Pro hockey is extremely popular in some parts of the USA and Canada and has almost no following in others. Though the sport doesn’t have the mainstream appeal of the NFL, MLB, or NBA, national broadcasts are commonplace, and lines on hockey games are available at sportsbooks worldwide.
If you’re a hockey fan and grew up watching the sport and imitating your heroes – or even if you’re a newcomer to hockey fandom – you’re probably almost ready to place NHL wagers. All you need are a few pieces of information to shore up the hockey knowledge you’ve already got.
Here is a breakdown of the most commonly used betting formats among fans of the National Hockey League:
The Moneyline
The moneyline asks bettors to pick which of two teams they think will win outright.
The moneyline is the most popular version of pro hockey wagering, on par with moneyline wagers in other major sports. One major difference in NHL and NFL moneylines? Most hockey game lines include a 20-cent line as a league standard. In layman’s terms, the vast majority of hockey games are handicapped by sportsbooks so that 20 points separate odds. Believe it or not, this $0.20 line tradition is even used in games with a heavy favorite; that means the NHL often provides good value on favorites, unlike other pro US sports.
Here’s an example of an NHL Moneyline:
Calgary +100
Montreal -120
This simple collection of words and numbers transmits a ton of information in very little space. The minus symbol (-) identifies the favorite, in this case the Canadiens. The number next to the favorite’s symbol indicates how much you have to bet in order to earn a $100 payout; in this case, $120.
The plus symbol (+) next to Calgary identifies the Flames as the underdog. The number 100 means that a winning bet on Calgary will pay out $100 for every $100 wagered.
Game Totals (Over/Under)
Over/Under bets require that the bettor wager on whether the total number of points scored by both sides will be “over” or “under” a number set by the sportsbook. If you predict a game will feature more points than the book says, you take the “over.” If you think the game might finish with fewer points, you take the “under.”
I’m not a big fan of this kind of betting for hockey, mostly because hockey matches tend to produce a fewer number of total points than other sports. That leaves little room for bookmakers to move the line.
NHL Betting Basics
Since you’re a fan of the game and you’re now familiar with the basic bets used in NHL wagering, all you need to get out there and be a successful hockey bettor are a few basic tips to get you started.
1. Become a hockey roster expert.
Injuries are common in hockey – it’s a brutal sport full of hard contact and speed. Hockey games also occur with frequency, which means injuries and shifts in rosters and starting lines are common. In fact I’d say that rosters change often enough to justify a daily review of injury and roster changes on the games you’ll be betting on.
Tip #2: Be aware of goalie wear and tear.
We’ve already said that hockey is a tough contact sport – goalkeepers get the worst of it. Imagine the tough job of an MLB starting pitcher, except now imagine the entire starting lineup for the other team is flying towards him, attempting to knock him out cold. The wear and tear on goalkeepers in the NHL is a serious problem for bettors who overlook the impact of recent activity on a team’s defense. With NHL goalies, recent history is much more important than historical performance.
Tip #3: Look beyond the box score.
You can’t become a winning NHL bettor by reading box scores and a series of ESPN segments. Baseball’s Sabermetrics craze has leaked over into the NHL, and statisticians are now looking at hockey performance under a microscope. Becoming familiar with the full spectrum of hockey stats is crucial to success as an NHL bettor.
Let me give you an example of a hockey stat that’s useful as a predictive tool – PDO. A hockey blogger created PDO to determine whether a player is about to streak or about to go cold. I know hockey bettors who swear by PDO. They add a player’s even-strength save percentage and shooting percentage. It’s an elegant little stat that helps people predict future performance. The purpose of using PDO (and other stats like it) is to catch on to upward or downward trends in performance before other bettors do.
PDO is not the only advanced stat you should look into. I provided that example to get you motivated to go out and find some tools of your own to advance your understanding of hockey. But be careful – these stats are powerful and addictive, and you may become a stat geek.
Pro hockey takes place during a season that’s mighty similar to the more popular NBA. Both leagues involve 82 regular-season games, starting and ending around the same time. If you’re already familiar with the way the NBA works, you’re even better prepared to bet on pro-American hockey. I’ll admit – it can be more difficult to research and handicap a hockey game as compared to an NBA game, just do to the increased interest in the NBA. NHL betting offers a lot of value for those who figure out how to gain access to stats and updated information.
Hockey Betting Questions and Answers
Since it’s played on ice, hockey has a large following in countries with colder climates like Canada, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the northern United States. In fact, residents of these countries can be borderline fanatical regarding hockey and betting on the game.
If you fit into this category, or you’d just like to know more about hockey betting, then check out the following questions and answers on the game.
How Does Hockey Betting Work?
Wagering on hockey is really easy at online sportsbooks. You just need to visit an online sportsbook that you can use, then find an available banking option to make a deposit.
The most popular ways to bet on hockey include the money and puck lines, which are covered next.
What Is the Moneyline in Hockey?
The moneyline is a straight-up bet on which team will win a hockey game. But odds are attached to each team in order to even out the betting action, which you can see below:
Calgary +200L.A. Kings – 175
You’re betting $100 on Calgary to win $200 in this case. And you’d be wagering $175 to win $100 on the favored Kings.
What Is the Puck Line?
The puck line works like a point spread, where each team has a +/-1.5 goal spread attached to their line. Here’s a sample puck line:
Toronto +1.5Washington -1.5
In this instance, Washington needs to win by 2 or more goals for a successful wager. Toronto must lose by one goal, tie, or win the game for a successful bet.
What Is the Over Under in Hockey?
The over/under involves betting whether two hockey teams will score more or less than a given goal number. For example, if you took the over on a line of 5.5 goals, you win if the two teams combine for 6 or more goals.
Over/under bets aren’t as popular in hockey as they are in other sports because less goals are scored. But they can still be a fun way to spice up your betting action.
Can I Get a Hockey Betting Bonus?
You’ll have no trouble finding bonuses at most online sportsbooks. Many offer new hockey bettors a welcome bonus, which gives you a chance to earn a match bonus on your first deposit.
From here, you may be eligible for other promotions like free bets, cash prizes, and a rewards program.
Can I Win with Hockey Betting?
Wagering on hockey sees skilled bettors win over the long term. But even if you’re not a good hockey bettor, you can go on a lucky streak and win some money.
What Are Some Good Hockey Betting Tips?
This is an in-depth subject that could see you win lots of money depending upon how much you get into hockey betting.
But some starter tips include paying attention to rosters and all the injuries that occur, knowing backups well when these injuries happen, and studying all the advanced stats that you can get your hands on.
Do Hockey Betting Systems Work?
Yes and no. There are some successful hockey betting systems out there that can help you experience a nice run.
But if you’re looking for some foolproof strategy that’ll help you win consistently, then you probably won’t find what you’re looking for. If there were such a thing, everybody would be using it.
Is Hockey Betting Safe?
Most online sportsbooks that take hockey betting action are legitimate operations that honor all cashouts.
We still recommend that you check out reviews before betting, but you should have little trouble when betting on hockey.
Is Online Hockey Betting Legal?
Yes, online hockey betting is legal in Canada and many other countries across the world.
But online hockey wagering is technically illegal in the United States due to the Wire Act of 1961. Nevertheless, plenty of offshore sportsbooks offer hockey lines to Americans, and it’s extremely rare for US states to prosecute anybody over online wagering criminally.