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Building a successful NHL betting strategy requires a detailed understanding of hockey and the available wagering markets. You’ll also need a viable bankroll management strategy, which helps you to gamble responsibly and minimize losses.
We’ll cover all these points in the comprehensive guide below. You’ll even find information about the leading NHL betting strategies and factors that can impact your picks.
How Does Hockey Betting Work?
Like football and baseball betting, ice hockey unlocks some unique lines and markets. In addition to moneylines and totals, there’s also the Puck Line, which is the sport’s equivalent of spread betting and usually set either plus or minus 1.5 goals (1.5 puck line). These bets allow you to put a negative handicap on favorites (or create a positive underdog spread) and either access enhanced odds or increase your chances of winning.
There’s ample opportunity for match and puck line betting during the typical NHL campaign. This comprises 82 matches per franchise during the regular season, each of which also unlocks various team and player props that are based on performance statistics.
NHL betting also introduces several futures markets. You can bet on the respective winners of the Western and Eastern Conferences, for example, while also picking the franchise that you believe will lift the coveted Stanley Cup.
Top 7 Ice Hockey Betting Strategies
Now, we’re going to delve deeper into the most effective hockey betting strategies. Such strategies and systems can help to ensure that you enjoy a fun and potentially profitable betting experience when you bet on hockey, during the NHL regular season, playoffs, and the Stanley Cup.
Lewis HumphriesSports Betting Expert
#1 – Bet the Losing Streak
Although this may seem like a counterintuitive betting strategy, it has been borne out by data for years now. Betting franchises coming off at least one loss can prove surprisingly profitable. This is even when their opponents are on a winning streak.
During a detailed and long-term analysis of this strategy, it was revealed that bettors recorded 2,899 wins and 3,098 defeats. This created a win percentage of 48.3% and a P&L value of -$178.13. While this is a loss, adopting the opposite strategy and backing the in-form team would have yielded a higher loss with a P&L of (-$249.54).
So, betting on the losing streak is an effective way of minimizing loss when wagering on NHL matches, but how can you make this strategy profitable?
Odds play a key role in this NHL betting strategy and its impact on P&L. This is because backing franchises on a losing streak often unlocks enhanced odds. This is especially true, as sportsbooks and the public tend to overreact to individual results.
When dealing with specific odds ranges, there are also prices at which this strategy becomes statistically profitable. For example, when backing losing franchises at odds of between +136 and +171, you’re more likely to see a positive P&L value over a series of matches. Of course, this requires detailed odds analysis before you wager your hard-earned cash.
- Strategy 1 – According to the data, betting on away teams that are on a losing streak is the best strategy. This is especially true when they take on a franchise that won last time out. This unlocks a P&L of -$11.96, as the public’s overreaction to recent results is more pronounced when the home team is in form.
- Strategy 2 – We’d also urge you to appraise wider streaks and the quality of each competing team. After all, leading franchises like the Toronto Maple Leafs lost 26 times despite topping the Eastern Atlantic Division in 2024/25. This would mean obvious value immediately after a defeat.
- Strategy 3 – It’s also important to analyze odds both in terms of their potential returns and their implied probability values. For example, backing losing teams with odds of -150 will increase your chances of winning but unlock only nominal profits. Instead, American odds of between +136 and +171 have proven to strike the best balance in terms of profitability.
#2 – Know the Goalie
Goalies play a key role in hockey, but franchises regularly rotate their stoppers as part of wider load management strategies. However, a goalie change can have a huge impact on a team’s defensive performance, so it’s important to follow the team changes or injury news ahead of a particular game.
For example, the Los Angeles Knights often rotate Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich in goal. Although Kuemper is one of the best goalies in the NHL (he averaged just 2.02 GAA in 50 starts during 2024/25), Rittich conceded a GAA of 2.84 from 34 starts and was categorized as being below average in the league.
Factoring this into your NHL betting strategy can provide a strong reason for certain picks, such as the over/under on total goals scored and the number of saves made by a particular goalie. It may even encourage you to seek out over/under betting lines that unlock higher potential returns.
- Strategy 1 – Identify the key goalie statistics when comparing performance. The main metrics include a player’s goal against average and save percentage, while you should also consider the number of games the data has been drawn from.
- Strategy 2 – Follow the latest NHL team and injury news to determine which one of a team’s goalies will be starting. This can lead to specific betting line picks, especially when assessing the over/under on total goals scored and how many saves will be made.
- Strategy 3 – Consider key players’ respective form. While career and season save averages can be insightful, they mean less if a player has embarked on a poor run of form or lacks confidence.
#3 – Jet Lag and Sleep Deprivation
Not only is ice hockey a physically demanding sport, but NHL franchises regularly play 3-4 times each week. What’s more, they may have to spend a considerable amount of time on the road during some game weeks, creating minimal recovery time and the need for careful load management.
