Hockey is a fast-paced, physical sport. It’s exhilarating to watch, but even more exciting when you have a stake in the action. Game Advisers keeps hockey fans updated on the latest odds and news. Our mission is to provide fans with the essential information and data they need to stay profitable throughout the hockey season.
Winning at Hockey Betting
While the NHL is the top-tier hockey league, there are plenty of other leagues where fans can place bets. These include the OHL, AHL, WHL, NCAA, KHL, SM-Liiga, SHL, EHL, and Extraliga. You can also bet on major international tournaments like the IIHF World Junior Championship, IIHF World Championship, the Olympics, and the Spengler Cup.
The NHL offers extensive betting opportunities with over 1,300 regular-season games, followed by the playoffs and the Stanley Cup Finals. From October to June, hockey fans can find nearly daily betting action on NHL games.
While betting on the moneyline—picking which team will win—is the most common way to wager, there are numerous other options. These include the puck line, total goals, player and team prop bets, and live (in-play) betting. Fans can also bet on long-term futures, such as predicting the Stanley Cup champion, award winners, or NHL draft outcomes.
Check out our comprehensive hockey betting guide for more insights on all the available markets.
Tips for Betting on Hockey
If you leverage all the tools and resources available through Game Advisers, you’ll quickly see why betting on hockey is worth your attention. One key advantage is that hockey, unlike football and basketball, doesn’t command as much focus from sportsbooks.
Why is this beneficial? Since sportsbooks spend more time and effort on popular sports like football and basketball, the lines and odds for hockey may not be as refined. This gives sharp bettors a greater opportunity to spot favorable bets and increase their chances of success.
Hockey Betting – Key Things to Know
If you’re thinking about betting on hockey, there are a few important factors to consider.
First, you need a solid understanding of the game itself. While you don’t have to master every rule, a grasp of the fundamentals is essential. The more you know, the more confident you’ll be in your betting decisions.
Next, it’s crucial to be familiar with the teams. The NHL consists of 32 teams, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Knowing how teams perform at home versus on the road, which ones excel at offense or defense, and other key stats can give you an edge.
Lastly, understanding how to read and interpret betting odds is a must. Without this knowledge, making informed bets is nearly impossible.
Understanding Hockey Betting Odds
Hockey betting differs from other sports like football or basketball due to the lower scoring nature of the game. This makes moneyline bets, where you simply pick the winner, the most common type of wager.
In addition to the moneyline, oddsmakers also use the puck line, a point spread unique to hockey. In most NHL games, the puck line is set at 1.5 goals. For the favorite to cover the spread, they must win by at least two goals, while the underdog can either win the game or lose by a single goal to cover.
By learning these key concepts, you’ll be better prepared to make strategic, informed bets on hockey.
Understanding Hockey Betting Odds: Example Breakdown
Like any type of wager, hockey bets come with odds, and knowing how to read and interpret them is crucial for success. Let’s break down an example:
Boston Bruins -137 -1.5 (+154) O 6 (-102)
Toronto Maple Leafs +114 +1.5 (-215) U 6 (-120)
In this matchup, the Boston Bruins are favored to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Moneyline:
The Bruins have a -137 moneyline, which means if you want to bet on Boston, you’ll need to wager $137 to win $100 (or $1.37 to win $1.00). As long as the Bruins win the game—no matter the score—Boston bettors collect their winnings.On the flip side, the Leafs have a +114 moneyline, indicating they are the underdogs. If you believe Toronto will pull off an upset, you can bet $100 to win $114 if they win the game outright. - Puck Line:
This bet involves a spread. Boston’s puck line is -1.5 (+154). To win this puck line bet, the Bruins must win by at least two goals. If you bet $100 on this, you’d win $154 because of the favorable odds.Conversely, Toronto’s puck line is +1.5 (-215), meaning they can lose by one goal or win the game for you to win this bet. To collect $100 in winnings, you’d need to bet $215. - Totals (Over/Under):
The total points scored in the game (by both teams combined) is set at 6. You can bet on whether the final score will go over (O 6 (-102)) or under (U 6 (-120)) this total. If you believe the game will have more than six goals, betting on the over would mean wagering $102 to win $100. Conversely, if you think the game will feature fewer than six goals, you’d need to bet $120 to win $100 on the under.
By understanding how to read these odds and the different betting options, you can make smarter, more strategic bets on hockey games.