Golden Knights a hometown hit, except with sportsbooks

There's now one more way to win big in Sin City, as placing a wager on the expansion Vegas Golden Knights has proven to be an excellent source of extra income.

Except, of course, if you're the one taking the bets.

"We've been getting our butts kicked," South Point oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro told ESPN's Doug Kezirian. "We should rename it 'free date night.' A guy invites a girl out to dinner and stops at the sportsbook on the way to the game. What she doesn't realize is we are paying for everything."

The first-year club is the biggest surprise of the season, and has easily surpassed pundits' and oddsmakers' low expectations. The Golden Knights sit atop the Western Conference after a 32-11-4 showing through 47 games, good for 68 points. That means they're already ahead of their 26.5 over/under mark for wins and knocking on the door of their 68.5-point season projection. There's no better team on home ice, either; Vegas has dropped just two of 23 contests at T-Mobile Arena.

"The betting public found a new ATM," said Westgate Las Vegas Superbook oddsmaker and manager John Murray. "It's called the Golden Knights."

Nowadays, the house is putting a little more faith in the hometown team. Westgate's latest odds tab the Golden Knights as 7-1 favorites - behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning - to win the Stanley Cup.