NHL Betting Information

NHL – National Hockey League

NHL Odds & Betting Lines

What is the NHL?

The NHL, or National Hockey League, is the top professional ice hockey league in the world. Founded in 1917, it features 32 teams battling for the Stanley Cup, the oldest championship trophy in North America.

The season runs from October to April, with each team playing around 82 games. The regular season is divided into conferences (East and West) with divisions further separating teams. Points are awarded for wins and overtime/shootout victories, with the NHL standings top teams from each conference qualifying for the playoffs.

The playoffs are a grueling best-of-seven series format, where teams fight for wins to advance. The ultimate winner clinches the Stanley Cup!

What is NHL Betting?

NHL betting is all about predicting the outcome of National Hockey League games. It’s a favorite pastime for fans who want to add some extra excitement to watching fast-paced hockey. There are many ways to wager, but before you jump in, let’s explore how it works.

How does the betting lines work?

NHL betting lines are predictions by oddsmakers on the outcome of a hockey game. They offer various ways to wager on the action. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Moneyline: The simplest bet. You pick which team will win the game outright. Favorites have negative odds (e.g., -150), meaning you wager more to win $100. Underdogs have positive odds (e.g., +120), meaning a $100 bet returns more than $100.
• Puck Line: Similar to the spread in basketball, this “handicaps” the stronger team. Favorites must win by more than a set number of goals (e.g., -1.5). Underdogs can win outright or lose by less than the set amount (e.g., +1.5).
• Over/Under: This predicts the total number of goals scored by both teams combined. You wager on whether the final score will be higher (Over) or lower (Under) than the set number (e.g., Over 5.5 goals).

NHL Picks

There are plenty of NHL picks to choose from each day, with the most common type of bets coming from single games in the National Hockey League. The most popular type of bets:

Standard Bets

• Moneyline Picks: Picking the outright winner of the game. This is the simplest bet, but payouts can be lower for favorites.
• Puck Line Picks: Similar to the spread in other sports, you bet on the favorite to win by a certain margin (usually -1.5 goals) or the underdog to lose by less than that margin (or even win outright) (+1.5 goals).
• Over/Under (Totals) Picks: Betting on the total number of goals scored in the game (combined by both teams) being over or under a set number by the sportsbook (usually between 4.5 and 8.5 goals).

Prop Bets

Prop bets focus on specific events within a game, not just the overall winner or score. Here are some examples:

• Player Props: Will a specific player score a goal, get an assist, or record penalty minutes?
• Team Props: How many power-play goals will a team score? Will a team score in the first period?
• Game Props: Will there be a fight in the game? Will a certain period be the highest scoring?

Other Special Bets

• Parlays: Combining multiple bets into one wager. All your picks need to win for the parlay to payout, but the potential return is much higher than individual bets.
• Futures: Betting on long-term outcomes, like which team will win the Stanley Cup, who will win a specific conference, or individual player awards.
• Round Robins: Similar to parlays, but allow for one losing bet without derailing the entire wager.

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Betting Stats

For betting, there are some stats that, besides being interesting, are important to make the best decisions at pick time. Here are some of the most used stats for the NHL betting odds:

For Moneyline and Spread Bets:

• Team Records: Straight win-loss record (W-L), winning percentage (%), record against the spread (ATS)
• Offensive Stats: Goals for per game (GF/G), power play percentage (PP%), shots on goal per game (SOG/G)
• Defensive Stats: Goals against per game (GA/G), penalty kill percentage (PK%), penalty minutes per game (PIM/G)

For Over/Under Bets:

• Total Goals Scored: Average goals scored per game by both teams combined (combined GF/G)
• Recent Trends: How many goals have recent games between these teams featured?

Additional Stats:

• Goaltending Stats: Save percentage (SV%), goals against average (GAA) for starting goalies
• Injuries: Are any key players include in the NHL Injury Report?

Betting Trends

NHL betting trends are basically those hunches that gamblers use based on what’s happened before. They look at things like streaks a team’s on, how they fare against certain rivals, or even if they play better at home or on the road. By recognizing these patterns, fans can place smarter bets on upcoming games.

Here are some of those Betting Trends in Hockey:

• Home Ice Advantage: NHL teams tend to perform better on home turf. This factor is often baked into the spread (puck line) with visiting teams needing to win by more to cover.
• Underdog at Home: Taking the underdog on the puck line when they’re playing at home is a popular trend. Stats suggest that underdogs in this situation have a higher win percentage against the spread.
• Rest vs. Recent Play: Well-rested teams facing opponents coming off a long back-to-back or travel stretch can be a betting target. Conversely, a team playing their third game in four nights might be a fade due to fatigue.
• High-Scoring Games: Following trends of teams with traditionally high-powered offenses or games with low over/under lines that might be due for an offensive explosion.
• Public Betting Fade: Some bettors fade the public by betting the opposite side of lopsided betting percentages. The logic is that the oddsmakers have likely adjusted the lines to account for public bias, potentially creating value on the less popular pick.

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