How to bet on hockey: Beginners guide to NHL betting

Our betting expert teaches you everything you need to know on how to bet on hockey online, with the NHL season currently underway.

More on How to Bet on Hockey

• Types of Hockey Bets
• How to watch Hockey
• Hockey Betting Dos & Don’ts
• NHL Betting Tips & Tricks
• How to research hockey bets
• How to bet on Hockey FAQs

Types of Hockey Bets

Hockey Moneyline Market

Perhaps the most simple wager on hockey, you are betting on who you believe will win the game outright.

Moneyline prices are listed in the normal odds style that they are in any other sport so you’ll see a team listed as a -140 favorite going up against a team that’s listed as a +120 underdog. An example of a hockey moneyline market would look something like this.

No spreads are needed to be worried about here, as you just want to be backing the team that gets the win in the regular sense of the word.

Hockey Puckline (Spread) Betting

The puck line is hockey’s version of spread betting. All that means is whether or not you believe the favorite on the money line will win the game by two goals or more (-1.5), or if the underdog will keep it a one-goal contest or even potentially win (+1.5). 

The puckline (spread) for a hockey game would look something like this. 

With the way goalies get pulled late in games for teams trailing, puck line bets can be a bit tricky to have consistency with – especially if you are backing the underdog at +1.5 – but at the same time, the underdog price (plus money) that’s offered on the favorite to win by 2+ goals can be very rewarding.

Hockey Totals and Over/Unders Markets

Another very popular way of betting on sport, the over/under bet is the same for hockey.​​For years hockey totals were consistently released as a 5.5 number, but as scoring increased league-wide in the latter half of the 2010’s, totals numbers have found a more consistent home at 6 and 6.5 for games on a nightly basis.

This wager involves whether or not you think the combined score between the two teams will be over or under the posted total, it’s as simple as that. For example, a game between Washington and Philadelphia that finishes 4-3 would cash an ‘over’ ticket on a total of 6.5, while a final score of 4-2 would see ‘under’ bettors taking home some cash. 

NHL Grand Salami

The Grand Salami in hockey wagering is really simple and it’s a great way to have action on every single game on a given night. Simply put, the “salami” is an over-under number posted on the total goals scored in all the games for a particular day. 

These numbers are based on how many games are being played that day and what the individual totals are for those contests. On a night where you’ve got six NHL games going all with individual totals of 6.5, the Grand Salami number would be somewhere around 40 total goals (6.5 x 6 is 39).

Hockey Prop Betting

Proposition bets in hockey can include a wide range of topics, from team results in a particular game/season to individual player statistical results in a specific game. 

For instance, every game will have individual prop bets available for the bigger names on the teams involved for things like goals scored, assists earned, points earned, and even combination bets of statistical categories like that.

Fantasy players that live and die by these individual statistical outputs with their fantasy teams each day/week will likely naturally gravitate towards these plays, but they can be a tough nut to crack long term given the randomness that the game of hockey brings overall.

Hockey Parlay Betting

Hockey parlays are the same as parlays in any other sport, as bettors combine at least two selections on the money line, total, puck line, or any combination of that and potentially other wagers, to try and score on a bigger payout. 

All selections within a parlay have to be graded as winners for a parlay to be considered a winner – the trade off with using this form of a wager.

• Find out the best parlay betting sites

Live/In-play Hockey Betting

In-game wagering for hockey is another betting avenue that’s gained plenty of traffic in recent years and rightfully so. More and more live betting options are being offered on a wider scale at sportsbooks all across the country no matter what shop you use, and hockey betting is no different. 

From the first game of the season to the NHL playoffs, and all the way through the Stanley Cup Finals, in-game wagering can be an important tool in the tool box of a hockey bettor.

All sorts of in-game odds are offered for pretty much any particular hockey game, with plenty of action throughout the season. 

Whether it’s a Saturday night with the featured Hockey Night in Canada games on, or those novelty outdoor games like the Winter Classic or Stadium Series rivalry games, there is never a shortage of live betting opportunities for hockey bettors to sink their teeth into. 

The rapid nature of the sport means you’ll have to be quick to get your bets down. Blink and you’ll miss a goal.

• Check out the best live betting sites

Hockey Futures Bets

Future wagers in NHL betting exist in a similar format to that of other professional sports offered at NHL betting sites, as outcomes like who will win it all, who will win their division/conference, and season point totals are offered for hockey.

Season point total wagers are essentially what other sports would classify as season wins, but with the point system in the standings for hockey being a little different, a point-based system is just an all around better way to do things on the ice.

Stanley Cup futures odds are the ones that are posted the earliest leading up to an upcoming NHL season, and are constantly changing throughout the campaign. This market would look something like this:

However, with hockey being a sport where numerous upsets happen each year during a playoff campaign, and random luck being more of a factor in the sport then in other professional sports, staying away from the favored teams in the futures market isn’t necessarily a bad idea in hockey. 

• Check out the latest Stanley Cup odds

How to watch Hockey

If you aren’t able to snag a ticket to see a game in person, there are a number of ways to watch the NHL live from home.

A number of games this year will be available on basic cable, with NHL hockey on ABC and your local regional sports networks. If you have a decent TV antenna you’ll be able to use your TV to watch live hockey broadcasts on your local ABC affiliate.

In addition to cable, NHL games will be airing on ESPN, ESPN+, TNT and TBS. These packages are all available online, with the ability to stream from a mobile device or laptop available.

