How the public is betting Golden Knights vs. Blackhawks first round playoff series

Game 5 update: The Golden Knights won 4-3 as Max Pacioretty had a goal and an assist and Alex Tuch and Alex Martinez each added a goal in the series-clinching win.

Game 4 update: The Blackhawks won 3-1 behind 46 saves by goalie Corey Crawford.

Game 3 update: The Golden Knights won 2-1, as Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 26 shots.

Game 2 update: The Golden Knights won 4-3 in overtime on a Reilly Smith goal at the 7:13 mark.

Game 1 update: The Golden Knights won 4-1, powered by two Reilly Smith goals in the third period.

The Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks open their first round series on Tuesday as the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway. The series takes place in the Edmonton hub city, with the Golden Knights getting to wear their home jerseys for four of the seven games.

The Golden Knights are the No. 1 seed after sweeping their three round robin games. The Blackhawks were the 12th seed in the qualifying round and stunned the Edmonton Oilers in four games. Vegas enters the series as a -315 favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook against the +255 Blackhawks. The betting public is backing the Golden Knights big in this one, with 78 percent of the handle and 73 percent of total bets.

Game 1 of the series gets going at 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and the public thinks the Golden Knights will get off to a strong start. Vegas is -195 on the money line and is getting 71 percent of handle and 70 percent of bets. The Golden Knights are -1.5 on the puck line and are getting 80 percent of handle and 77 percent of bets to cover that line. Bettors are not quite settled on how much scoring we’ll see. The goal total is set at 6.5, with the over getting 69 percent of the handle, but the under getting 58 percent of total bets.

The Golden Knights will welcome back their leading scorer, with Max Pacioretty finished with his quarantine after a delayed entrance to the Edmonton bubble due to a camp injury. The Blackhawks will be without defenseman Brent Seabrook who did not travel with the team to the bubble as he continues recovering from hip and shoulder surgeries.

Here is the Golden Knights-Blackhawks series schedule. The Golden Knights won the series 4-1.

Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Blackhawks 1
Game 2: Golden Knights 4, Blackhawks 3 (OT)
Game 3: Golden Knights 2, Blackhawks 1
Game 3: Blackhawks 3, Golden Knights 1
Game 5: Golden Knights 4, Blackhawks 3