Best NHL Sportsbook 2025
The NHL season is rolling and sports betting has never been bigger in the United States.
Most U.S. states have legalized sports betting – including betting on mobile apps.
Millions of people place bets on NHL games and other major sporting events every year.
On this page we’ll look at the types of NHL bets you can make and how a hockey sportsbook works.
Types Of NHL Bets
NHL Moneyline Bets
Moneyline Bets are the simplist of bets since all have to do is pick which team you think will win the game. Odds are assigned to each team based on their perceived likelihood of winning.
So, if the New York Rangers are playing the Colorado Avalanche, the moneyline might look like this:
New York Rangers: +120
Colorado Avalanche: -140
The “+” indicates the underdog team (Rangers). So if you place a $100 bet on them you would win $120 if they win the game. The “-” indicates the favorite team (Avs) in this matchup. So, you would need to bet $140 to win $100 if you choose the Avalanche to win.
NHL Prop Bets
Prop bets cover specific events within the game that don’t directly affect the final outcome.
Examples include betting on which player will score the first goal, the number of saves a goalie will make, or the total number of penalties that occur in the game.
NHL Over/Under Bets
Over/Under (or Totals) Bets focus on the total number of goals scored in the game by both teams combined.
The sportsbook sets a line, and you bet on whether the total goals will be over or under that set number.
NHL Futures Bets
Future bets are long-term bets placed on events such as which team will win the Stanley Cup or who will win the MVP or Conn Smythe trophy.
The odds change as the season progresses based on each teams and players performances.
NHL Puck Line Bets
Puck Line Bets is hockey’s version of the point spread. Typically, the puck line is set at 1.5 goals. The favorite needs to win by more than 1.5 goals, while the underdog needs to lose by 1 goal or win the game outright.
For example:
Boston Bruins: +1.5
Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5
If you bet on the Lightning, they need to win by 2 or more goals. If you bet on the Bruins, they need to either win the game or lose by only 1 goal.
NHL Live Betting
Live Betting allows you to place a bet on NHL games while they are in progress.
Odds and lines are adjusted in real-time