The NHL season is just around the corner, so it’s always good to get a refresher on the different hockey betting terms.
You don’t have to just settle for betting on who will win or lose. You can bet on goal scorers and who will dish out an assist as well. There are also more complex ways to bet on NHL games whether it’s betting on who will win the first period or who will score the game’s first goal. We’ll stick to the basics for now.
Here’s a quick explainer on some of the betting terms before the NHL regular season starts on October 7th.
Moneyline
Definition: Bet on who will win the game without a point or puck line spread
This is the most common and easiest way to bet on an NHL game. For you to win your bet, the team you bet on just has to win the contest. It can be won in regulation, overtime, or shootout.
Some sportsbooks offer early payouts if a team goes up by a certain amount of goals. They have done it for different sports, and it can be a big benefit to bettors!
How to Bet: You’ll find the moneyline odds with the over/under and puck line.
Puck Line
Definition: This is the point spread for hockey. The spread is usually set at -1.5 or +1.5 for NHL matchups.
This is one of the most exciting bets in hockey because you could win or lose this bet on a greasy empty net goal. If you bet on the Penguins -1.5, they have to win by at least two goals.
A benefit to the +1.5 puck line bet is that if the game goes to overtime, you still cash your bet. Odds for the 1.5 puck line bet will be higher, so this kind of bet could be a good addition to parlays.
How To Bet: These odds can be found with the money line and over/under odds.
3-Way Betting
Definition: This is similar to moneyline and puck line, but it’s for regulation only. If you bet on a team to win on the three-way money line, they have to win in regulation or else you’ll lose your bet. The puck-line for a three-way bet is -1.0 or + 1.0. The +1.0 puck line team can lose in overtime and the -1.0 puck line team has to win by two or more goals.
The odds for a three-way money line have lower odds, but they can be more intriguing to bet on if a team is a big favorite in a matchup. The over/under is under the three-way category as well. They are usually set at 5.0 or 6.0. If you bet the under and the game is 4-2, you lose your bet. The end result has to be over or under that number in regulation.
You may be wondering why it’s termed a “three-way” bet. You can bet on win, loss or tie with a three-way bet. If you bet on a tie, you’ll win your bet if it goes to overtime/shootout.
The over/under version of a tie is betting on the exact number. So if the over under is 5, the third option is betting “exactly” 5. The odds are lower but it could result in a nice little payout!
How to bet: Most sportsbooks will have a “3-Way” category where you’ll find the odds.
Over/Under
Definition: This is a simple bet on over/under the total number of goals scored. This number is usually set at 5.5 (-110) or 6.5 (-110)
This is a great way to bet on a game if it’s too close to call or you want to cheer for goals.
How to bet: You’ll find these odds with the puck-line and money line odds.
Prop Bets
Definition: These kinds of bets can be the most fun to bet on because of the different props some sportsbooks offer.
The most common prop bet is the score anytime prop. This is where you would bet on a player to score in that game. For some sportsbooks, even if your player scores in overtime or the shoutout, it will be counted as a loss.
You can bet on assists, shots on goal, and saves depending on if your sportsbook offers it.
Other prop terms to know include:
FIPO – ‘First Period Over’, betting the over/under for first period goals hits the over. GIFT – ‘Goal In First Ten Minutes’, betting that a goal will be scored before the first period reaches 9:59 remaining on the clock Futures – Betting on the outcome of season-long events like who will win the Stanley Cup, which team will win a division or individual awards like the Hart Trophy (MVP) or Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals)
How to bet: You can find these odds under “props” or “player props” NHL category for your favorite sportsbook.
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