NHL Betting & Odds

Founded in North America in 1917, the National Hockey League, or NHL, is a professional ice hockey competition or league. Thirty-two teams currently ply their trade in the NHL, with the vast majority of them being from the United States (25) and the others from Canada (7). The NHL season runs from October to April, with the Stanley Cup playoffs following. 

In recent years, there’s been a surge where ice hockey betting is concerned, primarily to do with the rise in popularity of the NHL on a global scale. More fans than ever before want to engage with the sport, as seen by how many players NHL-based video games have, which in itself has led to the creation of eSports and, subsequently, eSports ice hockey betting. The popularity of the NHL and betting on the sport is showing no signs of slowing down. 

The NHL, as one of North America’s premier sports, is incredibly popular on the betting front. 

Moneyline 

For straightforward betting on the NHL, look no further than the Moneyline, as it’s a market where the bettor selects the team they predict will win the game. The favourite has lower odds than the underdog in this market, but because ice hockey is unpredictable, there have been some big upsets over the years. 

Puck Line 

Point spread betting is popular with other sports in North America, such as the NBA, and puck line betting is the equivalent in the NHL. In this type of market, the point spread is typically +/- 1.5. So, the favourite must win by two or more for the bet to win if they’ve been wagered on, and the underdog can lose by up to one goal in the opposite scenario. 

Total Goals 

The total goals market is an over/under betting option, where a predetermined amount of goals, typically around 5.5 or 6.5, will be set by the sports betting operator. A bettor will then place wagers on whether the number of goals scored combined by both teams will be over or under this set amount. 

The NHL Champions is also known as the Stanely Cup final, which represents the culmination of the NHL season. The team that wins a best-of-seven playoff series will be awarded the iconic Stanley Cup. It’s a contest between the champions of the Eastern Conference and the winners of the Western Conference. 

Stanley Cup Finals Odds

The new NHL season is yet to get underway, so there are still a lot of questions to answer regarding the Stanley Cup final. Stanley Cup odds have the Edmonton Oilers, the Florida Panthers, the Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils selected as the likely winners, but all that could change come the end of the regular season.

NHL live betting is on the rise because it gives the bettor more control over the wagers they place on the action. Ice hockey remains one of the most unpredictable sports on the planet, and ultimately, this can’t be legislated for before the action gets underway. However, with the ability to place bets live or in play, the bettor can make decisions and predictions based on what they’re seeing play out on the ice. They can also make use of available data and stats. 

Teams who have aspirations of winning the Stanley Cup must make the NHL playoffs. The NHL playoffs see the best eight teams in the Eastern Conference battle it out, and the best eight sides in the Western Conference do the same. So, a team must finish in their respective conference’s top eight to qualify. 

The playoffs will see four rounds take place: First Round, Second Round, Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final, with each round a best-of-seven series. The team that wins the Conference Finals for their respective conference will then go on to play in the Stanley Cup Final, with one team from each conference. The teams that are fancied to win the Stanley Cup are the ones tipped to be involved and to win the playoffs. 

The NHL is thrilling, and betting on it is, too. But it’s also an unpredictable sport. But there are some tips that could help along the way, starting with team form and injuries. Because of how demanding the sport is, injuries happen in ice hockey, and key players being injured can change the outlook considerably. Form is also worth taking note of too. 

Goalies can often be the difference between winning and losing in ice hockey. Good goaltenders will win games for their team, but some have a predisposition to make errors, which can prove costly. So, research goalies before placing wagers. 

Having the home-ice advantage is proven to be crucial in the NHL. The home team can often be seen to perform better because of the familiarity, home support and so on. It’s a factor to consider. 

Finally, in terms of betting, the puck line should be a consideration. The puck line can make betting on both the favourite and the underdog of value. However, the crucial element will always be to put in the research, and the BetVictor blog can help with this.