How to Bet on the NHL - Hockey Betting Guide
The National Hockey League definitely has its spot in online sports gambling. You can get odds year around, starting with Stanley Cup odds as soon as the current playoffs are done, all the way through the season. Here are four methods of NHL betting that you can do on top-rated NHL betting sites today.
What are NHL Moneylines?
Betting on the moneyline in NHL hockey is simple: you bet on who you think will win the game. You can tell which team is the underdog and which is the favorite by looking at the sign before the odds. Pittsburgh, for example, might be favored at -140 at home over Montreal, who are the underdogs at +120. Pittsburgh is the favorite as you can tell by the negative sign before the odds, so if they’re at -140, this means you would bet $140 to win $100. Montreal, the underdogs, have a positive sign in front of the odds. The Canadiens at +120 means you would bet $100 to win $120.
What are NHL Spreads?
NHL betting’s version of the spread bet is called the puck line. It is very similar to the run line in MLB wagering. The puck line spices up the bet by putting a margin of victory in the equation, and is usually 1.5 either way. For example, Pittsburgh see a puck line at -1.5 (+170), while Montreal sits at +1.5 (-150). In this example, the Penguins are the underdog to win by more than one goal, so if they win by two goals, you would take home $170 on a bet of $100. For Montreal, the Canadiens are favored to lose by less than a goal, or win outright; they would pay out $100 on a bet of $170 if Pittsburgh wins by one or Montreal wins outright.
What are NHL Totals?
You have the option to play the total in hockey. Over Under betting, is betting on how many goals will be scored in a game. Pittsburgh and Montreal might have a total set for their matchup of 5.5, and you’ll be making your wager based on the total coming in over or under that total. Here is where the starting goaltenders really come into play, and again, it is similar to MLB betting where the starting pitchers are important. In the NHL, most games have a total ranging from 5-to-6.5.
What are NHL Futures?
Futures betting is when you’re wagering on something that won’t happen for a while yet, such as the Stanley Cup. You can also bet on Conference and Division Winners, as well as player awards like the Hart Trophy for the Most Valuable Player. You will be able to get odds for the next Stanley Cup finals shortly after the season is over, so there is always NHL betting to be done. Get your research done early and you can find some good value picks before the season starts, or else the odds will get worse if they perform well.