This can introduce elements such as fatigue to a team’s performance or may see star players rested. Either way, even favored teams may see their chances of winning diminished, creating the opportunity for value betting.
In the table below, you can see how different schedules and travel scenarios impact the performance of home and away teams. This can help to inform your selections, alongside other factors such as wider form and the respective quality of the competing franchise.
One interesting takeaway here is that the probability of a home win is always higher regardless of the travel circumstances. This is a key consideration, with home-field advantage seeing the hosts win approximately 59% of the time in the NHL. This is higher than American football, where home franchises win around 57.6% of the time.
| Travel Situation | Home Win % | Away Win % |
|---|---|---|
| Home team on a B2B (the second leg of a back-to-back) | 0.538 | 0.462 |
| Away team on a B2B | 0.579 | 0.421 |
| Both teams are on a B2B | 0.561 | 0.439 |
| Home team on a B2B with travel | 0.528 | 0.472 |
| Away team on a B2B with travel | 0.579 | 0.421 |
| Both teams are on a B2B with travel | 0.571 | 0.429 |
| Home team with 1 or more days’ recovery | 0.570 | 0.430 |
| Home team with 2 or more days’ recovery | 0.587 | 0.413 |
| Home team with 3 or more days’ recovery | 0.531 | 0.469 |
#4 – Understanding NHL Best Bet Types
Overall, ice hockey betting strategies such as ladder betting, for example, won’t vary too much from those deployed in the NFL and NBA. This is because you can access many of the same wager types across these sports. Understanding basic sports betting terminology is also useful to know. NHL betting does unlock some unique lines and props. Here’s a summary of the most popular wagers to include in your NHL betting model.
- Moneyline – Moneyline betting requires you to pick the winner of a particular NHL game. The sheer number of regular-season games unlocks a high number of moneylines, while the lack of draws means that there are only two potential outcomes in this market.
- Puck Line – The puck line is ice hockey’s version of spread betting. This enables you to apply a goals handicap to a heavy betting favorite (such as -1.5), unlocking enhanced odds in the process. Your bet will come in so long as your pick beats the spread and wins by two goals or more.
- Totals – This market refers to the total number of goals scored in a game. Sportsbooks like BetOnline will set different totals as individual betting lines, and you’ll have to select one (based on analysis) before determining whether the actual total will be over or under this threshold. In 2024/25, an average of 3.01 goals were scored per game in the NHL, which was the lowest rate for four seasons.
- Period Wagering – Each NHL game is split into three equal periods of 20 minutes. So, although you can wager on the 60-minute line, you can also access a diverse subset of markets for each period. These include period moneylines, totals, and puck lines.
- Futures – Futures describe outright betting markets, which enable you to bet on the winner of each NHL conference or the Stanley Cup. These are a popular component of any NHL betting strategy. They can unlock highly competitive odds due to the number of competing teams and outcomes (especially when you bet early).
- Team Props – Props also feature heavily in hockey betting strategies, particularly those that focus on in-play wagering. Team props can include several lines, such as the scorer of the first goal in a game or alternate puck lines.
- Player Props – Player props unlock an even broader range of markets, as they relate to individual performance metrics. These can be offensive or defensive, but the most popular player props include the leading points scorer, who will have the most goal attempts and assists.
- Parlays – Parlays are bets that include different selections in a single wager. The odds of each outcome are then multiplied to create a single, extended price. While multi-game parlays that back different match winners are most commonplace, operators like BetOnline allow you to construct same-game parlays that incorporate different wager types.
#5 – Wagering The NHL Underdog
As we’ve already touched on, odds in the NHL are heavily influenced by public betting. So, underdogs in ice hockey tend to be afforded significantly higher odds, creating potential value bets and a payout that may offset your increased risk.
There are various factors that influence this. The number of regular-season games is certainly a leveller, especially as teams have to rotate their best players. There’s also little to choose between different NHL franchises in terms of quality, while home-field advantage here is lower when compared to sports like basketball and soccer.
Winning margins in the NHL are also relatively low, while the juice applied to betting favorites makes underdogs even more appealing. On average, NHL underdogs have between a 43% and 48% chance of winning, which should translate into odds of between +108 and +132. However, they’ll often be priced towards the higher end of this range, creating nominal value over time.
During the 2024/25 season, the overall rate of underdog success fell slightly to 40.6%. However, some teams bucked this trend, with the Washington Capitals winning 14 of their 21 matches as underdogs up to January 2025 (66.66%).
The St. Louis Blues, who historically perform well as underdogs, won 15 out of 32 matches as betting underdogs during the same period (46.88%). So, focusing on these teams when picking underdogs can significantly enhance your chances of placing winning bets.
