Chiclets Concierge For The Masters Monday Blues: A Trip To Karlstad, Sweden

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Just like the song goes “ I have been everywhere man, I have been everywhere!!” and I am going to pass this knowledge onto the great fans of Barstool by using experiences.  But let us be serious, this blog is mostly about winning money.  We will give you a bet on the local team that will make you money and add fun facts about some of the great cities around the world. For all the stat people in the crowd, I have played in 18 countries and have been to 33 total.  Check the game notes!! 

Chiclets Concierge returns to get us through the Monday after The Masters and add a few funds to our bankroll. Playoffs are going in all the European leagues and the games are limited but we love a spot in Sweden today.

Location: Karlstad, Sweden - A lovely 3.5-hour drive west of Stockholm, this city is located on the Vänern, which is Sweden’s largest lake. This is not only the largest lake in Sweden, it is the largest in all of the European Union. So suck on that Lake Como. 

Team Imports local watering hole of choice: Leprechaun Pub - A traditional Irish pub where the Guinness is always poured correctly which is not easy to find in a Nordic country. If you are settling in for a long day of bar games and sports betting make sure to get the baked fish and potatoes. The local team is always on but the dart games can get very serious.   

What locals will make you try at least once: ‘Swedish Pizza’ which is a large round of knäckebröd gratinated with Sweden’s most beloved Västerbotten cheese and topped with pickles, onions and cream.  This is great late at night and can be found throughout the city.  

Drink up and enjoy: Aquavit “water of life” is a legendary alcohol in Sweden and is very popular.  This drink tastes like Rye bread but it is actually very good. I like the dill taste that comes with it. This drink has been around long enough that it was believed to have magical healing powers and I have drank it enough times to say it heals a lack of personality for sure. It also ranges in the 37-45% alcohol strength.  Any visitor won't make it very far without being offered this drink.  They just opened a new brewery in my hometown. 

Things to see: There are some great museums to check out while in town but my favorite thing to do in Karlstad is head down to the Stora Torget, which is the huge city square and enjoy ice cream and people watch for hours.  

Local Team: Färjestad BK - the team plays in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and currently has 9 championships. This team is the most successful team in SHL history.  They are one of two teams that have never been relegated to the lower league which is a crazy stat.

Some Legendary alumni: Håkan Loob, Sheldon Souray, Zdeno Chara, Mike Comrie, Christian Berglund, Rickard Wallin and Joel Eriksson Ek

Arena: Löfbergs Arena - 8,645 capacity for ice hockey games and was built in 2001. Löfbergs is a brand of coffee in Sweden that owns the naming rights. Always fun to watch a game at the arena as you can catch some races next door at the Harness Track before the game.

Murls’ Best Bet: Färjestad BK ml -109 @BarstoolSportsbook

Twitter: mattmurley19

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