• Betting On Hockey Games Tuesday August 11 2020
• Betting On Ice Hockey
• Betting On Hockey Strategy
• Betting On Hockey

How to Bet on Hockey

Hockey betting in the United States is far from the most popular sport in the land, but ever since the gambling capital of the country – Las Vegas – got a team in, the Golden Knights, in 2017, interest in hockey betting markets has picked up.

Betting on hockey is similar in concept to that of baseball lines, as hockey is predominantly a money line based sport with standardized point spread prices of -1.5 goals – like baseball is with -1.5 runs. Hockey betting odds are offered at every sportsbook, so finding the game you like is never tough, and if money lines aren't your thing, over-under totals in hockey are offered on every game as well, among other wagering potential.

Understanding Hockey Odds

As a money line based sport with so many similarities to baseball betting, understanding hockey odds follows a similar format. For example, you can have a game between the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins where the Penguins would be listed as a -165 favorite on the money line. That means that a bettor would have to put up $165 to win $100 if they were to back Pittsburgh, and the total for that game would be somewhere in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 goals.

Betting the spread is one of the most common ways to bet on NHL hockey games online. You’ll also see these referred to as puck line bets. The idea of puck line betting is to “level the playing field” between two teams that are not perfectly evenly matched. Ice hockey betting is widespread across North America and Europe and is especially popular when it comes to the NHL and KHL, with big international tournaments taking place regularly. Continue reading to learn how to bet on ice hockey and identify value in ice hockey betting markets.

One key difference from baseball betting does focus on the point spread – otherwise known as the “puck line” in hockey odds – as the -1.5 number still offers juicy plus-money odds if it connects. That same Pittsburgh line might be +150 range on the -1.5 puck line, but the key difference comes with a fundamental strategical way in which hockey is played. A team that's losing a game late in the 3^rd period will pull their goalie at some point with a minute or two left, giving the team that's leading an easy shot at adding another goal. That suggests that puck line bets do hit more often then run line bets do in baseball as it's not like the fielders come off the field in baseball late in games. Something to definitely consider when you are learning how to understand all the nuances with hockey odds.

NHL Future Wagers

Future wagers in NHL betting exist in a similar format to that of other professional sports offered at sportsbooks, as outcomes like who will win it all, who will win their division/conference, and season point totals are offered for hockey. Season point total wagers are essentially what other sports would classify as season wins – over-under props – but with the point system in the standings for hockey being a little different, a point-based system is just an all around better way to do things on the ice.

Stanley Cup futures odds are the ones that are posted the earliest leading up to an upcoming season, and the ones that are discussed frequently. However, with hockey being a sport where numerous upsets happen each year during a playoff campaign, and random luck being more of a factor in the sport then in other professional sports, staying away from the favored teams in the futures market isn't necessarily a bad idea in hockey. It's not like the favorites don't win, but considering the team that wins the President's Trophy – awarded to the team that finishes the regular season with the most points in the league, ie the best team – eight times in a 33-year existence, and only twice from 2002-03 through 2018-19, going a bit down the odds board in the futures market can be lucrative.

How to Bet the Stanley Cup Final

Stanley Cup Finals betting is one where bettors can treat the final series like that of the World Series or NBA Finals whereas they can look towards taking action on the series price – which team will hoist the trophy – and/or a game-by-game approach too. Stanley Cup Finals odds for the series price will change after each game is completed, so bettors should keep that in mind as well should their desired team fall short in Game 1 of the series. More of an underdog price on said team will be posted then, but there is always the fear of said team winning Game 1 and missing out on the pre-series line if you are to wait. It's a delicate balance that gets easier with experience.

NHL playoff odds throughout the spring are ones that offer plenty of wagering opportunities, and ones that culminate in the Stanley Cup Final line getting posted. Bettors with future wagers still live at that point have a question about “hedging or not” at that point – hedging would be to take the St Louis Blues to win the Finals when a bettor already has a previously placed bet on their opponent in the Finals – to assure themselves profit, but again, that's another situation that can be more easily addressed with betting experience.

How to Bet the NHL Playoffs

Betting the NHL playoffs can be done on a game-by-game or series price basis, and there are even prop wagers related to which team will win in how many games, and how many games a series will have.

With a full season of regular season data already in the stable by the time the NHL betting lines are released for the playoffs, bettors have to be aware that these numbers that the oddsmakers put out for their hockey betting lines during the postseason are theoretically as sharp as they've been all year. Sure, there are still things like luck and bounces to consider that seemingly derail at least one of the NHL's best teams early on in the playoffs, but NHL hockey odds during the playoffs need to be dissected thoroughly if success is to be had.

And for those bettors that live for the underdogs pulling off upsets, going for bigger scores on the hockey point spreads in the alternative lines and other variations of hockey odds that are offered during that time of year can prove to be bankroll boosters as well. Below are some of the best betting sites to begin your NHL betting career.

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In order to place bets on these sportsbooks, you must be in a state in which sports betting is regulated and where the corresponding sportsbook has a sports betting license. Welcome offers through VegasInsider are currently available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, and West Virginia. Welcome offers may differ depending on where you register. Please visit the sportsbook using any of our links, change to your location and confirm your welcome bonus offer and requirements before you register.

Popular Hockey Wagers

Given that it is the least bet North American professional sports league in the general US betting market, NHL odds tend to have limited popularity outside of the normal money line and total wagers. Puck lines are an extension of money lines in theory, so that's another popular betting option, but in a general sense, hockey bettors prefer to stick the staples of who will win the game (money lines) and how many total goals will be scored (totals) with their wagers on a given night in the NHL schedule.

NHL Money Line

Exactly as it sounds as it's a wager on who a NHL bettor believes will win the game outright. Money line prices are listed in the normal odds range that they are in any other sport where you'll see a team listed as a -140 favorite going up against a team that's listed as a +120 underdog. No spreads are needed to be worried about here as you just want to be backing the team that gets the win in the regular sense of the word.

NHL Over-Under

For years hockey totals were consistently released as a 5.5 number, but as scoring increased league-wide in the latter half of the 2010's, totals numbers have found a more consistent home at 6 and 6.5 for games on a nightly basis. All that means is whether or not you believed the combined score between the two teams will be over or under the posted total, it's as simple as that. For example, a game between Washington and Philadelphia that finishes 4-3 would cash an 'over' ticket on a total of 6.5, while a final score of 4-2 would see 'under' bettors smiling.

NHL Puck Line

The puck line has already been mentioned here, as it's a point spread for a hockey game that is almost always marked as a +/- 1.5 for the game. All that means is whether or not you believe the favorite on the money line will win the game by two goals or more (-1.5), or if the underdog will keep it a one-goal contest or even potentially win (+1.5). With the way goalies get pulled late in games for teams trailing, puck line bets can be a bit tricky to have consistency with – especially if you are backing the underdog at +1.5 – but at the same time, the underdog price (plus money) that's offered on the favorite to win by 2+ goals can be very rewarding.

NHL Grand Salami

The Grand Salami in hockey wagering is really simple and it's a great way to have action on every single game on a given night. Simply put, the “salami” is an over-under number posted on the total goals scored in all the games for a particular day. These numbers are based on how many games are being played that day and what the individual totals are for those contests. On a night where you've got six NHL games going all with individual totals of 6.5, the Grand Salami number would be somewhere around 40 total goals (6.5 X6 is 39).

2020 Grand Salami Betting Results

• April

Bettors decide whether or not to go over or under that number and individual over-under results for those games don't matter, just the total number of goals scored across the league.

How do I Bet Hockey Parlays

Hockey parlays are the same as parlays in any other sport, as bettors combine at least two selections on the money line, total, puck line, or any combination of that and potentially other wagers, to try and score on a bigger payout. Perhaps there are two huge favorites listed at -265 or higher on the money line and bettors who are confident those particular teams will win but don't want to risk nearly $265 to win just $100 can parlay the two options together to get a price something much closer to even money to mitigate their risk or dollar value put up.

Again, all selections within a parlay have to be graded as winners (or pushes) for a parlay to be considered a winner – ones with pushes are graded at a reduced price as if that game wasn't even there – and that's the trade off with using this form of a wager.

What are NHL Prop Bets

Proposition bets in hockey can include a wide range of topics, from team results in a particular game/season to individual player statistical results in a specific game. For instance, every game will have individual prop bets available for the bigger names on the teams involved for things like goals scored, assists earned, points earned, and even combination bets of statistical categories like that.

Fantasy players that live and die by these individual statistical outputs with their fantasy teams each day/week will likely naturally gravitate towards these plays, but they can be a tough nut to crack long term given the randomness that the game of hockey brings overall.

NHL Live Betting and In-Game Wagering

In-game wagering for hockey is another betting avenue that's gained plenty of traffic in recent years and rightfully so. More and more live betting options are being offered on a wider scale at sportsbooks all across the country no matter what shop you use, and hockey betting is no different. From the first game of the season to the NHL playoffs, and all the way through the Stanley Cup Finals, in-game wagering can be an important tool in the tool box of a hockey bettor.

All sorts of in-game odds are offered for pretty much any particular hockey game, so if it's a Saturday Night with the featured Hockey Night in Canada games on, or those novelty outdoor games like the Winter Classic or Stadium Series rivalry games, there is never a shortage of live betting opportunities for hockey bettors to sink there teeth into. Heck, with the explosion of in-game wagering in the industry on the whole, even big time amateur hockey events like the Frozen Four or IIHF World Junior Championships offer plenty of in-game betting opportunities for hockey fans and bettors alike.

NHL Period Betting

Breaking down an individual hockey game through period betting is another betting avenue in the hockey marketplace that has gained plenty of traction in recent years, especially with the 1^st period betting odds on the money line and total getting more and more time devoted to content pieces.

All those are are individual money line prices for the 1^st period and the first period only, with over-under total numbers for the opening 20 minutes of play typically being set at 1.5 goals. If you believe a particular team is in a great spot to get off to a fast start, looking at backing them on the 1^st period ML and/or 'over' 1.5 1^st period goals is another way to diversify your portfolio on a particular game too.

Although the NHL isn’t quite as popular as other American sports like the NFL and NBA, it’s still right up there when it comes to pure entertainment.

But as well as being entertained, you may as well make a bit of extra $$ while watching a game, yeah?!

Knowing how to bet on hockey is a great skill that can make your enjoyment and appreciation of the sport better, while at the same time lining your pockets a bit. And because I hate the bookies, I’m here to show you exactly how to do it.

In this article, I’ll be looking at the BEST ice hockey betting sites, and I’ll also be laying down some bulletproof betting strategies that will help you make killer profits.

Ready? Let’s make a start.

Best Hockey Betting Sites

MyBookie is one of the standout sportsbooks when it comes to the NHL, as well as American sports in general. They offer reliable payouts, competitive odds, and their in-play action is good.

Sign up today and grab a 100% match deposit welcome bonus.

Perhaps America’s most trusted sportsbook of all time, Bovada is the Godfather when it comes to ice hockey props, bonuses, and promos. They also offer live streaming, and their user interface is one of the best around. Withdrawal times are good, and Bitcoin is accepted.

Sign up today and grab a $250 welcome bonus.

BetNow is focused predominantly on U.S. markets. It’s ideal for high rollers who want a site that won’t restrict their stakes, a site where the software is excellent, as well as where their live customer support is the best in town.

Sign up today and grab a 100% match deposit welcome bonus up to $500.

Helpful Stats & Facts For Betting On Hockey

When betting on any sports, it always helps to have a few stats and facts to hand. I’m going to list some of my personal favorites in this section, but I recommend that you find some of your own and add them to a spreadsheet.

• The best-of-5 format hasn’t been used since 1986

• The highest average goals per game over the course of a whole season for any team since 2000 was the Capitals’ 3.82 goals in 2009/10

• No one has scored more than 4.0 goals per game since the Penguins in 1995/96

• Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets scored a goal on his birthday in the last two seasons

• Sidney Crosby of the Penguins has averaged over a point per game for 14 consecutive seasons

• Detroit Red Wings have had a handful of players who’ve scored three overtime winners in one season. They have never had a player score four OT goals in one year, however

• There are still eleven teams who have never won a Stanley Cup, with the Maple Leafs and the St. Louis Blues going the longest (50 years) without winning it

The Most Popular Types of Hockey Bets

There are different types of hockey bets you can place. Some bettors prefer to mix things up and try different types of bets, whilst others like to specialise in one or two types. Some are also easier to get right than others, but all require skill, judgment – and a bit of luck.

Here are the most popular types of hockey bets:

Moneyline Bet

The moneyline bet is the most popular of all NHL bets, probably because it’s the simplest and not too difficult to get right.

All you’re doing is wagering on who you think will win the game outright. You can bet on the underdog, the favorite – or the tie.

And here’s the thing: Your bet only counts during the 60 minutes of regular time. It doesn’t include overtime. If a game is tied in regular time and goes into overtime, your moneyline bet is won or lost on the tie.

Of course, money lines offer smaller payouts for the favorite, but payouts for the tie and the underdog can often be quite handsome.

Betting On Hockey Games Tuesday August 11 2020

Puck Line Handicap

A puck line handicap is a type of bet that can only be placed on ice hockey games.

It’s kinda like “spread betting,” a type of bet that’s based on a point spread applied to both teams. But NHL bet lines are a tad different.

With the puck line handicap, a puck line (NHL betting line) is always set at 1.5. The favorite then receives a -1.5 goal puck line handicap. If you choose to wager on them, they need to win by 2+ goals. This means that, if they win by a single goal, you still lose the bet (despite them winning!).

Conversely, the underdog receives a +1.5 puck line handicap. If you wager on them, they cannot lose by 2+ goals. If they do, you lose the bet.

