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Hockey Betting 101

When betting hockey it is crucial to understand that it is a random sport in nature. The game is being played on a sheet of ice, with players skating around on less than one inch wide steel blades, chasing a rubber puck around all while trying to kill each other. This causes for unlikely events to occur more often than the other three major sports. I find it necessary to keep this in mind when deciding what bets to place on an NHL game. Even the best teams can dominate a game, have the majority of shots on goal and time of possession, and still lose the game! So with that, I still think it’s possible to win more often than not when betting hockey, you just have to be smart about what your betting along with sticking to your units.

A few different factors can help you win bets in this improbable sport. First off, scheduling. With hockey being such a physically taxing sport, targeting teams that played the night before in a “back to back” scenario is one advantage the player can have against the books. The line often reflects this, but nevertheless something to keep in mind. The Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche dominated their home opener this year after they raised their championship banner, winning in deciding fashion 5- 2. This game was played at home, but the next day they then had to play AT CALGARY, against a Flames team they had beaten in last year’s playoffs. The Avs ended up losing that game 5-3. It’s easy to see why when you consider they had to make the trip up to Calgary after such an emotional win and championship ceremony the night before. You could have easily won this bet by simply considering the schedule. It plays a major role in which team is going to show up 100% in a given night.

Adjusting the line

Let’s say you like a favorite in a game, but the line is too heavily juiced to bet on. This is where it can be advantageous to take the 3 way line instead of the moneyline. This comes with a risk, as you can only win your bet in regulation. If both teams are tied after three periods, you lose your bet. However, if it is a matchup you feel comfortable with, I find it smart to take the 3 way bet as it’s available at much better odds than the moneyline due to that risk losing with overtime. An example from today: the Avalanche take on the rebuilding Devils in New Jersey, with the Avs favored at -145.  That line is a little too juiced for me to comfortably bet, however when you look at the three way line it is at +108. That is better than even money, you get to take the superior team at plus odds in taking this particular bet.

Totals and goalies

Due to a heightened skill level in players than in years past, along with the rules now skewed towards offense, there are more goals scored than there was say 20 years ago. Goalies are also better nowadays than they used to be, but there are only a handful of Brickwall Backstops that can actually save a game for their team. Avoiding these goaltenders and targeting poorly defensive teams can be a good recipe for success in betting overs in the NHL. This is a strategy that can pay consistent dividends if you can pick and choose your spots wisely. The Toronto Maple Leafs are a good example of a team to target with this strategy. A top 5 offense year after year, yet they struggle to keep pucks out with constant goaltending and defensive problems.

Player Props

Certain Player props can also have advantageous lines to the player if you pay attention to beat writers and line combinations. If a player on the first line is ruled out, he must be replaced by someone else on that top line. That means this new comer will be playing with much higher skilled linemates than he is used to, potentially leading to more scoring opportunities for that individual. The line often won’t reflect this, and is something you can definitely target when it comes to deciding which player props to take. New line combinations offers the same principle in targeting a guy that is now playing much higher skilled players than he has been.