Professional hockey may not be the world’s most famous sport, but betting on it could still bring some easy cash into your pockets. If you’re doing it right, that is. If you’ve never done it before, here’s everything you need to know about different types of hockey bets.
Money Line Bets
The simplest type of bet, a money line bet on hockey is as straightforward as it sounds. You bet on which team wins. This is the most popular type of hockey bet and includes a favorite and an underdog. Under the favorite, you will notice a negative sign (-) next to a number. The number represents the amount required to wager in order to win $100. For instance, Rangers -110 means you’d have to bet $110 to get $100 if the Rangers win.
Over/Under Wagers on NHL Games
Like in all other sports, hockey bookmakers set an Over/Under total for each game, and bettors can wager whether the goal score will go over or under than total. Checking NHL consensus picks can usually give you an idea on how to bet on each individual game.
NHL Puck Line Bets
This type of bet is similar to the money line, but you generally place the bets at a better dollar amount. To be successful in this type of bet, you must know both the favorite and the underdog very well to understand who you have to wager on to be at an advantage.
Point Spread
The point spread bets take puck line bets to the next level thanks to their range of more exotic point spreads, such as the alternative puck line in which the favorite and underdog are switched. Point spread bets are often possible thanks to the low scores resulted from other matches and, alongside money line bets, stand among the most popular types of wagers.
Regulation Time Betting
Perfect for those who aren’t satisfied with puck line or money line bets, regulation time betting allows you to bet on the favorite at -0.5 or underdog at +0.5. These wagers pay off if the underdog wins or if the game goes into overtime, regardless of the outcome. Thus, this type of betting is ideal for those who don’t mind paying a bit more to collect.
NHL Parlay Bets
Those who like risk and more complicated betting, may find NHL parlay bets ideal. In this kind of bet, the you choose two or more hockey sides and win the bet only if all the teams you picked win their games. Requiring excellent knowledge of the teams and sport, NHL parlay betting suits expert hockey bettors.
Proposition Wagers
An exotic type of NHL bet, proposition wagers are bets you make on anything except the outcome of the game. For instance, you can bet which team will be the first to score, which players will play from start to finish, and so on. Proposition wagers can bring a lot of fun to the table when you’re wagering against your buddies. You can all get lightning tickets and experience the game in real time to see the result and who won the bet.
The Grand Salami Bet
Unique to the NHL, this bet must be made before the start of any game of the day, as it combines the total over/under wagers of the day. This type of sports bet is perfect for those who want to bet on all the hockey action of the day.