As NHL betting advances, we are sure to see the use of AI and AI prediction tools used more and more to try and create an edge against the sportsbooks.
| Team | Underdog Win % | Games Played (2024/25) | Games Won | Average Profit/Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | 66.66% | 21 | 14 | +$11.08 |
| St. Louis Blues | 46.88% | 32 | 15 | +$5.65 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 41.17% | 34 | 14 | +$5.54 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 70.00% | 10 | 7 | +$5.21 |
| Florida Panthers | 71.43% | 7 | 5 | +$4.15 |
#6 – Rookie Player Props Hockey Betting System
When it comes to betting on player props, bettors often target the best and most seasoned NFL players. However, backing players like Leon Draisaitl (who contributed 52 goals, 54 assists, and 106 points for the Oilers in 2024/25) to top score in a game unlocks only nominal value. This is where overlooked and emerging rookies can offer significant value.
Last season, Lane Hutson of the Canadiens contributed 66 points in total, including an impressive 60 assists (and six goals). These points were earned from 82 appearances, highlighting an excellent level of consistency and the defenceman’s ability to create scoring chances for others.
The Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov is a rookie who produced more rounded performance statistics in 2024/25. He contributed 63 points in total (in 80 appearances), scoring 26 goals and 37 assists. So, he’s one to look out for when building player props in 2025/26.
- Strategy 1 – Rookies aren’t as revered or widely backed as experienced and demonstrably consistent players. So, backing them in player prop markets can unlock enhanced odds.
- Strategy 2 – The key is to research the most consistent rookies, who performed well through 2024/25, and start the new campaign well too. These players may represent superior value bets in markets such as points, goals, and assists.
- Strategy 3 – An ice hockey betting system requires significant performance analysis, while you need to evaluate the published odds and implied probability values. Also, appraise relevant team form before selecting individual player props.
#7 – 60 Minute Line Hockey Betting Guide
We’ve already touched on 60-minute betting in the NHL, which unlocks three-way moneylines. In this market, you can bet on one of two competing teams to win and the tie after 60 minutes, before the decisive period of overtime.
In standard, two-way moneylines, there are only two potential outcomes. A tie will see the wager scratched and your stake returned. So, 60-minute betting is an NHL betting strategy that usually looks to leverage the value of matches that are tied after regulation time.
This system can certainly unlock value bets. NHL statistics reveal that some franchises draw a higher-than-usual percentage of matches in regulation time. These include the Rangers and the Jets, whose respective OTL values of 41 and 40 were significantly higher than the league’s average in 2023/24.
- Strategy 1 – When evaluating a franchise’s OTL value, compare this against their opponents. It’s important to contrast two competing teams’ average performances after 60 minutes. This will help you identify the best value wagers.
- Strategy 2 – Some 22.5% of NHL games go to overtime, according to the long-range averages through 2024/25. So, this type of strategy should be used sparingly, even when backing teams such as the Rangers.
- Strategy 3 – Ultimately, succeeding with this NHL betting strategy requires a detailed analysis of data and match results. Once again, factors such as recent form and player rotation are key.
NHL Betting Strategies – Live In-Play
No ice hockey betting guide of this type would be complete without considering in-play wagering. Certain wager types undoubtedly lend themselves to live betting, particularly team and player props.
Due to the range of live NHL betting markets, in-play wagering can unlock sustained and incremental profits. However, live odds are dynamic and liable to change significantly in-game, so we’d recommend that you watch or stream the action in real-time when betting.
Also, period betting can prove highly effective when wagering in-play. This allows you to target relevant markets with the most likely outcomes, while it’s easier to gauge the in-game momentum during shorter 20-minute periods of play.
NHL Events to Wager On
All NHL roads eventually lead to the coveted Stanley Cup final. This showpiece event features a best-of-seven encounter between the two franchises that qualify through the playoffs. This is one of numerous ways in which you can wager on the NHL. Here’s a summary of the key NFL events and milestones each season!
Other Sports Betting Guides?
If none of these betting strategies appeal to you, you may prefer to wager on an alternative sport. In this case, we still have you covered here at ReadWrite. You can check out any of the other comprehensive sports betting guides listed below!
Conclusion
The content in this hockey betting system and strategy guide is aimed at both beginners and advanced bettors. To this end, some of the strategies detailed on this page are more suited to experienced individuals with a track record of using online sportsbooks.
Ultimately, any of these NHL betting systems can be used online. You can even combine different strategies to maximize your potential returns. We’d also recommend that you check out Betwhale, which is our pick as the best NHL betting site and one that offers extensive futures ahead of the new season. Match betting unlocks generous totals and puck lines too.
Responsible Gambling
Even as a seasoned NHL gambler, it’s important to wager responsibly and within your means at all times. After all, the sheer volume of regular season NHL games creates numerous opportunities to bet more than you can afford to lose, and it’s important to be wary of the first signs of gambling addiction.
In this instance, we’d urge you to seek out help and advice as soon as possible. Here are some independent resources and organizations that can help you to regain control of your betting activity!
- National Council on Problem Gambling
- Responsible Gambling Council
- American Gaming Association Responsible Gambling
