Betting Markets
- Money line – A simple win or loss wager on any single NHL game at set odds. If your team pick wins, you win.
- Puck Line – An NHL Puck Line is a goal line spread and is similar to a Run Line in MLB. Wagers are based on a 1.5 Goal Spread – bettors can either lay 1.5 goals on the favorite or take 1.5 Goals with the underdog. Using an example of a favorite New Jersey Devils vs an underdog Boston Bruins team, New Jersey must win by two or more runs or the Bruins must not lose by more than one run for either Puck Line Bet to be successful.
- Over/Under – Bet on whether the combined goal totals of the two NHL teams competing in a single NHL match are over or under the number determined by the NHL betting site.
- First Goal (team or player)– Place your bet on which player or team will score the first goal of any NHL game.
Betting Specials
At first glance, the NHL appears to be a rudimentary game; however, deep intricacies can affect the outcomes of games and reflecting that dynamic nature, a variety of special NHL betting markets are available;
- NHL Parlay Betting – An accumulated number of bets taken over a set series of NHL games. Odds accumulate with each successful leg of the parlay, making big wins very possible. However, all bets must ultimately prove successful for the parlay to be paid out.
- In-play NHL Live Betting – Bet on NHL matches live at changing odds in real time.
- NHL All Star Game Betting – The NHL’s best players line up against each other in a series of exhibition matches. These matches are often ‘defense-free-zones’, therefore, and All-Star Game goal scoring betting markets are dynamic events with rapid odds changes, and generally generate long odds.
- Stanley Cup Finals MVP – Bet on which player you believe will be voted as the best and most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Finals and win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
- NHL Rookie of the Year – Place your wagers on which young NHL star will make his mark and be voted NHL Rookie of the Year and be awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy.
NHL Betting Outrights
- NHL Leading Goal Scorers Betting – Wager on which player you predict will score the most goals per game throughout the NHL regular season.
- NHL Assists Leader Betting – Wager on the player you think will have the most assists points per game throughout the NHL regular season.
- Best NHL Goaltender Betting – Bet on which goalie you predict will have the most saves per game throughout the NHL regular season.
- NHL Conference Championship Betting – Bet which team will win their respective NHL conference, east or west.
- Stanley Cup Finals Betting – The winner of the NHL eastern conference plays the winner of the NHL western conference to be named the league’s best team and lift the Stanley Cup. Pick the winner of the Stanley Cup’s 7 game series and win big money.
Best NHL Betting Strategy
Before each NHL season, our team of NHL odds researchers undertake research on the online sportsbooks and unearth which of betting sites offer the best odds on each of the specific NHL betting markets.
For example, our researchers occasionally bring to light the best odds for any single NHL match can occur across several betting sites in the different categories (e.g. best money line odds on one site, best puck line odds somewhere else and the best live betting odds possibly even on a third site).
Given the conflicting odds on different betting sites, our recommended NHL Betting strategy is to;
- Join more than 1 online sportsbook (several if you wish) to get the best NHL betting odds
Bottom line – Always try to give yourself the best chance of maximizing your winnings by receiving the best NHL betting value possible at all times.
NHL Schedule & Dates
- The NHL regular season comprises 1271 games with each of the 31 teams playing 82 regular season matches from October until April each year.
- The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs – Running from April until June each year, 16 teams qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, an elimination tournament consisting of three rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the Stanley Cup Final combatants.
- In June-July each year, the Stanley Cup Finals feature the winner of each of the two NHL conferences, playing each other in a best-of-7 winner-take-all series.