Panthers vs Lightning: Who are Floridians pulling for?

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.

 

In total, 51% of Florida-based bettors are backing the Lightning, while the remaining 49% will be rooting for the Panthers to take the series.

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.