Sure, the game itself is the draw, hockey is loads of fun to watch, it's an exciting game and there are many betting options such as a two way lines, a three way line, a puck line, totals, periods, period props and player props. There is a lot of money to be made playing this game, find a great handicapping website and glean information from. So puck-line wagers can be a much better value, as you will bet on a favorite to win by a spread, more often than not at 1 ½ goals, and you risk less than on a money-line. You can also bet underdogs on the puck-line. Washington -1 ½ +145 (Bet $100 to win $145) Detroit +1 ½ -175 (Bet $100 to win $57.10). The latest tweets from @MrPuckLine. This wager means that the bookies favourite for a particular game needs to defeat their rival by more than the point spread in order for the bet to pay out. Of all the different types of NHL bets, this one is definitely a fan favourite. Unlike other sports, the point spread for puck line betting is always +/- 1.5.
Looking to get started betting on hockey with the 2021 NHL season? Our NHL betting guide breaks down all you need to know to place hockey bets with a look at all the various betting markets, terms and strategies. We’ll also showcase daily NHL betting odds from the top legal US sportsbooks.
The 2021 NHL regular season runs from Wednesday, Jan. 13, through Saturday, May 8, and will have all 31 teams playing a 56-game, regionally-based schedule. The Colorado Avalanche enter the season as the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup, with the 2019-20 champion Tampa Bay Lightning right behind.
NHL betting odds
NHL Betting Guide: Best betting sites
Legal sports betting is expanding across the United States, and bettors should particularly be aware of these sportsbooks:
DraftKings Sportsbook — Available in NJ, CO, PA, IA, IL, IN, NH, TN and WV
FanDuel Sportsbook — Available in NJ, CO, PA, IA, IL, IN, TN and WV
BetMGM — Available in CO, IA, IN, NV, NJ, PA, TN and WV
Each of these sportsbooks will have a wide selection of special offers and promotions for the NHL aimed at both first-time and existing customers.
NHL Betting Guide: How to bet on hockey
NHL moneyline
Unlike football and some other sports, hockey betting revolves around the moneyline. In a moneyline wager, a bettor simply selects the winning team with payouts being less depending on the odds.
In hockey, bettors only have to pick the winning team no matter the margin of victory. There will always be a favorite and an underdog, with payouts adjusted on which team you select.
For example in a matchup between the St. Louis Blues and Avalanche, the book may list the following:
- St. Louis Blues +125
- Colorado Avalanche -152
This means the Avalanche are favored and a bettor would have to risk $152 to win $100 (or $15.20 to win $10). A bet on the underdog Blues would bring $125 for a winning $100 bet. Obviously, a bet on the underdog brings more money than a bet on the favorite.
Unlike in other sports, point spreads don’t enter into traditional hockey wagering. Got a hunch on a team? Simply open your sports betting app and make a selection. It’s that easy.
NHL puck line betting
This offers bettors another interesting bet with a potential for some better returns depending on the side you bet. The puck line (similar to the run line in baseball) is usually set at 1.5 and is a version of point spread betting applied to hockey.
In an average hockey game, final scores usually are decided by a goal or two. These wagers offer some extra action on teams taking that scoring into mind.
So when considering a puck line wager, bettors are basically weighing whether a team can win by two goals or more.
For example, in a matchup between St. Louis and Colorado, the Blues may be +1.5 (-240) and the Avs at -1.5 (+190).
A $100 wager on the favored Avalanche would earn $190 if they can win by 2 or more. On the other side, it will take a $240 bet on the Blues to return $100.
For the most part the puck line is usually set at 1.5, but that can drift as high as 2.5 depending on the matchup. A poor defensive team against a top-notch offensive opponent might see the puck line move up.
Betting the puck line offers some extra incentives for picking a winner – especially when selecting a favorite.
NHL totals (over/under)
The over/under is a traditional bet based on the total number of goals scored between two teams. This is similar to wagers a bettor would find in other sports.
The bettor is making a choice whether the total goals will go “over” or “under.” For example, a marquee offensive matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers might be set at a total of 6.5.
A 4-3 win by the Flyers would reward “over” bettors with a win because the total score in the game was 7. A 3-2 Penguins win would pay the “under” bettors instead.
It’s important to note these lines can move depending on the betting action on either side. The sportsbook is looking to balance the amount of money bet on each side so that it doesn’t have too much of a liability.
Sportsbooks profit by taking a percentage of the total bet – the vig or juice. Totals can be good wagers, especially if a bettor has some insight into each team’s offensive productivity.
NHL parlay wagering
Like in other sports, parlay wagering can offer a fun sweat on multiple games or event outcomes. In a parlay a bettor makes multiple selections on one wager.
To win, all those selections must hit for a bettor to score a win. Lose on one of those and the entire bet is a loser. However, hitting on a parlay can pay much higher odds than wagering on a single game or outcome.
For example a bettor may place a parlay wager on the Stars, Devils, and Sharks. If all those teams win, a bettor could earn around 6-1 for that wager. A $100 bet would score the bettor $600, but that may depend on the selections and if they were favorites or underdogs.
