With the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Final starting Wednesday night and the National Basketball Association Finals beginning Thursday, the betting has begun on Capitol Hill.
Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Il., and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., have placed their wagers on the Chicago Blackhawks-Tampa Bay Lightning hockey series. Durbin, a diehard ‘Hawks fan, bet Garrett Mix from Chicago’s Garrett popcorn shops and 312 beer from the Goose Island Beer Company while Nelson wagered a box of some of Tampa’s and Florida’s famous Cuban sandwiches.
“This is the third time in six years that the Blackhawks find themselves playing for the Stanley Cup,” Durbin said. “The determiniation and skill of the Blackhawks came through in the playoffs capped by the Game 7 victory at Anaheim.”
Nelson lauded the Lightning as a "source of pride for the entire Tampa community."
"They have shown how you can get results when you work together as a team," he added. "And all of their fans are wishing them the best of luck."
Meanwhile, Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, are wagered some of their state’s best on the NBA championship series between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Feinstein put up bottles of California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon on the Warriors against Portman’s Great Lakes beers and the Cavaliers. Feinstein warned that she’s on a winning streak.
“As mayor of San Francisco, I wagered with my fellow mayors on the Super Bowl and my 49ers came out on top four times," she said. "As senator, I bet on the World Series with my colleagues, and my Giants have been victorious three times in the last five years. Now, I’m looking forward to yet another streak as the Golden State Warriors play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals."