Learn How to Bet on the NHL: Hockey Betting Explained
When it comes to sports betting, hockey isn’t as popular as the NFL, NBA or MLB but the NHL can offer plenty of edge if you do your research and find value in the different markets. During the season, you’ll find opportunities to make some bucks off the frozen picks. In this guide, learn about NHL betting markets from moneyline, to puck line and of course Over/Unders.
Moneyline
Betting the moneyline is the most straightforward wager in hockey where you just pick which team will win the game. As all games are not equal, meaning a great team playing a bad team, the betting line will be reflected in the odds for each team. Most books will display the moneyline in American odds with the favorite being indicated in negative value (-150) while the underdog will be a positive value (+165).
NHL Moneyline Example
Let’s show an example. Using the odds below, let’s explain how your wager and payouts will look. The Rangers are listed as a slight favorite at -130 while the Blackhawks are the underdogs at +115. If you bet New York, you need to risk $130 to win $100 (bet $1 to win $0.77). The underdog, the Blackhawks, every $100 you wager, you’ll win $115 (bet $1 to win $1.15).
New York Rangers (-130)
Chicago Blackhawks (+115)
The simple formula to keep in mind is when you see a team that has negative odds, you have to risk that number to win $100 and when you see positive odds, you will WIN that amount for every $100 wagered.
Betting the Puck Line
In hockey, the puck line is essentially hockey’s version of the point spread, which means the number of goals a team is favored by. Because most NHL games are lower scoring compared to other sports, the most common puck line odds you’ll see is 1.5 goals, meaning the team favored has to win by at least TWO goals for you to win that bet.
Example for Hockey Puck Line
The Rangers are favorite by -1.5 meaning they have to win by two goals. If they do, the payout will be higher, +235. $100 bet wins $235 if NYR wins by two. If you take Chicago +1.5 on the puck line, the Blackhawks can win the game outright or lose by just ONE goal for you to win your bet. The payout in this instance would be $100 for a $350 wager based on these odds.
New York Rangers -1.5 (+235)
Chicago Blackhawks +1.5 (-350)
Over/Under: Totals of Combined Score
To simplify this bet, you have to predict the combined score of a hockey game and whether it’ll be over or under than what the oddsmaker has set. When it comes to NHL games, typically the total (over/under) is set between 5.0 to 6.5 goals, depending on high scoring offenses, or defensive teams, or tremendous goalies. Depending on total, the juice, or vig is attached to both sides of the Over and Under, to adjust the line.
Example for Hockey Totals
The Rangers and Blackhawks game has a total set at 5.5 goals. Bettors will select which side they predict the game to end. If you bet the OVER, there needs to be 6 total goals and with the juice, you’ll need to bet $125 to win $100. If you bet the UNDER, the game needs to end with 5 or fewer goals. The payout, with the vig, would mean you need to bet $105 to win $100.
Over 5.5 (-125)
Under 5.5 (-105)
Parlays
Just like all sports, bettors love parlays and hockey is no different. An NHL parlay is a single bet with multiple games with a larger payout. But the one thing to keep in mind, every bet in your parlay must win for the entire parlay to pay out. So if you hit 3 out of four games on your ticket, your bet is a loss. Average bettors enjoy parlays because it offers bigger payouts than straight bets. If you wagered two underdogs at +200 each, your payout potential would be +800 which is more attractive than +200 for some casual bettors.
Same-game parlays
Many sportsbooks are offering bet builders or same-game parlays (SGP) for hockey games where bettors can combine moneyline, totals, team props, player props, to create a higher payout for a smaller amount. But just like any parlay, you have to win every leg of your SGP to cash your ticket.
60-minute line
Some sportsbooks offer the 60-minute line for hockey, which means your result doesn’t include overtime. This is where you can essentially bet on hockey ties. Also known as a three-way market, the 60-minute line gives you the option of a visitor, home team, or a tie bet. If the
New York Rangers are -130 on the moneyline, which includes overtime results; the 60-minute line for New York would be -105, offering better odds. But remember, these bets DO NOT include overtime.
Grand Salami
This has turned into a popular wager for casual players, the Grand Salami bet. This wager will factor in every game on the NHL schedule for the night, into one single bet. For example, there are 7 games on tonight’s schedule. The Grand Salami total is set at 37.5 goals. Bettors will wager the OVER or UNDER of that number, on all the goals scored in those games combined.
There needs to be 38 goals or more scored to win the over bet while 37 or fewer goals need to be scored to hit the under.
Betting Tips for Hockey
With so many nightly games during the season, you need some strategies before diving into hockey bets. Here are some things to keep an eye on as you dive into the world of hockey wagering.
- Watch for line movement throughout the day – as injuries, or lineup changes can influence the betting lines.
- Starting goalies can change the odds in a big way, especially if one goalie is on a roll or another is struggling.
- Injuries play a key part in odds changing especially if a top player is listed out.
- Check home and away records and some teams struggle with travel and time change
These are just a handful of tips you can incorporate into your research but the more information you find, the better value and knowledge you will have to become successful at hockey wagering. Good luck.
