Hockey Hub: News, Picks, Odds & Tips
Hockey is one of the more popular sports to bet on in North America, and it’s only growing. It’s popular around the world too, as people can bet on the NHL, AHL, KHL, and several European hockey leagues. Our hockey hub page includes everything you need to become a smarter hockey bettor.
throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs!
Today’s Hockey Picks
How to Bet on Hockey
If you’re smart and use all the features of Sports Hub, you figure out early on that there is a lot of value betting on hockey. The big reason why hockey betting should be on your radar is because it’s not as popular as football and basketball.
Wait, what? You see, sportsbooks pay less attention to hockey compared to football and basketball, their big money-making sports. The books spend more time setting odds and lines for the NBA and NFL than they do for the NHL. As a result, smart bettors can take advantage of looser lines and odds.
Betting Hockey – What You Need To Know
If you plan on engaging in hockey betting, there are a few things you should know.
First off, you need to understand the game itself. You don’t need to understand all the rules, but you need knowledge of the basics. More knowledge gives you more power when it comes to hockey betting.
Next, you have to know the teams. There are 32 NHL teams. Know their strengths, weaknesses, how they perform at home, and more. It helps to know which teams excel in certain areas, like offense and defense, for example.
Finally, as a hockey bettor, you have to know how to read and understand odds. Learning how to read and comprehend hockey betting odds is a prerequisite for success.
Hockey Betting Odds
Hockey betting is a little different than betting on football and basketball. There is much less scoring which makes hockey largely a moneyline sport. Moneyline bets are the easiest to understand. You are betting on a team to win; that’s it.
Because of the lack of scoring in hockey, oddsmakers use what’s called a puck line as the point spread. For virtually every NHL game, for example, the puck line is set at 1.5. That means a favorite must win by two goals to cover. The underdog must lose by one or win outright.
Like any bet, odds are attached. As mentioned, being able to read and interpret those odds is a key to hockey betting success. Let’s use the following example.
Boston Bruins -137 -1.5 (+154) O 6 (-102)
Toronto Maple Leafs +114 +1.5 (-215) U 6 (-120)
The Bruins are favored to beat the Leafs. Bettors that like the Bruins must wager $137 to win $100 (or $1.37 to win $1.00). If the Bruins win, regardless of the score, Boston bettors win.
Bettors that like Toronto to pull the upset would bet $100 to win $114. Bettors can also bet this game on the puck line. Notice that the odds on Boston to cover are +154. Roughly one-third of NHL games end with a scoring margin of one goal.
That means if you like the Bruins to win by at least two goals, you can bet $100 to win $154. On the other end, you would bet $215 to win $100 on the Maple Leafs losing by one or winning.
There are odds on the totals bets as well. Learn how to read them and bet accordingly. Visit our complete how to bet hockey page to become a pro.
Hockey Betting FAQ
What are the different types of hockey bets I can make?
There are several types of baseball bets that you can make, including:
– Moneyline: Most simple & common wager where you bet on who will win the game.
– Puckline: A goal spread that is similar to the run line in baseball. Bets are based on a 1.5 goal spread. -1.5 goals with the favorite or take +1.5 goals with the underdog. Odds will vary.
– Totals (Over/Under): Based on the total number of goals scored in a game.
– Grand Salami: Totals bet covering the all goals scored across all games on one day. If there are 10 games on a given day, the Grand Salami total will likely be between 50-60 goals. Friends with plans for beverages at a sports bar commonly pool Salami bets & cheer for goals!
– Props & Futures: the list of available options are endless – you can legit bet on anything. See your sportsbook.
Should I bet on NHL favorites?
That would depend, but there is not a lot of value in betting on big NHL favorites. Think -175 or higher. Why bet $175 to win $100 in a league where underdogs win about 40 percent of the time? Picking solid NHL underdogs is a good way to increase a bettor’s bankroll.
Why does Sports Hub recommend looking at the NHL schedule?
The NHL schedule is brutal. There are times when teams play on back-to-back nights. They will also play three games in four days. These teams get tired and, often, tired favorites get upset by better-rested underdogs in the NHL.
What is the 60 minute line when betting on hockey?
*Example: Hurricanes (+165) / Draw (+295) / Islanders (+130)
The 60 minute hockey betting market is also called “three-way” at some betting sites. With 60 minute betting markets, your bet is graded based on the final score after 60 minutes (OT doesn’t count). You can get better payout odds by betting on a team to win in regulation, but you have to contend with overtime.
What are some important factors to consider when betting on hockey?
In addition to starting pitchers, there are several other factors to consider when betting on baseball, including:
– Watch the injury report
– Pay attention to a team’s current form.
– Be aware of underdogs.
– Starting goalies matter.
– Use multiple sportsbooks to compare betting lines.