How To Bet On The NHL

by James William August 17th 2021, 14:39 PST

So you are looking to bet on NHL games? well, you’ve come to the right place. Our guide can help you learn about all the different kinds of betting options and how to make use of them.

Once you’ve decided which bet you want to place, make sure to use our tips before placing your action.

NHL Betting Options

When it comes to placing bets on ice hockey, there is a wide range of online NHL Betting options available to you. You can bet on the moneyline, over/under, puck line, point spread, parlays, period bets, regulation time, and more.

You’ll want to really get to the bottom of the most predictable bets that offer the most generous returns in order to get the highest payouts possible. Choose your spots wisely and utilize risk management and you can come out on top with the right lines chosen.

Puck Line Bets in the NHL

NHL puck lines are the same as spread bets on other sports. One team is given a points advantage as they are an underdog and the other is handicapped on points from the outset due to them being a favorite.

In some sports, a handicapping can be a large number, but due to the low-scoring nature of hockey, puck line allowances are usually very low. With exception to the teams are on a very different level, where you might see spreads as big as +3.5/-3.5

In this instance, with the matchup between Seattle Kraken and the Vegas Golden Knights, Vegas are a heavy favorite and therefore the odds reflect this with them having a puck line of -1.5. Essentially the oddsmakers are gifting Seattle a 1.5 point head start.

Puck lines make odds fairer for games between unequally matched teams. For instance, you could use this handicap to bet on the underdog to win. Sportsbooks use this type of bet to make one-sided NFL matchups more appealing.

So if you bet on Vegas to win with the spread bet odds, you’ll get a better return on your bet than just betting on them to win straight up. However, if they were to only win by one point in this example, you would lose the bet, because of the 1.5 deficit to start. To win your bet Vegas would need to win by 2 points.

Betting on the Money Line in NHL

Ok, so we know about betting on the Spread, but how about the Money Line, which are the numbers like +215 and -260. What do these weird minus and plus digits mean?

The first thing to be said is that betting on the Money Line in Hockey is just a straight-up bet on who will win the game when the play ends. Let’s look at our example again:

Seattle Kraken + 215
Vegas Golden Knights – 260

In this instance, Vegas are favorites and by a large margin too. This is because their figure is in the minus numbers. Any underdog odds are always shown in plus figures. Let’s find out why that is.

So if you bet on a favorite to win, you’ll win less money, as with any kind of bet. The way that Money Line odds are displayed is that if you bet on a minus(-) number you’ll need to wager that amount to win $100. So betting on Vegas to win this game, you’d need to bet $260 to get a return of $100 profit and your stake back.

When it comes to betting on underdogs that are displayed with a plus(+) symbol, you would need to wager $100 to profit $215 and get your stake returned in this example with betting on Seattle.

Now that’s not to say that you have to bet $100 at all, most sportsbooks allow you to make bets from as little as $1 and some even $0.10. You could bet just $10 on Seattle to win for instance and they won, you’d get a profit of $21.50 and get your stake back.

A key part of making these kinds of bets is to look for attractive lines where you think the sportsbook might be slightly off the mark. Because lines like this are set by how much action or money is on each side of the bet, so you can always look for lucrative opportunities.

Another thing to keep in mind to be profitable is to check out plenty of sportsbooks lines, as each might have slightly different odds which could be more in your favor. You can also sign up for new sportsbooks and claim free bet bonuses to get a little more added value on your bet. Check out our list of top sports betting websites here and the latest sign-up bonuses. 

Other Types of NHL Bets

So we have covered the two most popular betting markets in the Ice Hockey or NHL betting realm. Now let’s move on to some of the other options you’ll have at your disposal.

NHL Prop Bets

These are propositions or side bets on things that can happen during a game, without being linked to the game’s outcome. Prop bets can be made on team or players’ performances including stats and even on certain parts of the game.

Common Hockey prop bets include choosing a particular player to score during the game, betting live on a comeback to be made, the first team to score, victory margins, who will win the faceoff, over/under bets on the number of shots taken, and so on.

NHL Parlay Bets

A parlay bet is when you are making multiple predictions on what will unfold in the game rolled into a single bet. So all of the events you are betting will occur must come true for you to win your bet. So for instance, if you bet Vegas will win and Mark Stone will score, both of these must come true for you to win your bet. If Mark Stone scores, but the game is tied, you won’t see a return, for example.

You can make a high number of selections when it comes to parlay bets, most modern sportsbooks offer unlimited selections whereas some limit you to around 12-14 bets per parlay. Some sportsbooks like Novibet will even give you enhanced odds for the more selections of bets you make, so you can turn a small stake into a huge win if it’s your lucky day and things unfold as you predict.

Make sure to check out our sportsbook reviews where you can find places like Novibet that offer boosted odds from 5% for a 3-way bet to 100% for a 14+ way bet, where you can make even more cash on your parlay bets.

