Lightning | 61% |
| Baker | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Bay | Lightning | 85% |
| Bradford | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Brevard | Lightning | 57% |
| Broward | Panthers | 83% |
| Calhoun | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Charlotte | Lightning | 83% |
| Citrus | Lightning | 99% |
| Clay | Lightning | 69% |
| Collier | Panthers | 54% |
| Columbia | Panthers | 99% |
| Desoto | Panthers | 99% |
| Dixie | Panthers | 99% |
| Duval | Panthers | 55% |
| Escambia | Lightning | 52% |
| Flagler | Lightning | 66% |
| Franklin | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Gadsden | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Gilchrist | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Glades | Lightning | 99% |
| Gulf | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Hamilton | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Hardee | Lightning | 99% |
| Hendry | Panthers | 99% |
| Hernando | Lightning | 87% |
| Highlands | Panthers | 67% |
| Hillsborough | Lightning | 87% |
| Holmes | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Indian River | Lightning | 63% |
| Jackson | Lightning | 99% |
| Jefferson | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Lafayette | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Lake | Lightning | 68% |
| Lee | Lightning | 59% |
| Leon | Panthers | 71% |
| Levy | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Liberty | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Madison | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Manatee | Lightning | 87% |
| Marion | Lightning | 70% |
| Martin | Panthers | 85% |
| Miami-Dade | Panthers | 90% |
| Monroe | Panthers | 56% |
| Nassau | Lightning | 57% |
| Okaloosa | Lightning | 63% |
| Okeechobee | Panthers | 99% |
| Orange | Lightning | 56% |
| Osceola | Lightning | 75% |
| Palm Beach | Panthers | 75% |
| Pasco | Lightning | 86% |
| Pinellas | Lightning | 85% |
| Polk | Lightning | 76% |
| Putnam | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Saint Johns | Lightning | 56% |
| Saint Lucie | Panthers | 81% |
| Santa Rosa | Panthers | 67% |
| Sarasota | Lightning | 75% |
| Seminole | Lightning | 55% |
| Sumter | Lightning | 99% |
| Suwannee | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Taylor | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Union | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Volusia | Lightning | 64% |
| Wakulla | Too Close To Call | 50% |
| Walton | Lightning | 71% |
| Washington | Too Close To Call | 50% |
Panthers vs Lightning Game 1 betting forecast
Looking specifically into splits for Tuesday night’s Game 1 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, bettors are loving the Lightning to jump out and secure an early series lead. Here’s what Floridians are betting at Hard Rock Bet:
- 65% of all moneyline bets are on Tampa Bay to win Game 1
- 58% of the money is on Tampa Bay to win Game 1
Moving on to the puck line, players aren’t nearly as confident in terms of total bets placed. They are, however, putting down considerably more handle on Tampa Bay to cover the spread:
- 44% of all puck line bets are on Tampa Bay to cover -1.5
- 63% of the money is on Tampa Bay to cover -1.5
Panthers vs Lightning Series Schedule
All times listed are Eastern (ET)
| Game | Date | Venue | Time (ET) |
| 1 | Tuesday, April 22 | Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay | 8:30 PM |
| 2 | Thursday, April 24 | Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay | 6:30 PM |
| 3 | Saturday, April 26 | Amerant Bank Arena, Florida | 1:00 PM |
| 4 | Monday, April 28 | Amerant Bank Arena, Florida | TBD |
| 5* | Wednesday, April 30 | Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay | TBD |
| 6* | Friday, May 2 | Amerant Bank Arena, Florida | TBD |
| 7* | Sunday, May 4 | Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay | TBD |
Games marked (*) will only be played if necessary
Team Breakdown
Florida Panthers
- Defending 2024 Stanley Cup Champions, hungry for a repeat.
- Key players: Matthew Tkachuk (returning from injury) and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
- Regular season points: 98
Tampa Bay Lightning
- Looking to reclaim their championship legacy.
- Key players: Nikita Kucherov (NHL points leader), Brayden Point, and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
- Regular season points: 102
Betting Insights via Hard Rock Bet
- Series Odds: Panthers slight favorites at -115; Lightning close at -105.
- Series Handicap: Panthers –1.5 (+155), Lightning +1.5 (-190).
- Stanley Cup Odds: Panthers (+575); Lightning (+900).
Where to Watch
- TV Broadcast: ESPN, TBS, truTV, and associated networks.
- Streaming Options: Fubo and Sling.
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