The National Hockey League ranks fourth among all major sports in the United States, but that hasn’t stopped millions of fans from betting on the NHL. Bettors who are prepared to put in some effort to prove the NHL’s inefficiency are typically rewarded with a general lack of interest in the sport by oddsmakers.
People who bet on hockey discover lower limits at Sportsbooks compared to NFL or NBA games. This usually indicates that sportsbooks receive less action on NHL then NFL or NBA games.
There are currently 31 teams playing between Canada (7) and the United States (24).
If you’re interested in betting on National Hockey League, you’ve come to the right place! Below you’ll find the latest odds for your favorite NHL teams and players.
Moneyline Bet
Before you begin betting on the NHL, you should first understand what the moneyline bet is. In the NHL, the moneyline is the most popular betting option. You’re basically betting which team is going to win.
For example, look at the odds below.
Kings: -150
Oilers: +130
If you bet $150 on the Kings to win, you will win $100 if they beat the Oilers. On the other hand, if you bet $100 on the Oilers you will win $130 if they beat the Kings.
Puckline (Handicap)
The “Puckline” bet in hockey works exactly like the run handicap bet in baseball. Sportsbooks offer a hockey team a handicap of 1.5 goals the same way in baseball, such as a handicap of 1.5 runs for a baseball team.
This sort of handicap bet, like baseball, is far less popular than the “Moneyline” bet, in which you simply pick a winner. There are no handicap parameters to consider. The simple reason is that handicap betting is tough and only a small percentage of bettors win in the long run. Hockey games usually have fewer goals than American football or even baseball.
In any case, if the favorite has odds of 1.50 or less, the handicap bet can provide you with additional intriguing options. The benefit of handicap betting is that it allows you to combine two bets in one match. You can, for example, wager on a favorite as well as an underdog with a handicap of +1.50. If the favorite wins with a one-goal margin, you win both bets. Isn’t that great?
Betting on the Total
Betting on the total number of goals scored in an ice hockey game is a popular and very common bet. The average amount of goals scored per game in the NHL is between 5 and 7.
Is it possible to win by betting on the number of goals scored in ice hockey?
The first step in this scenario is to ignore a team’s goal average (goal difference). The goal average of a team can sometimes present an inaccurate picture of reality. As a result, it’s more important to consider a team’s overall objectives. The Los Angeles Kings, for example, have scored more than 5 goals a game on average during the last 20 games. Two of those games, the Kings only scored one goal. Even if statistically possible, the average of 5 goals rarely reflects these two outcomes.
Rather than looking at goal average, consider how many times a team has scored more than or less than X goals. If the total goals offered by the bookmaker is 5.5 goals, for example, it’s essential to consider how many times the Kings have already scored more than 5.5 goals this season and how many times they haven’t. If you notice a clear pattern, use it as a reference for your next bet.
You can also include the total amount of goals scored by both sides in previous matches. This will give you a good idea of what the outcome of the final score is going to be.
You should also analyze how a team performs at home vs when they are away. Generally speaking, you will notice a big difference between the two. When a team plays at home versus away, there is frequently a substantial difference in the style of game they play.
Overall, betting on the NHL is very popular for hockey fans and it gives bettors the opportunity to take advantage of odds due to the lack of interest by oddsmakers. If you are a hardcore hockey fan, you should definitely try betting on the NHL and attempt to outsmart the oddsmakers towards your advantage.
