Morning Coffee: Early lines available at FanDuel ahead of NFL schedule release

Good morning to NFL fans around the world.

It’s one of the most wonderful days of the offseason with the full 2024 NFL season schedule set to be released.

This year’s slate will feature nine playoff rematches, including the Super Bowl, both conference championships, and all four Divisional Round games.

It will also feature games in London, England, a game in Munich, Germany, and a game in Sao Paolo, Brazil – the league’s first game ever held in South America.

All roads lead to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 9th.

Thanks to several schedule leaks, we already have early lines available at FanDuel for a handful of games.

The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs are a 2.5-point favourite for their season opener against the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC Championship rematch.

The Philadelphia Eagles are -1.5 for their showdown with the Green Bay Packers in Brazil on September 6th.

The Buffalo Bills will get an early Thursday Night Football date with the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins in Week 2.

FanDuel opened with Miami -1.5.

We’re still months away from the regular season kick-off, but I already have my eye on one line that I believe could look very different by the time September rolls around.

While NFL fans are busy reviewing the slate, debating strength of schedule, and planning trips to see their favourite teams live, I’ll be watching early lines and preparing for another busy night on the sports calendar.

We’ve cashed each of our first two FanDuel Best Bets in this column to begin the week.

Hopefully, we can stay hot with another winner tonight.
  
This is the Morning Coffee for Wednesday, May 15th, 2024.

Oilers Survive Late Scare In Game 4 Win Over Canucks

The Edmonton Oilers were desperate for a win on home ice in Game 4 last night to avoid falling behind 3-1 in their second-round playoff series.

While they eventually escaped with the win, it wasn’t without a sweat for anybody who bet on the Oilers.

Edmonton led 2-1 late in the third period when Dakota Joshua tied it for the Vancouver Canucks with 1:41 left in regulation.

Fortunately for Oilers’ fans and those of us on the east coast that had to get up for work in just a few hours, Evan Bouchard scored the winner just over a minute later to avoid overtime and tie the series at 2-2.

With the victory, Edmonton moved from -106 to -205 to win the series at FanDuel.

The Canucks went from -113 to +168 to advance.

The Oilers are -152 to win Game 5 in Vancouver.

The Canucks have been an underdog in every game of the series so far, but they’re tied at 2-2 with home-ice advantage in a series that is now a best-of-three.

I’m looking forward to seeing if they can keep the pressure on Edmonton and find a way to pull off the series upset.

In the early game, the Boston Bruins avoided elimination with a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 5.

The series shifts back to Boston for Game 6 with the Bruins at +470 to advance.

Florida is -150 to win Game 6 and -670 to win the series.

Most importantly last night, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman delivered the three shots on goal we needed from each of them to cash another FanDuel Best Bet.

As I highlighted last night, it’s going to take a few coffees to get through the morning following another late night.

Fortunately, Bouchard saved us from another overtime.

A FanDuel Best Bet To Consider For Wednesday

As was the case the first two days of the week, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are the focus of today’s best bet.

Unlike the previous two mornings, we only have one NHL game on the schedule.

The Dallas Stars have an opportunity to advance to the Western Conference Finals with a win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 on home ice.

The Stars are -1450 to win the series at FanDuel.

Colorado to win in seven is +810.

While this was one of the most highly anticipated showdowns of the second round, it’s been one-sided to this point.

The Avalanche haven’t led at any point throughout the first four games.

Colorado trailed 3-0 in Game 1 before they stormed back to beat Dallas 4-3 in overtime.

Since then, the Stars have outscored the Avalanche a combined 14-5 in three straight victories.

Factor in that Colorado will be without its leading playoff scorer in Valeri Nichushkin and could once again be without Devon Toews and the situation looks extremely dire for the Avalanche.

Despite all of this, Dallas moneyline has shifted from -156 to -146 at FanDuel.

Colorado is +122 to extend the series with a win tonight.

I understand the sentiment surrounding the Avalanche as a desperate team looking to avoid elimination.

However, there’s nothing I’ve seen from the first four games that indicates they have what it takes to rally in the series without Nichushkin.

In fact, I’m already on the Stars to win Game 5 at -146.

According to the traders at FanDuel, 72 per cent of the stakes are on the Stars to win.

If I have one concern, it’s the fact that Dallas has delivered better results on the road than at home so far this postseason.

The Stars are 5-0 as the visiting team compared to 3-3 at home.

Colorado should also deliver its best effort of the series tonight.

For my FanDuel Best Bet, I’m going to build a Same Game Parlay that features Dallas +1.5 on the alt puck line, Nathan MacKinnon 3+ shots on goal, and Tyler Seguin 2+ shots on goal.

This exact SGP would be 4-0 so far in the series.

MacKinnon has three or more shots in every game.

Seguin has two or more shots on in every game.

I’m banking on MacKinnon and Seguin to hit those floors again tonight and I’ll take a little insurance with the Stars at +1.5.

A Same Game Parlay with Dallas +1.5, MacKinnon 3+ shots on goal and Seguin 2+ shots on goal is -101.

I’ll make that SGP my FanDuel Best Bet for Wednesday.

Happy NFL schedule release day to all! 

Hopefully, we can bring it home with another FanDuel Best Bet winner tonight!