NHL Betting Sites for 2024

Moneyline Bets

Betting the moneyline in hockey is very simple as it only requires players to bet on who will win the game.

NHL odds are marked with an integer (+ or -) which indicates which team is the favorite and which team is the underdog. The positive (+) team is the underdog, while the negative (-) team is favored to win.

The difference between betting on a moneyline and betting on the puckline is pretty basic — when betting on the moneyline, you bet on who will win outright, while a line involves how many goals the favored pick wins by.

NHL Moneyline Example

For example, let’s say this is the moneyline:

• Red Wings +190
• Maple Leafs -225

In this example, the Red Wings are the underdog, and the Maple Leafs are expected to win. To win $100 wagering on the Maple Leafs, you’d need to place a $225 bet. Conversely, a $100 wager on the Red Wings would return $190 profit should they win.

Puckline Betting

Betting a “puckline” is hockey’s version of spread betting. Essentially, it is a wager that the favored team will win the game by a set number of goals – or more.

Puckline Betting Example

Let’s say these are the odds:

• Rangers +1.5
• Canadiens -1.5

In this instance, the Canadiens would need to win by two goals or more in order for your ticket to pay as a winner.

Over/Under, or Totals Betting

Over/under bets, also known as totals bets, are wagers on whether the combined score of both teams is over or under the goal total posted by the sportsbook.

Over/Under Betting Example

Here’s an over/under NHL betting example. Let’s say the total is set at 6.5 for a game between the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens:

Toronto vs. Montreal

• Over 6.5 (-110)
• Under 6.5 (-110)

Numbers in brackets show the odds of each bet. Here, both are at -110, which means you have to risk $110 to win $100. If Toronto wins with a 5-2 score, the total is 7, which means the over hits since 7 is greater than 6.5.

Should an Over/Under total be set at a whole number, like 6, and a final score is 4-2, the bet would push, and you’d be refunded your original wager.

Parlay Betting

A parlay means you can place several unique wagers on a single ticket. By betting multiple outcomes on one ticket, the payout is higher. However, one loss on a parlay means the entire ticket loses. You must get every bet right. Every sports betting site allows bettors to parlay their bets to offer moneyline, over/under and puck line bets on a single ticket. Parlays are widely considered to be best suited for experienced bettors who know how to limit the risk.

Parlay Bet Example

Here’s an example that might be on your parlay ticket:

• You bet on Montreal to beat Toronto
• You also bet on Boston to beat Chicago

For this ticket to pay as a winner, both Montreal & Boston must win – if either lose, you lose the entire wager. However, because of the associated risks, parlay bets carry much higher payouts.

First Period Betting

First period wagers aren’t as popular as typical moneylines or puck lines in hockey betting, but they provide you with an interesting alternative to traditional bet types. In a bet of this type, only the results of the first 20 minutes of the match matter.

Usually, you’re allowed to put your money on a first-period moneyline or a 0.5 spread. Some sportsbooks offer second and third-period betting too, which tends to be all about picking the team that has the highest score by that point in the game.

First Period Betting Example

Let’s say the Vancouver Canucks are playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Canucks are the favored team. The odds favor the Canucks at (-200, risk $200 to win $100), so you place a $100 bet the Canucks will lead after the first period.

Indeed Vancouver leads 1-0 after one. So, you win $50 plus the initial $100 wagered.

Hockey Props Betting

Prop bets allow you to bet on elements of the game besides the final score, ranging from which player scores first, to who sings the national anthem. The term “proposition bets,” or “prop bets,” refers to all the bets that aren’t covered by any of the categories listed above.

Hockey Props Betting Example

In hockey betting, many sites offer props that allow you to wager on the first player to score, the shot totals or the first team to score.

NHL Futures Betting, or, Stanley Cup Odds

Futures odds wagers allow bettors to wager on the future hockey outcomes like odds to win the Stanley Cup.

Sportsbooks open lines on a variety of futures bets before the start of every NHL season. Futures bets also include individual postseason player awards like Conn Smythe Trophy.

Hockey Futures Wager Example

In the world of NHL betting, a futures wager could be on who will win the Stanley Cup, who will win the Eastern and Western conference titles and where will a free agent be playing next season, to name a few. Betting the over/under on a team’s points total for the upcoming NHL season is another popular futures bet.

These will also allow you to select a “FIELD” option, offering flexibility if you believe a player stands to win who is not listed as an option.

Live NHL Betting

The top sports betting sites offer live betting on NHL games. Like the name suggests, these bets are only available after the puck drops and the action starts. You can make all your standard hockey bets, such as moneyline, puckline, and totals. These odds are controlled by an algorithm that centers on the time remaining, score and volume of bets made.

Live NHL Betting Example

The odds and wagers listed for live hockey betting options on an online sportsbook essentially look similar to the examples above, only, in real-time after the game has started.