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What is Puck Line Betting?
Puck line betting is a kind of bet in hockey that has a goal spread, much like the point spread of basketball or football. While moneyline simply requires you to guess the winner, the puck line sets an additional win condition in the form of a point difference. Bookmakers usually create a so-called “hook,” which is a .5 point difference, to make things more interesting. This means a team needs to score one extra point to cover the spread. They might allow you to remove the hook, but in most cases, you’ll get the same odds as with a straight moneyline. Some types of puck line betting allow you to bump up the margin difference for better odds. But in most cases, bookmakers will offer the standard puck line, which is set at -1.5 goals for the favorite and +1.5 goals for the underdog. Finally, the result is settled once the regular and extra time expires. The scores or outcomes that are achieved in the over-time don’t count. So, if the score is tie when the regular time expires, you will lose on -1.5, or win +1.5 bet. That said, some of the best sportsbook operators allow for puck line bets that are settled using overtime results. If this is the case it’s always outlined in the terms or betting rules.How Does Puck Line Betting Work?
Puck line betting is very straightforward. For a -1.5 wager, the team that wins needs to win with a 2-point difference to cover that spread. If you bet on the underdog with a +1.5 spread, you win the bet if the team wins, ties, or loses with a single-point difference. There are a few variations of this wager, so let’s go over them explain how they work, and provide some examples.
Period Pucklines
Hockey is played in 3 periods, and you can place a puck line bet for the point difference for each period. So if you place a first-period puck line bet on Toronto Maple Leafs -0.5, that means that by the end of the first period, they need to lead with at least a single point.Reverse Pucklines
This is a risky wager with higher payouts because you decide to back the underdog. So if in the regular puck line the odds on New York Rangers is +1.5, in a reverse puckline you’d bet on New York Rangers -1.5. Since the underdog needs to win with at least a 2-point difference the payout is significantly higher.Alternate Pucklines
In the alternate line wager, you can bump the spread for the favored team from -1.5 to -2.5 or make a more favorable situation for the underdog from +1.5 to +2.5. So if the odds for Montreal Canadiens are +1.5 (-200), you can change it to +2.5, but it will likely bring down the payout to -400 or more. This means you’d have to bet at least $400 to win $100 (total payout $500).Puck Line vs. Moneyline
Hopefully, we’ve explained what is puckline in hockey in a way that a newbie can fully understand it. Now we’ll do a puck line vs moneyline comparison to help you decide which one is better. Both the puck line and moneyline are essentially gambles on the outcome of a game, but they have some notable differences in terms of the amount of money that can be won.
- Boston Bruins -200: A $200 wager on the Bruins will earn $100 if the Bruins win.
- New York Rangers +180: If the Rangers win then a $100 bet on them will return $180.
How to Place a Puck Line Bet
Now that you’ve learned what is puck line betting and how it’s different from a straight moneyline, you need to know how to make this wager. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to place a puck line bet in hockey.
Step 1: How to Choose a Reliable Online Sports Betting Site
Choose a licensed operator that accepts US bettors; you can easily find the site that works for you by narrowing your search to the best NHL sportsbooks. Then click on the join now button to start creating your account.Step 2: Complete the Sign Up Form
Fill in the sign-up forms by entering the requested information, and then open up your email to verify the account. Once that is done, you can log in.Step 3: Make a Deposit
Once you have the account, you will have to go to the “Cashier” tab and pick a preferred deposit method. You can make a minimum deposit amount or a bigger payment to utilize some of the best sportsbook bonuses fully.Step 4: Browse the Sportsbook Options
To continue, go to the NHL section. Search for the NHL puck line betting odds of each game. These odds are generally offered in the hockey markets since they are widely used.Step 5: Read Through the Policies of the Bookmaker on Overtime
For NHL puckline wagers, some bookmakers consider overtime while others don’t. It will always be beneficial to know exactly what is puck line betting policy the operator uses to settle the wager.
Puck Line Betting Tips
Below you can learn some common tips that help you make more prudent decisions. If you are using online sportsbooks for the first time it would be wise to get acquainted with important sports betting terms to get a better understanding of how certain wagers work.
Formation of Research Team and Conditions for the Bettors
It is worthwhile to check how teams have been performing in their most recent matches. Some of the things to look at include whether there is a streak of wins or losses and if these games were won or lost by big margins. Also, keep track of the latest information on players‘ injuries and suspensions. Substitution of key players can greatly affect a team’s performance. The home turf advantage is another important metric that impacts overall performance.Analyze Goaltending Matchups
There is no doubt that goaltenders play a crucial role in determining the outcomes of NHL puck line betting matches. Find out who the starting goaltenders are and how they have been performing lately. A good goalie can make games competitive even against a more formidable team.Motivation of the Team and Scheduling
Some teams may give a higher level of performance due to their desire to clinch a place in the playoffs or desire not to lose for a number of games in a row. On the other hand, teams that have already qualified for the playoffs may bench players or play at a lower intensity.
Take a look at the calendar of the team. Some teams are on the back-to-back games or have long road trips and it can be a problem because they will be tired and cannot cover the puck line.