Many of the best sports betting sites will offer live streaming for NHL games, but may require you to place a wager on the said game. Check out the best live betting sites to see which sportsbooks offer live streaming.

How to research Hockey bets

As with all sports betting, it’s important to do some research into your hockey wagers before placing any. We’ve nominated some of the best sites out there to help you craft your hockey wagers.

NHL Betting Tips & Tricks

No form of sports betting is easy, and the NHL does not differ from this trend. There’s plenty to bear in mind in order to win in the long run, and make sure you don’t blow your money. The Post provides a checklist of a few things to consider when betting on the NHL.

Special for a reason

With the decrease in scoring in the NHL over the past 25 years, special teams have become a huge factor in the outcome of games. It’s hard to generate much offense playing 5-on-5, so a power play is often a team’s best chance to strike.

A good power play converts around 25% of its opportunities, so it’s not uncommon for a team to score 2 or even 3 goals with the man advantage in a single game.

Just like you want to back teams with strong power plays, you also want to look for teams with solid penalty killing units. Ideally, you want to back teams whose special teams are clicking, especially when they’re facing teams that are struggling on the power play, penalty kill or both.

No Place Like Home

Home ice can be a real advantage in the NHL for a variety of reasons. Coaches get to make the last line change after a whistle, allowing them to get the matchups they want on the ice, and players can benefit from being in familiar surroundings, having the support of the crowd, and even getting to sleep in their own bed.

But not all home ice advantages are equal. Some teams press a bit when playing at home, trying to please their fans a bit too much, and fare better on the road when they relax and stick to their system. Other teams don’t have as supportive of a fan base, negating the advantage of having the crowd behind them.

Success at home or on the road can become a season-long trend, as can a lack of success in either situation. You can find each team’s home and road records on pretty much any website that shows the NHL standings, and you need to be aware of them.

It’s a long season

Intensity, motivation and focus play huge roles in a contact sport like hockey. Over a long 82-game season, there will be times when these intangibles will be at a low for teams, and there will also be times when teams are at their peak.

Teams playing their 4th road game in 6 days could be banged up and prime for the picking, especially against a rested team playing at home. Teams playing their final game of a long road trip might look past their opponent and be eager to get back home. 

Teams coming off a lopsided embarrassing loss will be motivated to redeem themselves in their next outing.

And while being the more rested squad in a matchup is generally a good thing, there can also be times when teams have had too much rest. 

We saw that in 2016-17 with the new “bye week”, when the first 26 teams to take the mandated 5-day break were a combined 8-14-4 in their first games back from vacation.

Beware the Backup

Being aware of the schedules will also help you with this next point – projecting when backup goalies will be playing.

Most coaches don’t like playing their regular goalie on back-to-back nights. So if the #1 guy plays the first night of a back-to-back, you can pretty safely assume that his backup will play the following game. 

If you can make your bet before the backup is officially announced in goal, you can get better odds on your wager than after everyone knows the second-string net minder will be playing.

Also, make sure you’re aware of the difference in caliber between a team’s starting and backup goalie. 

If the backup isn’t that much worse than the starter (Capitals backup Philipp Grubauer actually had a better goals-against average and save percentage than starter Braden Holtby in 2016-17), you’ll probably get really good value betting on teams playing their backup goalie.

NHL Betting Do’s & Don’ts

DO’s

Know your markets: If you’re unfamiliar with hockey betting, it’s probably the most similar to baseball when compared with the other major US sports. Most of the bets placed are on the moneyline, but there’s such much more out there than just picking a winner. That means it’s critical to make sure you know what you’re betting on, because things can get dicey in a hurry if you start betting favorites on a regular basis.

Shop around: Sportsbooks are businesses just like any other, and they’re more than happy to compete for your business. Whether it’s a sign-on bonus, the best odds for a game or an offer for a specific game, make sure you take advantage of the best offers and odds.

Check previous results: NHL teams play each other several times throughout the course of the season, and there’s no better data point to look at when evaluating a matchup than a prior game between the same teams. You should always be checking how two teams fared the last time they met. This should be easy especially if you’re in the second half of the season.

DON’TS

Bet with Emotion: Everyone has their favorite team, but it’s not always wise to bet on them just because you support them. Bet with your head, not your heart. 

Always back the home team: ‘Home ice advantage’ is a term that’s thrown around in hockey all the time. Tons of fans think their team should automatically have the upper hand in their own barn, but that isn’t always the case. In the 2019-20 NHL season, the away team won 46.7% of the time. 

Bet every game: The NHL season is a long and winding road, with games taking place almost every day for six months. Wagering on every game is slippery slope, and there’s not value betting on every game. Be patient, pick your games, and you will benefit in the long run.

Hockey Betting FAQS

Is it legal to bet on the NHL?

Yes, betting on the NHL is legal in many states across the country. Check out where sports betting is legal in the USA.

Can I bet on hockey online?

Yes, there are lots of online sportsbooks offering odds on NHL games. Find out the best sports betting apps, all of which offer markets on hockey.

Check Out the Best Sports Betting Sites and Apps

• Check out the best sports betting sites
• Download the best sports betting apps

What are the best hockey bets?

The best hockey bets are different for each bettor. Many would consider prop and futures bets as the best, as these can generate larger odds compared to traditional betting options. Moneyline and puckline wagers are still strong ways to bet, but the odds are generally shorter.

How much can you make betting on hockey?

The money you make from betting on hockey depends on many factors. To give a simple answer to this question, the quality of selections and betting strategy are arguably the two most important factors.