We also recommend using a sportsbook that offers a cashout option on bets. The reason being, you might have a bunch of your predictions come true and have a potentially large win that you can cash out without risking some of the other parts of the bet coming true to win the full amount. Looking to cash out early and guarantee a win can never be a bad idea if you ask us.

You can make use of Parlay calculators to work out how many you can possibly profit from a bet or with most sportsbooks you’ll see the potential returns rack up as you add the bets to your betting slip or basket.

NHL Under/Over Bets

Another popular bet you can make on NHL games are under/over bets on the scoreline, this is again, so it doesn’t matter who wins, it’s just the scoreline we are betting on here.

Sportsbooks will set a line on which the stats will say that is the most likely to be the average score when the two teams meet. They will then set a half-point marker, known as the hook. This is essentially how they make their money because it means there will be no washed bets.

Let’s look at our example of the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Knights matchup again:

We can bet on the Over 5.5 goals to be scored at +110
We can bet on Under 5.5 goals to be scored at -130

So in this case it’s likely to be less than 5.5 goals scored, that’s why the odds are displayed as a minus number at -130. The slight underdog with regards to the scoreline is that there will be over 5.5 goals scored, with odds of +110.

These bets payout in the same way that Money Line bets do, so if you aren’t sure what kind of returns you can expect given these figures, just scroll back up to the money line section above.

Futures Betting in NHL

These are bets that are wagered on long-term outcomes in the NHL leagues and championships. You can place bets on who will win the Stanley Cup or just who will come out on top of the various divisions and conferences.

You can also place futures bets on the various trophies that are handed out at the end of the season, like the Ted Lindsay Award for MVP, Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year), and the James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defensemen).

These bets are available on sportsbooks prior to the start of the season and odds can get updated with transfers, injuries, and other variables happening. So don’t worry if you miss the beginning of the season, you can make futures bets at any point.

NHL Betting: Expert Strategies and Tips

There is a wealth of information out there for you these days when it comes to making informed bets. We have compiled some simple tips when it comes to placing bets on NHL games online. Your aim should be to win more bets than you lose in the long run, you’re not going to win every time, even sharps take losses.

1. Goaltender Form

This is the most important position on the ice. There are a huge amount of shots taken in a single game of Ice Hockey. The record is set at 92, by the Montreal Maroons when they faced off against the Detroit Red Wings, March 24, 1936. A testament to the Detroit goaltender is that none of these shots went in and the Red Wings actually went on to win this record-breaking game, 1-0.

Look up the goaltender stats before betting on any game and make a judgment given the data as to their form. Try and take on board recent performances as well as long-term numbers when it comes to goals conceded.

2. Energy Levels, Injuries and Fatigue

Make sure you know the NHL schedule, these teams travel the whole country and can play a huge amount of games in a short time, whereas the opposition may have had an easier journey of late. These things all add up and can give you an edge when it comes to picking winning bets.

Another more obvious thing to keep in mind is teams injuries and the energy levels of key players. Have you noticed that a big team player has been coming off early in recent games, this is likely because he is worn out and not at his peak, look to keep up to date with this kind of stuff in order to know who will be worthy of your betting action.

Live Betting and the NHL

Live betting during NHL games means you can place bets on almost everything from prop bets like the next to score as well as being able to place bets on the outright winner with Money Line and Puckline bets whilst the game is in play.

Popular bets during the game include:

• Money line and puck line bets
• NHL totals (over/under)
• Proposition bets

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Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I bet on an NHL Ice Hockey game online?

  You can find every single Ice Hockey game around the world to bet on online with a variety of sportsbooks. You can sign up for almost any sportsbook and find bets on NHL and other league games, with bets on the likes of Puckline, Money Line, Over/Under bets, Futures, Prop Bets, and more. We only recommend the finest sportsbooks that operate safely with licences and the highest levels of security.

• Are online sportsbooks safe?

  The short answer is no. Some of them operate without licensing agreements and some can be hard to withdraw your funds from. That’s why we have reviewed only the finest sportsbooks the betting world has to offer. We make sure they are operating legally, with trusted and timely payout methods offered. Check out the sportsbook review area where you’ll find all kinds of sign up bonuses.

• Is it legal to bet on the NBA online in the US?

  Online sports betting on the NHL is available in eleven states currently, with Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia all fully legal.

  Many other States within the USA are in the process of legalising betting. There are many sportsbooks that are based outside of the USA that allow players from most places in the States, although we always recommend checking on your State regulations before signing up and betting at these sites.

• What are the best NHL bets to make?

  We recommend keeping things fun, after all, you’re likely not a professional sports bettor, so you should be doing this for pure enjoyment. Look to bet within your means and maybe set yourself a bankroll and look to build it up with small bets.

  We also recommend placing some small stake parlay bets, as these can net you some huge returns if your picks are correct. Another good bet you can make is to hedge your bets, so look to make two or three bets on the same game in different markets. For instance, one as an over/under bet, one on the winner and one prop bet on your favorite player to score.

  If you want to learn more about betting terms in general, check out our detailed betting guide here.