Parlay wagers can be made on two teams or up to 10 or 12. Along with simply selecting teams, bettors can also mix in totals and even other sports at some books to make it even more interesting.
NHL futures wagering
This is one of the most popular forms of sports betting and futures betting offers a lot for hockey fans also. When betting on futures, a player is looking toward the end of the season for a certain outcome to occur.
Obviously the most NHL futures wagering will be on the winner of the Stanley Cup. Books will offer odds on all 31 teams to win the championship.
For example, the Tampa Bay Lightning were the odds-on favorite to win the Cup before the 2019-20 season. Those for the team to win the Cup were +750 or 7.5 to 1.
A $100 bet on the Lightning would have brought a bettor $750 with Tampa Bay’s Stanley Cup win. A wager on the Winnipeg Jets at +2800 would have paid a bettor 28-1 – a return of $2,800 on a $100 bet.
The Stanley Cup isn’t the only wager available for futures betting. Odds may be offered on:
- Conference winners
- Over and unders for points in the standings for individual teams
- Regular season point totals for individual players
- Team leading scorers
- Postseason awards such as the Vezina Trophy
NHL live betting
Some sports bettors looking for even more action may enjoy live betting. Many online sportsbooks offer this feature and it’s a way to have more bets going in the middle of a matchup.
That could include totals, puck line, and other wagers available during the first and second intermission. Bettors can add other wagers as the game plays out on the ice and adjust their betting trends as needed.
When betting, it may be important to follow the action in regards to several facts when placing those wagers. Those could include:
- Injuries
- Scoring leaders
- Ability of one team to close out a game
- Ability of a team to hold a lead
While NHL Moneylines can be a great way to bet NHL, they are often not the most profitable bet. You might know that the Sharks are going to beat the Coyotes, but the sportsbooks know that too and they are going to make you pay for it with a high moneyline. That can be difficult to profit from in the long run.
The puck line is very similar to the MLB Runline in that it is always set at 1.5. That line is then adjusted similar to a moneyline.
Betting NHL Puck Lines can be very profitable and this article is going to tell you why. We’ll also show you how to bet them as where as the best place to bet them.
Where To Bet NHL Puck Lines:
America: One of the top places to bet the NHL is Bovada and they have puck lines throughout the season. This is one of the best sites for betting on hockey as they not only have the NHL, but additional leagues like the MHL. You can bet puck lines, moneylines, over/unders, and much more here.
Canada: There is no better place for betting NHL puck lines than Sports Interaction. They have you covered for all of your NHL needs. One of the best things to bet on here is the Grand Salami where you bet on an over/under number for the whole league.
Everywhere Else: A site that I love for betting NHL is Bet365 and they have you covered when it comes to NHL Puck Lines. The odds are posted quickly and always being updated. In addition to puck lines, you can also bet totals and props.
What is an NHL Puck Line?
An NHL Puck Line is similar to a point spread in football in that you have a “spread” that the team needs to beat. In hockey, a favorite will be -1.5. This means that in order to win the bet the favorite would need to win by two goals or more. If you are betting the underdog they can lose, but it has to be by one goal.
The line will always be -1.5 or +1.5. There will then be odds attached to that. While the Red Wings might be a -130 favorite, at the -1.5 line they might be +150. This is because it’s a higher degree of difficulty.
Common NHL Puck Line Questions:
When is the best time to bet a NHL Puck Line?
When a team is a -120 favorite, it might not be the best idea to bet the puck line. While the positive odds that you get when you see this are very intriguing, the low odds tag this as more of a coinflip game and those are often decided by one goal.
Puck Line Betting
The best time is when there is a bigger favorite and you can get their price down by taking the puck line.
Of course, not all games are created equal and there can be times when that is a bad value and the close line is a good value. Context is king.
Why is the NHL Puck Line set at 1.5?
The most common final score in the NHL is a 3-2 finish with the next most likely being 4-2. That tells you just about all you need to know about scoring in the NHL. This is a league where games are close and blowouts are less likely.
It’s such a thin line between a one goal win and a two goal win, that 1.5 is the perfect amount of goals. It forces every game to have a result. Without ties, a game has to be decided in the modern NHL and many are decided by just one so that extra half makes this a very trick bet that you have to be careful when you use it.
How To Bet NHL Puck Lines:
Finding the NHL Puck Line on your favorite sportsbook is rather easy. You simply head to the section that lists that day’s NHL games and browse the games. Here you should see three things: a puck line, a moneyline and a total. You know which one you want to bet.
NHL Puck Line Betting Strategy:
One thing about puck line betting that is important to understand is that if a game goes to overtime, the game is automatically a puck line winner for the underdog. You can’t score more than one goal in OT and the shootout is rated as one goal.
For this reason, you’ll often see the -1.5 as a major favorite like if the Penguins were favored against a non-playoff team. You might see the Penguins line getting as high as +1.5 (-180). That is really a lot of money to put out in a game where you need to win by two or more goals. This is where line shopping comes in. You just need to look around at all the games and find the lowest price on the +1.5 and seek that out.
Of course, it can often be a good value to grab the underdog in a situation like that as well. If you can get +1.5 at nearly +200 price, meaning a $100 bet would pay two-to-one, that can have a ton of value.