How Do You Bet on Hockey?

Hockey is not a sport that is extremely popular to bet on, but it does provide a solid betting option. The National Hockey League is easily the biggest league when it comes to this sport, but there are plenty of international leagues that are popular as well. Betting on hockey is pretty similar to what you will find with other sports, but there are a few differences as well. This is not a sport that is typically high-scoring, and that usually leads to more competitive games.  Knowing how to bet on hockey is step one if you are going to win some money while betting on this sport. There are some great betting options to choose from, and the sections below will talk about some of those options. 

Top 5 Rated Sportsbooks For Hockey Betting

Moneyline

Most hockey bettors tend to focus on betting the moneyline, and this is a great strategy to use for new hockey bettors especially. Betting the moneyline is simply picking the winning team of a hockey game, and odds are going to be set for each of the two teams.  This is a betting option that isn’t always as popular in some other sports, but hockey is a game that is naturally harder to predict. The moneyline odds will also tell you which team is the favorite, and you know exactly how much money can be won before placing that bet.  Hockey is also a sport that tends to go into overtime more frequently than other sports, and that extra period matters when betting the moneyline. Whichever team finishes the full game with a win is the moneyline betting winner. 

Puck Line

Betting against the spread is extremely popular in sports such as basketball and football, but there is an NHL version that is available as well. This type of bet is called the puck line, and it’s usually a standard number for most NHL games. Because most NHL games tend to be competitive, the puck line is usually going to be set at 1.5 goals for both sides. This means that the winning team has to win by two goals to cover the puck line and the losing team just has to keep the final score within one goal. There are going to be some instances in which the puck line is going to be more spread out, but you are usually going to find that it’s set at just 1.5 to attract more action. Lines for this type of bet are usually set at -110 as well, which does provide a good payout. 

Over/Under

If betting the moneyline or puck line isn’t something that interests you, then you can always look to a completely different option. The over/under or total is another popular betting option when it comes to betting on hockey, even if there aren’t a ton of goals scored. This is another betting option that typically has a pretty standard line when it comes to this particular wager. A majority of NHL games are going to have an over/under set at 5.5 total goals, but that can be adjusted based on which teams are going to be playing in that specific game.  When betting the over/under there are just two options to choose from. If the teams combine to score over that set total then the over hits, but anything under that line would mean that the under is the way to bet.  One nice thing about betting the total is that it doesn’t matter which team comes away with a win. 

         

Prop Betting

Prop betting is another option that is available when betting on hockey, and this form of betting is way different than the previous three options that were mentioned. Prop betting is a way to bet on things that happen within a game, rather than betting on the outcome. Both individual and team prop betting options are going to be available, and most of the bets are going to focus on statistics. This is generally a fun and exciting way to bet on hockey as there will be some interesting options available. 

Parlay

Making a winning bet on a hockey game can be a nice way to win some extra cash, but there is one way to ensure a much bigger win. Putting together a parlay can lead to a massive payout, especially if the parlay that you create has plenty of legs included.  A parlay is a combination wager that you are in complete control of. You can combine bets from many different types of wagers into your parlay, and the payout increases with every leg that is added. 

Futures Betting

Before the NHL season even starts, betting odds and lines are open in the form of futures betting. Futures betting is popular for every single sport, and it’s no different when it comes to hockey and the NFL. Futures betting odds are open almost as soon as the previous season ends, and those odds are going to remain open throughout the year. Odds will change as the action unfolds, and you will usually find the most value when placing a bet before the season starts.  Here are some of the top futures betting options to consider:

• Stanley Cup Winner
• Presidents Trophy (most regular season points)
• The Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP)
• Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) 
• Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman)
• Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
• Division/Conference winners

Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Stanley Cup Playoffs is really when betting on hockey seems to take off, as this postseason is one of the best out there. The top 16 teams (eight from each conference) make the Stanley Cup Playoffs every single year, and that creates two months of exciting hockey action.  Betting on each game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is going to be similar to betting on regular season games. The biggest difference is that you can actually bet on series results, and those options are only going to be around in the postseason.  Some of the top Stanley Cup Playoff betting options include:

• Series Winner
• Series Correct Score
• Series Over/Under