A new NHL season is underway and while the handle is light compared to other sports, the early numbers have been quite good when talking hockey.
Teams with the lowest expectations who were inviting to play against on the money line and puck line have been winning like Colorado and the league’s newest team, Las Vegas Golden Knights. Plus, St. Louis was widely considered to be plagued early with injuries and they have started 4-1. Public favorite, the New York Rangers, with off-season adjustments, have not paid early with a 1-3 start.
Whether you are an experienced hockey bettor or a novice, betting on the NHL or any hockey league is not just about picking winners, as it should also include doing research to find the most trusted betting sites before wagering on games. There are two important elements every bettor has to know about offshore betting, if you win, how quickly will you get paid and having multiple accounts ensures you have the best numbers on whatever selections you are making.
Think this way, from the time the first puck is dropped in early October until the Stanley Cup is hoisted in June, even if you bet only one game a day, that will be in the neighborhood of 225 possible days to make wagers and if you have the right (or wrong) lines on just 10 percent of picks made, that can make a good season, great season, or a poor season palatable, by doing your homework to find the right numbers and have them work for you.
What Oddsmakers Are Thinking On Money Lines
For the most part, sportsbooks set fair numbers and here is what a money line would look like on average teams, with one having home ice advantage.
St. Louis +110 at Minnesota -130
How this reads is if you choose St. Louis to win the game, you would make wager of $100 to win $210 (your $100 back plus winnings) and on Minnesota to win, it would cost you $130 and if correct you collect $230 (your $130 back plus $100).
As the favorites and underdogs become larger, the difference increases on the numbers, meaning you will always pay more for the favored team, however, your chances of winning are improved. Case in point, a -130 favorite should win 56.5 percent of the time, while a -260 favorite is expected to be a win 72.2 percent of the time.
As mentioned earlier, the odds are generally fair, but where you will start to find disparity is when teams go on long winning or losing streaks, as oddsmakers will shade the numbers for or against these clubs, as many bettors will jump on board to ride a streak and do so, the oddsmakers will increase your risk, making you think what it will cost to lose or making it less attractive to win.
What Oddsmakers Are Thinking On Totals
Total wagering has increased dramatically in the NHL, largely because of its simplicity. Well over 90 percent of all games have a total of 5 or 5.5. Where the cat and mouse game begins is on the juice or odds of the total.
Oddsmakers are loathe to come off a number, say 5.5, unless the action is so one-sided they are forced to. Instead, what they do is keep rising the odds on a particular side.
For example, a normal total could be 5.5 (-110). If bettors start backing the Under more heavily, the oddsmaker will adjust this to U5.5 (-120), meaning it will cost you more to back the Under if that is your choice. Previously, oddsmakers would top out at -130 before taking total higher, but in the last decade, that has changed and hockey bettors today may have to go as high as -150 if they still want to back an Under in that situation.
Just keep in mind the oddsmaker is paid by the sportsbook and if you do not like a number, do not bet it.
Puck Line Wagering
The puck line is nothing more than a spread, however, unless you are a rabid fan of the NHL and really understand how the oddsmakers sets the numbers, you are better off to stick with money line and totals, as this can make your money disappear swiftly.
You must be logged in to post a comment.