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NHL Betting Lines: Understand the Basics

Hockey fans love to place bets on the NHL, and with the long-lasting season, this league provides excellent opportunities for all. The most favorable odds for NHL betting are found online, and all reputable sportsbooks carry many NHL betting lines. We are talking about money line bets, puck line bets, and many more, which we’ll cover at length here.

What is an NHL Money-line?

The NHL money line bet is the most common type of bet that you can place. You are betting on the outcome of the game – which team will win, not considering the goal difference. Money line bets are straightforward, and you are betting on a team to win, usually with pre-set odds.

Generally, the NHL odds are displayed in American odds format, and the favorite is displayed with negative odds (for example, -180), while the underdog is displayed with positive odds (for example, + 140).

One exciting thing about hockey, particularly the NHL, is the overtime and the changed rules about no matches ending in ties. The updated rules state that if a match ends in a tie, there is a 3-on-3 overtime that lasts 5 minutes, with a sudden death rule – the first team to score wins the game. It significantly affects the odds, which makes the money line an attractive bet in the NHL.

Placing an NHL moneyline bet is effortless, as this is the most commonly found bet on all online sports betting platforms. You will find this as the primary bet in 22Bet, 888Sports, Betway, or any other top trusted online sports betting platform.
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What is an NHL Puck Line Bet?

The puck line bet is also known as a Canadian line; this is a point spread bet that forces the bettors to choose between generally even odds, and the bet is placed on the guess which team will cover the pre-set point amount. So, the match favorite will have to win the game by the pre-set points, while the underdog will be afforded a few points they are allowed to lose by.

Even though it sounds a bit confusing initially, hockey is a low-scoring event, and the point spread is usually + or –1.5 goals (which can change if there are significant differences between the teams).

To win this bet, your chosen team must win by at least two goals for you to win the wager, as it then covers the set point spread. The favorite team must win by at least two goals, but the underdog can lose by one goal to cover the puck line. A straightforward example that covers this: if your chosen team loses by a score of 3-2, but you’ve bet on a +1.5 puck line, you still win the bet.

The puck line bet is perhaps the most-famous hockey bet, because it uses an equalizing factor to even the odds between the teams. Of course, all the top online betting platforms that carry NHL betting like 888Sport and Betway, will provide you with the puck line bet.
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What is an NHL Over/Under Bet?

The over/under bet is also favored among NHL bettors; in this bet, you place a bet on the total number of scored goals, regardless of which team will win the game. In most reputable sportsbooks, the over/under line is usually at 5 or 5.5 goals. It means that if you bet on over 5.5, you get to win if more than six goals are scored during the game, and if you bet on under 5.5, you’ll win if five or fewer goals are scored during the match.

Many sports betting platforms allow bettors to place over/under bets on the outcome of the first, the second, and the third period or on each team. One example that comes to mind is 20Bet, where you can place over/under bets on each period of the game.
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What is an NHL Player Props Bet?

The NHL player props bets are a fascinating and popular bet type that most NHL fans love. The player props bets focus on the performance of an individual player or team, and are not related to the game’s final score.

Some examples of player props bets are betting on the number of goals you think a player will score, how many assists you think a player will make, shots at the goal, saves, or something else. These are found at all reputable online sports betting sites, and most offer an incredible variety of player props or team props bets with appealing odds that can add to your excitement and even win you a few bucks.

Player props bets make watching the game fun and more exciting, so many bettors opt for this type of bet. This popular type of NHL bet is possible on many online sports betting platforms, including 22Bet, which we believe is one of the best sportsbooks for NHL betting.
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NHL Odds: How to Read NHL Betting Odds?

The NHL odds are displayed in an American format at most online sportsbooks, so you’ll see positive and negative odds. The positive odds denote that a team (or an outcome) is less likely to win, and the negative odds mean that the team is more likely to win or the outcome to happen. Higher numbers also denote that a team is more or less likely to win.

Reading the NHL odds is relatively straightforward: when you look at a positive number, it represents the amount you stand to win when you place a $100 bet. The negative number represents the amount you must bet to win $100. Once you start placing NHL bets, you can very easily calculate your potential winnings and get a deep understanding of the odds.

The Bottom Line

The NHL is and will be among the favorite sports one can bet on, and the money line, puck line, over/under, and player props bets are the most famous bets you can place. The great thing is that you can find these bets available at many reputable online sportsbooks with the NHL on their list.

Of course, the odds for each bet can vary from one sportsbook to the other, but lucky for you, we have you covered with suggestions for tested, reputable online sports betting platforms that carry NHL betting, and you can find incredible betting opportunities.

FAQs

Where can I bet on the NHL online?

Sports betting is personal, and you should select an online NHL betting platform that offers varied offers and provides all the NHL betting lines you want. We created a list of the best online NHL betting sites you can check out if you wish to bet on the NHL online.

Does overtime count in NHL betting?

Yes, overtime counts in NHL betting, especially with money line bets, where overtime and the new sudden death rule may drastically change someone’s luck.

What happens to player props market bets if a player doesn’t play?

It depends on the game and the online sports betting platform you’ve selected, but most often, if a player does not play, all related player props bets are void.

What does the puck line mean in hockey betting?

A puck line in hockey betting is the bet where the weaker team is awarded an imaginary advantage to even the odds a little. In hockey, the puck line actually denotes the number of goals a team is to win or lose by (depending on whether you are betting on the favorite or the underdog).

What is the money line in hockey?

The money line in hockey is when you bet on a team to win – it is the most straightforward bet you can place with any NHL online sportsbook.

How does point spread work in hockey?

As hockey is a low-scoring sport, sportsbooks put a number that the final score must differ for a wager to win. In the NHL, the point spread is usually put at + or – 1.5, so the favorite team must win with over 1.2 goals (if you bet on it), or lose with less than 1.5 goals (if you choose to go that way).

What does Over/Under mean in hockey?

The over/under betting in hockey means betting on the total number of goals between both teams and whether these will be over or under the number set by the bookmaker. The over/under in the NHL is often set at 5 to 6.5 goals.