This simple guide to NHL betting will get you up to speed on the world of NHL betting. We designed this page to give prospective NHL bettors an overview of how NHL betting works and an introduction to the various types of NHL bets out there. After reading through this introduction to NHL betting, you’ll be ready to hit the sportsbooks and start real money Hockey betting online.
NHL Betting Sites
Most online sports betting sites have a section dedicated to NHL bets and wagers. The quality of online betting action and the number of available bets varies from one betting site to the next. Fortunately, we have a page dedicated to the best NHL betting sites on the internet. Visit any of our recommended betting sites for the best all around NHL betting experience.
One thing we always recommend (at least during NHL season) is to keep an account open at a couple of different betting websites. This tactic gives you the opportunity to find different types of bets and to shop around for the best lines for each bet. One of the simplest ways to increase your NHL betting profits is to go line shopping before placing each bet.
Types Of NHL Bets And Wagers
There are six major types of NHL betting lines that you will find on the internet:
- NHL Puck Lines
- NHL First Period Bets
- NHL Moneyline Bets
- NHL Prop Bets
- NHL Parlay Bets
- NHL Point Spreads
Moneylines, puck lines and totals are common all over the place. Every major NHL betting site offers those three types of bets. The last type of bet, NHL props, is not quite as common but you’ll still find it occasionally. Hockey prop bets are basically just random bets that revolve around topics such as who will score first, which goalie will have the most saves and so on.
In all types of NHL bets online, the sports betting site manipulates the payout odds in order to make both sides of each bet attractive. The goal of every hockey betting site is to get an equal amount of action on each side of every bet. This results in the betting site turning a profit no matter who wins and loses.
For example, an NHL betting site would not offer even money odds on a game in which a dominant team is playing the weakest team in the league. Everyone would just bet on the dominant team and the betting site would end up stuck in a deep hole if that team did indeed win.
Betting sites manipulate the odds by giving high payouts to the underdogs and low payouts to the favorites. This makes every bet not quite as cut and dry – and it gets action on both sides. Fans are happy because they can now place bets on either team and the betting site is happy because it has an even number of dollars riding on both sides of the bet.
NHL Puck Lines Betting
NHL puck lines are a very popular format for hockey betting. They are sort of a cross between moneyline bets and point spreads. In an NHL puck line bet, the betting site lists an upcoming game and lets you pick which team you think will win.
NHL First Period Wagers
This is a type of bet in which the goal is to predict which team will be winning at the end of the first period. If you have a reason to believe a certain team will get off to a fast start (or you simply want fast results), the NHL first period bet is the way to go.
NHL Moneyline Betting
NHL moneyline bets are simple wagers in which you pick which team will win an upcoming match. No point spread is used in this bet – it’s just a contest of who wins the match straight up. The betting site alters the payouts so that underdogs offer higher payouts and favorites offer lower payouts.
NHL Prop Betting
NHL prop bets are wagers that involve subjects other than who will win the game. NHL proposition bets can take many forms. For example, you can wager on which player will score first, how many saves a goalie will have and more. The list of possibilities is limitless when it comes to NHL prop betting.
NHL Parlay Bets
NHL parlay bets work just like parlays in other sports. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a parlay bet is a bet in which you string together multiple bets and receive large payouts if you get them all right. For example, you might pick the winners of 4 upcoming NHL matches and receive a large payout if all four of your picks are correct.
NHL Point Spreads
NHL point spreads are types of bets in which the betting site takes points away from the favorite and gives points to the underdog. NHL point spreads offer even money payouts but they stipulate that the favored team must win by a certain number of points for it to be considered a win. People who bet on the underdog can still win if their team loses by an amount that is less than the point spread.
