There are multiple methods to bet on an NHL game, but the most familiar are arguably the money line, spaces (or puck line), and over/under lines (total goals). The first thing to remember is that it’s always worth shopping around: rather than committing to a single sportsbook, you can take advantage of large bonuses and ensure you get the cheapest pricing by having many online betting accounts with expert NHL picks.

NHL Betting Odds

It is the most basic way to wager on the NHL. You gamble on the game’s outcome with a moneyline wager: A 2-way money line wager selects either the home or away team to win; a 3-way money line gamble includes a tie as an alternative. On a 2-way bet, you’ll win regardless of how your team wins (in regulation, overtime, or in a shootout). That is, the odds of a team winning on a 3-way bet are higher than on a 2-way bet. So, if you believe one team will dominate, a 3-way gamble may be worth considering, although a 2-way wager provides a bit more options in close games. 

Puck Lines in the NHL

The spread, often known as the puck line, is a gamble on the outcome of a game with a handicap applied. A big favourite, for example, may open the game with a -1.5 line. That means they’d have to win by two distinct goals (‘cover/beat’ the spread) for your gamble to be successful. Similarly, a weak squad facing an in-form opponent may start with a +2.5 line. Your wager on the +2.5 would win if the underdogs held the favourite within two goals, but would lose if they lost by three or more goals (i.e., 0-3, 1-4, 2-5).

Puck line wagers

Puck line wagers are excellent because the handicap assists to level the playing field in a one-sided game where the money line payout may not be worth the risk. If you know what you’re doing, the spread is a terrific market to bet on – perhaps you believe an underdog’s defence is better than the prices indicate, in which case a wager against the spread (on the plus handicap) could be a good bet.

Total Goals in the NHL – Over/Under

The over/under line is another common choice. It is also known as the Total Goals market on various sportsbooks; it is the same thing. The streak is usually set between 5 and 8 goals, with lower lines used in NHL computer picks games with evenly matched or low-scoring teams and higher lines used in games with attacks or mismatched teams. The stripe is typically set halfway between two whole numbers (e.g., 5.5 or 6.5) to exclude the possibility of a push, in which the total goals match the line and bets are stakes returned.

Parlays in the NHL

It is when things become fascinating! A parlay bet is a single wager that includes two or more options, which must be correct for your wager to win. The odds are multiplied by the number of selections added to the parlay. Assume you picked the Bruins to win at -335 against the Senators, the Kings to win at +116, and the Oilers to win at -196 against the Red Wings. Three $5 bets on those three results would result in a total profit of $9.84. 

NHL Predictions

Player props are markets where you can bet on a player’s performance rather than backing a team outcome (as in the betting lines examples above). Do you want Draisaitl to score more than once? Place your bet on Draisaitl over/under 1.5 goal total. Do you think Panarin will have a couple of assists tonight? Likewise, numerous online bookmakers will accept bets on their own display.

NHL Prospects

Futures are substantially longer-term bets that can take an entire season to settle. These are not betting on specific games but rather wagers on overall season outcomes. It is where you may bet on clubs to win their conference/division, make the playoffs, or win the Cup.