NHL fans are some of the most passionate in all of sports, with the National Hockey League’s devoted following taking that love for the sport to the betting window. Wagering on NHL games can be done in a variety of ways, with hockey fans that have an in-depth knowledge having a chance to use their hockey IQ to earn payouts. In this NHL betting guide, find out what kinds of NHL wagers can be made, and what strategies are worth looking at when placing hockey bets.
With hockey being a sport that is enjoyed throughout North America and Europe, there are a number of types of betting lines that have been created by bookmaker after bookmaker. Here is a look at the different varieties of betting odds that can be taken on by NHL bettors as they look to cash in on the ice.
With hockey being a sport that is enjoyed throughout North America and Europe, there are a number of types of betting lines that have been created by bookmaker after bookmaker. Here is a look at the different varieties of betting odds that can be taken on by NHL bettors as they look to cash in on the ice.
NHL puck line betting is similar to point spread betting in other sports. But the difference between point spreads in leagues like the NFL and NBA and the puck line is the handicap amount that is applied to each contest. In football and basketball, point spreads vary based on the perceived advantage one team has over their opponent. In the NHL, meanwhile, the handicap amount is almost always 1.5 goals.
In fact, the MLB run line bet has more in common with the NHL puckline bet than any other market does. Both see a 1.5 run or 1.5 goal handicap applied to nearly every game where the markets are available. And thanks to the bullpens in baseball and the possibility of empty net goals in hockey, both are never out of the question on either side.
An example of the puckline bet would be a game between the Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes. If the Sabres were the favorites, they would have 1.5 goals subtracted from their score, while the underdog Coyotes would have 1.5 goals added to their total. The team with the highest score after that handicap was applied to either side would win the wager.
The moneyline bet in the NHL is largely the same as the moneyline bet in other sports, which is to say that bettors have to correctly predict which team is going to win a hockey game. As is the case with other sports, bettors have to risk more when backing a favorite to win their desired payout amount than they would to win the same amount when backing an underdog. But there is one wrinkle to the NHL moneyline bet worth remembering.
That wrinkle is the fact that some sportsbooks might offer the tie in addition to both teams on the moneyline market. That means that a game that is even at the end of regulation would be a loss for those who backed both teams on the three-way moneyline. At sportsbooks that offer a two-way moneyline, the team that won after overtime or a shootout would win for their bettors.
In an example of a two-way moneyline bet, the Boston Bruins at -175 are facing the Washington Capitals at +125. Bruins bettors would need to risk $175 to make $100 if the Bruins were to win. Capitals bettors would need to risk $100 to win $125. Without a tie option, the team that wins in regulation, overtime, or a shootout would cash tickets for their backers.
Totals betting on the NHL allows bettors to wager on the total number of goals that are scored in a matchup. Bettors have to predict whether the number of goals scored will be over or under the total set by the sportsbook for the full game or for individual periods.
For example, in a game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers, the total for a game might be set at 5.5 goals. It would be up to a bettor to choose whether the amount of total goals would be over or under that amount. If the game finished at 3-2, the five combined goals would result in an under. A 4-3 game would result in an over at seven total goals scored.
Prop bets are another fun way to wager on each NHL matchup. They ask questions that are more in-depth than markets related to the game result or the total number of goals scored. Bettors can wager on whether or not a specific player will score a goal in a game, how long it will take for the first goal to be scored in a game, or the number of saves that a goaltender will compile in a game.
These prop betting markets can make any game more exciting, as even a game between teams that typically don’t contend for the playoffs like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators feels more important while taking on prop bets. Also beneficial is the fact that some of these bets can be settled within minutes, as opposed to sitting through a full-game wager.
Futures bets in the NHL usually pertain to the NHL playoffs, and which team will win the Eastern Conference, Western Conference or Stanley Cup Finals. More often than not, the best NHL teams like the Penguins and Blackhawks are among the favorites in these markets. But bettors who have foresight to find diamonds in the rough that make unexpected runs in the playoffs, like the Florida Panthers or Tampa Bay Lightning, have the potential to see huge profits.
Bettors also have the opportunity to bet on regular season win totals in the futures market. Here, they can predict whether the number of wins a team amasses during a season goes over or under the total set by the bookmaker.
Sports betting as a whole has embraced live betting, and NHL wagering is no exception to that rule. With live betting on the NHL, bettors can wager on odds that are updated in accordance with everything that happens on the ice. With live betting, hockey bettors have the ability to find better value than there might be before a game’s opening faceoff.
For an example of live betting, take a game between the Dallas Stars and Philadelphia Flyers. If the Stars were a -200 favorite heading into the game, but give up the game’s first goal, their live betting odds might go to -110. Bettors who are confident in the Stars to come back could take the Stars at -110 at that point, and get a better price than they would have if they had just bet on the Stars before the game started.
The Stanley Cup playoffs feature some of the most exciting postseason action in all of sports. And the NHL playoffs offer a number of betting options that amplify that excitement in a major way. Bettors can make their NHL picks on which team will win each individual series, each individual game or the entire postseason. Series lines are updated after each game, based on the outcome of each contest.
When betting on the postseason, the most profitable strategy is to find a team that is peaking at the end of the season. Teams like the Vegas Golden Knights or St. Louis Blues have made runs through the postseason despite not being the top seeds in the league heading into the playoffs, because they were hot at the right time. Identifying those teams can lead to handsome payouts on the futures and series markets.
Just like MLB, the best strategy for betting on the NHL is to understand who is going to be playing on a given night. In baseball, that means understanding who has the advantage in the pitching matchup for a game. In the NHL, that means betting on teams when the right goaltender is on the ice.
Teams frequently rest goalies in the NHL, rotating them to keep them fresh for the more important games on their schedules. Avoiding spots where a team has its backup goalie out there can help avoid unnecessary losses. Doing this can often be more valuable than relying on NHL betting trends, though observing trends can have plenty of value in its own right.
Finally, from a strategic standpoint, bettors should remember that hockey is a high-variance sport. With small deflections and video review often coming into play in goals, even the smartest bets can go off the rails on occasion. For this reason, bettors should avoid parlays and other risky multi-leg wagers, as they have a reduced probability of success compared to single bets.
