How To Bet On The NHL
Identifying and explaining NHL bet types
Let's take a look at all of the ways you can get action on NHL hockey.
NHL Single-Game Bet Types
Betting NHL Moneylines
When betting the moneyline, you are betting on the side to win the game, regardless of the final score or margin. A negative moneyline denotes the favored side. A positive moneyline denotes the underdog. You may calculate your potential return before placing a moneyline bet by using the following guidelines:
Favorites: The amount of money you must bet in order to return $100 on a successful bet. Example: Hurricanes -195 means a $195 bet will return $100 if Carolina wins.
Underdogs: The amount of money you will win if your $100 bet is successful. Example: Lightning +165 means a $100 bet will return $165 if Tampa Bay wins.
Visit BetQL’s NHL Moneylines Dashboard for more information.
Betting NHL Puck Lines
In puck line bets, a team must cover the listed margin. Negative numbers indicate the favored team. For example, if the spread is listed as Panthers -1.5, Florida must win the game by at least 2 goals in order to cover the puck line. Conversely, if the line is listed as Canadiens +1.5, Texas must lose by one goal, or win the game outright, in order to cover the puck line.
Visit BetQL’s NHL Puck Lines Dashboard for more information.
Betting NHL Over/Unders
Total bets are won and lost depending on the total number of goals scored by the two teams combined. An Under bet is successful when the two teams combine to score fewer than the listed number of goals and an Over bet is successful when the two teams combine to score more than the listed number of goals.
Example: Devils vs. Rangers O/U 6.5
- The Under is successful if the two teams score 6 or fewer combined goals.
- The Over is successful if the two teams score 7 or more combined goals.
- If the O/U is a whole number, the bet is a push if the two teams score exactly that amount.
Visit BetQL’s NHL Totals Dashboard for more information.
Betting Individual Period Lines
Period bets are the NHL equivalent of single half bets offered in other sports. Most commonly, they are offered as Moneyline bets. Rather than settling at the end of the game, the given bet would settle after the assigned period.
Visit BetQL’s First Period NHL Dashboard for more information.
NHL Multiple-Game Bet Types
Parlays
Using parlays, you can combine individual bets in order to increase your potential return. In order for a parlay bet to be successful, each individual bet must hit. If any single component is unsuccessful, the entire parlay will be graded as a loss. This style of betting appeals to bettors who eye exponentially-larger payouts, but have much lower odds of winning. For example, if you bet on the Bruins (+100) + Rangers (-125) + Coyotes (-150), all three teams must win in order for you to win the parlay.
Other NHL Bet Types
Futures
A futures bet refers to any bet that will be settled in the future.
Examples: team accolades (championship winners, etc), player accolades (MVP, etc) and over/unders (team win totals, player statistics, etc).
Prop Bets
A prop, or “proposition”, is a bet made regarding the occurrence or non-occurrence of a given event during a game. Sportsbooks attach moneyline odds to these bets and they can be settled before the game goes final. Some NHL examples include: a player to score a goal, a player to have more than 1.5 points, etc.
Live Betting
Live betting takes place after the game has started and features in-game props and other bet types. This style of betting features the quickest payouts in the industry and puts bettors right in the action.
For the latest NHL parlay, prop, future and live betting opportunities, visit BetQL’s Exclusive Sportsbook Offers Page.
About BetQL
Want to learn more about BetQL? Check out the resources below:
- Best Bets: Find out how our model’s star ratings can help you make the most informed spread, moneyline and O/U bets.
- Public Data: Find out why it’s always important to know what bets are popular.
- Sharp Data: Find out why knowing who pro bettors are backing is important.
- Web Tutorial: Find out how to use our platform on a web browser.
- Mobile App Tutorial: Find out how to use our mobile app.
Find out more about BetQL and feel free to contact our Help Center if you have any questions.