Over/Under Number of Goals Scored

Over/under bets are popular in many sports, including the NHL.

It’s a really simple bet. All you need to decide is whether or not you think a game will have X number of goals scored.

For example, let’s say the Bruins are playing the Penguins. Because you think this will be a low scoring game, you bet on “under 2.5 goals.” For your bet to win, there can’t be more than 2 goals. It doesn’t matter the exact total number of goals – you just don’t want there to be more than 2.

On the other hand, let’s say Tampa Bay is playing the Ducks. You think this will be a fairly high scoring game, and so you wager on “over 1.5 goals.” For your bet to win, there needs to be more than two or more goals scored.

Correct Score

The correct score bet is tricky to get right. But the payouts are often big, and it’s a really fun bet to place if you’re going to be tracking the action live.

All you need to do is a wager on the exact score you think will materialize. Your bet will only win if the actual score matches your correct score bet.

Hockey Betting Strategy

It can be a tempting bet on instinct. I know – I’ve been there. You’re watching a game unfold, you see a betting opportunity all of a sudden, and quickly stick the wager on.

Then, you watch in horror as you lose the bet.

On another day, you might win the bet. But it’s just pure dumb luck.

It’s MUCH better to stick to a consistent hockey betting strategy that you know yields profits over the long term.

Betting On Ice Hockey

There are a lot of hockey betting strategies you can employ, but in this section I’m going to share my personal favorite. Please note, though, that past results do not guarantee future wins.

Back The Underdog

In sports betting, it is – of course – seen as more favorable to back the favorite.

But how often have you taken a punt on a favorite … and they’ve lost?

It happens because, as rare as it might seem, favorites do lose. My buddy had never bet on sports in his life when he decided to back the Lakers in the NBA to win their next game “for some extra beer money.”

Bear in mind, the Lakers were the reigning champions who were massive favorites. It seemed a dead certainty that they would beat the depleted Bulls. What happened? They lost.

And in the NHL, a league where there are 82 games across a season, the favorites lose more often than you might think.

Think back to the 2015-15 season. The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup on the back of a 48-34 win-loss record.

That’s 34 times they lost during a single season. That’s a lot!

Therefore, it can be really profitable over the long-term if you back the underdog because the odds will be in your favor (the payout will be far bigger than backing the favorite with big money, especially when just one defeat can wipe you out).

Now, this doesn’t mean that you should back the underdog blindly without discretion. Rather, you still need to look at the form and see if you can spot when an upset is coming (check the tips below to help you). But if you stick at this strategy and never bet more than you can afford to lose, it can pay dividends throughout a season.

Top Tips For Betting On Hockey

Who’s The Goalie?

As mentioned just now, there are a LOT of NHL games over a single season. Players need rest – and goalies get more rest than their teammates.

When looking at potential games to bet on, check whether or not the main goalies are playing. If a main goalie is missing, there’s a big chance that their team will lose.

In-Play Power Play Action

Power Plays are key ingredients in a game of ice hockey because they can swing a game in a whole new direction.

Whenever a Power Play occurs, make sure you know exactly how both teams normally handle the situation. How good is a team at taking advantage of a Power Play? How bad is a team at managing a Power Play? Do they tend to score or concede more goals?

When you know these kinds of stats, you can take advantage with some Power Play in-play betting.

Be Mindful Of Fatigue

Injuries obviously play a crucial role in the outcome of a game (and therefore your betting strategies). But what about fatigue?

Fatigue might not seem as obvious as an injury, probably because the commentators aren’t going to tell you pre-game that a player is “tired.”

But remember – there are a lot of games in an NHL season and players get tired. This affects their ability to skate quickly and perform at their max.

Before any game, look at how many games a team has played in the last few days and weeks. Have they had a packed schedule? If they have, poor performance might be coming up.

Common Online Hockey Betting Tools

Betting On Hockey Strategy

• Swish Analytics – Swish Analytics is a machine learning system that predicts the outcome of NHL games. You shouldn’t absolutely swear by its results, but it can help you make a better betting decision

• OddsPortal– When placing a bet, you need to be sure you’re getting the best odds possible. OddsPortal compares odds at various sportsbooks to ensure you’re maximizing your profits

• Flashscore– Flashscore is one of the best websites around that lets you track the form of any NHL team. It also includes game-by-game stats

Final Word On Hockey Betting

Now that you know how to bet on hockey, the next step is to pick a sportsbook that’s right for you. Then, use the tips in this article to help you place better bets. Don’t forget to make use of tools, too. But remember – never bet more than you can afford to lose.

Betting On Hockey

With that said, I wish you the best of luck. Don’t forget to leave a comment letting us know how you get on!