The Stanley Cup play-offs are in full swing, and they’re already as exciting as ever. The Colorado Avalanches enter as the clear favourite out of the West, but they are being chased by multiple dark horses. Over in the East, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning are both serious contenders. Hockey fans are being treated to almost two months of high-stakes NHL action, all in pursuit of the famed Stanley Cup.
Samuel Girard #49 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Garnet Hathaway #19 of the Philadelphia Flyers battle in front of goalie Stuart Skinner #74 of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Thanks to online betting, sports fans can wager on all sorts of aspects of ice hockey, from outright winners of the competition down to live and in-play betting. Here’s a guide to how to bet on the Stanley Cup play-offs, all the way up to the Stanley Cup final.
The moneyline
A straight-up wager is the simplest and most obvious way to bet on games during the Stanley Cup play-offs. Known as a moneyline, this type of bet simply bets on which player is to win the game. There are no ties in the NHL so even if it takes overtime, a winner will be decided.
You can also bet on the 60-minute line, signifying the end of regular time in the game, which often offers differing odds because it excludes overtime, meaning you can also bet on a draw in regular time.
These bets are widely available on mobile sports betting apps, often the first bet offered to new players due to its simplicity.
The puck line
The puck line is hockey’s version of a standard spread. In hockey, due to its low-scoring nature, the puck line is usually set at 1.5 goals, meaning the team you have bet on must either win or lose by at least 2 goals. You can also bet against a puck line, and win by the unfavored team only losing by one goal or winning the game.
Hockey games often end with 1 goal margins becoming 2 after goaltenders join the attack, leaving an empty net to be scored after the chasing team risked it all for a way back into the game. It makes the puck line always an interesting wager, no matter the game.
Live betting
The growth in online sports betting, and particularly the growth of betting apps capable of rapidly updating people’s phones, has led to the growth of live or in-play betting. This allows bookmakers to update odds in real time, including changing the moneyline based on who’s scored or who’s had more attempts on goal.
Live betting can also include player props, betting on specific players to score, and these odds transform as games unfold, giving fans who play close attention an advantage as they can spot whether a playing is having a good game and bet on him to score in real time.
