NHL Guide

Betting on hockey games online is actually fairly simple, although if it is your first time to do so, the different terms used for betting on the sport may make things seem a lot more confusing than it actually is. Terms such “Canadian Lines”, “Money Lines”, “Puck Lines”, and many more may be bewildering to first time hockey betting fans for instance. Not to worry though, as you become more familiar with the intricacies surrounding the sport, it will all become much clearer.

Here are some of the more common Hockey sports betting terms and their definitions:

Moneyline Betting.

This phrase simply means betting on the game based on a given price instead of on a pointspread. In this type of betting, the team that you will bet on simply has to win the game.
If the posted moneyline on a game reads “New Jersey Devils -155 at Dallas Stars +135” for example, a bettor who lays $155 on the Devils will win $100 if they do win. If the Stars win on the other hand, a bettor who lays $100 on them will win $135.00.

Puck Line Betting.

This type of betting is based on a pointspread as well as a moneyline. The team that is bet on must win by the pointspread.

If the posted line on a hockey game reads “New Jersey Devils -1 1/2 +130 at Dallas Stars +1 1/2 –150”, there are two Puck Line Bets to choose from based on this matchup. In Devils -1 1/2 +130, a bettor who bets $100 will win $130, if the Devils win by 2 goals or more. In “Stars +1 1/2 –150”, a bettor who lays $150 will win $100 if the Stars win the game–or lose by only one goal.

Total (Over/Under) Bets.

In over/under betting, all of the goals by both teams in the game including extra innings have to fall over or under the selected side. If the posted line on a hockey game is “4 ½, Under –125, Over +105” for example, a bettor has the option to choose one of two Total over/under bets on the matchup. With “Over 4 1/2 +105”, a bettor who wagers $100 will win $105 if the combined goals of both teams are more than 4 ½. In “Under 4 1/2 –125”, a bettor who wagers $125 will win $100 if the combined goals of both teams are less than 4 ½.

Future Wager.

In future wagers, the win is determined by a win by any championship or division. This is graded at the season or the tournament.

Hockey Parlays.

Hockey parleys are basicly like parleys in other sports you can usually pick between 2 and 10 games depending on the site. Then you just multiply the odds for each game together.

Player vs. Player Game Match-Ups.

In this instance, both players must play to get some of the action. All the props will be evaluated 2 to 4 hours after the completion of the event.

Keep in mind that 55 minutes is the required amount of playing time for betting purposes in the NHL. If the game is postponed or suspended, the results after 55 minutes of play are considered final.

In many web sites, for example–all the NHL lines are posted on the day of the scheduled event. Bettors have the option to bet either on the 1st Period or on the full game. In either case, you can choose a team to win or bet as determined by the total score.

Let’s take this chart as an example:

Team Spread Total
Chicago -135
Los Angeles +115 -

In the case of a straight hockey bet (side): In order to win when wagering on Chicago , that team must win the game. Conversely, when you wager on Los Angeles , that team must win in order for you to win the bet.

In the event that the game goes to a shootout, the team that wins the shootout will have an extra goal added to the total number of their points.