Betting the National Hockey League

Before a person can start to bet the NHL, it's important they have a solid understanding of the money line. If the money line is a new concept for you, read Understanding oney Lines. !he money line is the most common method of betting the NHL, although there is also a puc" line, which we will discuss a bit later, as well as totals. # number of sportsboo"s also offer the $%rand &alami,$ which is the combined total of all the games that are played on a particular day, and we'll discuss that a bit later, as well. Nearly every sportsboo" uses a '()cent line on the National Hoc"ey League. !he '()cents refers to the difference in the odds on the favorite and the odds on the underdog. But as with other sports, such as baseball, the odds on an e*tremely large favorite will often be greater than the '( cents. !he odds on a typical National Hoc"ey League game may loo" li"e+ ,algary -..( /ancouver ).0( 1hat that means is that /ancouver bettors are as"ed to ris" 2.0( to win 2.((, while ,algary bettors ris" 2.(( to win 2..(. But the odds on a game with a larger favorite are more inclined to loo" li"e+ !oronto -'3( 4etroit )0(( !he larger difference in odds is typical in all sports, not 5ust hoc"ey, so it isn't as if hoc"ey bettors are being singled out.

The Puck Line

1hile betting on the winner of the game, as shown above, is the most popular method of betting the NHL, there is also the puc" line, which baseball bettors will recogni6e as being 7uite similar to the run line. 1hen betting the puc" line, bettors can either lay ..3 goals with the favorite or ta"e ..3 goals with the underdog. !he puc" line used to be .3 goals, but the shootout eliminated the possibility of a tie game, so the oddsma"ers bumped the puc" line up to ..3 goals. Using the two games above, the puc" lines odds will be something li"e+ ,algary -..3 8)'9(: /ancouver )..3 8-'((: !oronto -..3 8)..(: 4etroit )..3 8)..(:

Now, ,algary bettors will win their wagers if ,algary wins the game or losses by one goal, while /ancouver bettors can only win their wagers if the ,anuc"s win by two goals or more. But ,algary bettors are now as"ed to ris" 2'9( to 2.(( and /ancouver bettors are ris"ing 2.(( to win 2'((. Li"ewise, !oronto bettors will win their bets if the aple Leafs win or lose by one goal and 4etroit bettors will only win their bet if the ;ed 1ings win by two or more goals. Totals Bettors also have the option of betting on the total number of goals scored in a game. !he sportsboo"s will post a number, generally between 3 and <.3 and bettors can wager the number of goals scored in the game will be greater 8over: than the posted number or less 8under: than the posted number. !here is one primary difference in betting hoc"ey totals as opposed to betting bas"etball and football totals. Because scoring in hoc"ey is so much lower than in football or bas"etball, the boo"ma"ers are reluctant to change the number of a total and instead will often ad5ust the odds. =*ample+ If the over>under number on the ;ed 1ings and ?enguins is < and a bettor places a 23(( wager on the over, the boo"ma"er is unli"ely to raise the total to <.3. Instead, he will ma"e bettors who wish to wager over < ris" 2.'( to win 2.((, which is written as ).'(. !hose wishing to bet the under would then be able to wager at even money or -.((, as totals nearly always use a '()cent line. If people continue to bet the over, the boo"ma"er will continue to ad5ust the odds upward and eventually bettors may have to ris" 2.93 to win 2.((, or ).93. In this case, an under bettor would ris" 2.(( to win 2.'3. !he boo"ma"er will generally raise the odds up to ).93 before raising the total to the ne*t number, which in this case would be <.3. &o totals can ta"e on several different forms, but will nearly always loo" li"e one of the two following e*amples+ 4etroit vs. !oronto over 3.3 8)..(: 4etroit vs. !oronto under 3.3 8)..(: 4etroit vs. !oronto over 3.3 8).03: 4etroit vs. !oronto under 3.3 8-..3: In the first e*ample, bettors are as"ed to wager 2..( to win 2.(( regardless if they bet the over or the under. !his is sometimes referred to as $3.3)flat,$ meaning it is )..( on both the over and the under. In the second e*ample, bettors who wish to wager on the over will have to ris" 2.03 to win 2.((, while under bettors will ris" 2.(( to win 2..3. !his is commonly referred to as $3.3)@ver.