NHL Best Bets Today
Hockey is one of the most unpredictable sports in betting, which means there’s big potential for profit when you know where to find value. With 82 games per team, the NHL offers daily opportunities to capitalize on line movement, goalie matchups, and advanced analytics.
This page is your one-stop shop for the best NHL bets, curated by expert handicappers who analyze every game to find hidden value in the odds. Whether you’re looking for moneyline plays, puck line advantages, or sharp totals bets, AskTheBookie.com provides the insights you need to make winning NHL wagers consistently.
Today’s Sports Picks
Why Use Our NHL Picks?
At AskTheBookie.com, our NHL picks are built on expert analysis, statistical modeling, and market awareness. Hockey is a low-scoring sport, meaning games are often decided by small margins a single mistake, an overtime period, or a hot goalie can make all the difference.
That’s why our handicappers go beyond basic stats to analyze advanced metrics such as Corsi, Fenwick, expected goals (xG), and high-danger scoring chances to determine which teams are truly outperforming expectations.
We also track betting line movement, public perception, travel schedules, and goalie rotations, ensuring that our picks are backed by both data and situational awareness. The NHL is a fast-moving market, and oddsmakers don’t always adjust quickly enough to team trends, lineup changes, or rest advantages. By following our expert NHL picks, you’re betting with a proven system designed to find and exploit profitable angles in hockey betting.
Kinds of NHL Bets We Like to Make
Hockey betting offers several unique wager types, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here are the most popular NHL bet types:
- Moneyline: Betting on which team will win the game, including overtime and shootouts.
- Puck Line: The NHL version of a point spread, where the favorite must win by at least two goals (-1.5), and the underdog can cover if they lose by one goal or win outright (+1.5).
- Totals (Over/Under): Betting on whether the combined goals in a game will go over or under a set number.
- Regulation Time Bets: Wagering on which team will win in regulation (excluding overtime/shootouts), often with better odds than a standard moneyline.
- First Period Bets: Betting on the outcome of just the first period, which can be useful when identifying teams with fast starts or slow defensive setups.
- Player Props: Wagering on individual player stats like shots on goal, goals scored, assists, or goalie saves.
- Futures: Long-term bets on season outcomes, such as Stanley Cup winners, conference champions, or player awards like the Hart Trophy.
- Live Betting: In-game wagering that allows bettors to react to momentum shifts, penalties, and goalie performance.
Ranking NHL Bet Types by Profit Potential and Risk
NHL betting offers various levels of risk and reward, and choosing the right bet type is crucial. Moneyline bets are the safest option, especially when betting on home favorites or teams with elite goaltending. However, the best value often lies in puck line betting, where the risk is slightly higher, but the potential payouts are greater especially when backing strong favorites at plus money odds (-1.5).
Totals betting can be a profitable strategy when factoring in team pace, offensive efficiency, and goalie performance. First-period bets provide unique opportunities for sharp bettors who recognize team trends, such as those that start fast or struggle early. Live betting allows for dynamic betting opportunities, but it requires fast reactions and deep game knowledge. Futures bets offer high payouts, but they lock up bankroll for long periods and carry higher variance due to injuries and mid-season changes.
To maximize profits, bettors should focus on puck line value, totals with favorable matchups, and first-period trends, while using live betting and futures strategically.
How to Put These NHL Bets to Work
1. Watch for Backup Goalies and Goalie Rotations
Unlike other sports, a team’s starting goaltender can have a massive impact on betting outcomes. Backup goalies often lead to higher-scoring games, while elite starters can single-handedly shut down an offense. Always check for goalie confirmations before placing your bets.
2. Pay Attention to Travel Schedules and Back-to-Back Games
Hockey teams struggle on long road trips, especially in back-to-back scenarios where fatigue becomes a factor. Teams traveling across time zones or playing their third game in four nights often perform below expectations, making them good fade candidates.
3. Take Advantage of First Period Betting Trends
Some teams come out firing in the first period, while others take time to settle in. Betting on first-period moneylines, totals, or puck lines can be a great way to exploit these tendencies before sportsbooks adjust their lines.
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How does NHL betting work?
NHL betting is simple, but varies depending upon the market. The easiest way to bet on the NHL is on the moneyline, which requires you to predict which team will win a game (overtime included). However, you’ll need to quickly learn how implied probability works to ensure you’re getting value on the bets you place.
Does overtime count in NHL betting?
Generally, overtime is included on most bets, such as the moneyline, puck line and totals. However, there are regulation time only betting markets, which don’t include overtime, but they’ll be clearly marked. When you like a big favorite, you can get better odds by betting on that team to win in regulation (no overtime).
Where can I bet on the NHL online?
All sportsbooks will have NHL odds available. Some sportsbooks will have limited NHL betting markets, though. For example, some bookies don’t offer NHL player props. It’s important to have accounts with multiple sportsbooks, so that you can shop for the best odds and have the biggest selection of bet types.
Can I bet on multiple NHL best bets on the same wager?
Yes. A “parlay” is a type of NHL bet that allows you to wager on multiple selections on the same wager, but all selections need to win or the bet will lose. Several sportsbooks now have same-game parlays for the NHL, which will allow you to bet on multiple outcomes from the same game taking place. If you expect lots of scoring, you could bet on the over and a team total on an NHL same-game parlay.
What is the Grand Salami in NHL betting?
The grand salami is a fun bet that NHL fans love. There are two ways to bet on this market. The first way is betting on home teams or away teams to score the most goals that day. The second way is to bet on whether all NHL games in a day will combine to score over or under the grand salami goal total. If there are ten games on the schedule, the grand salami goal total might be set at 60.5 goals. If you expect lots of goals, you can bet on the over. If all ten games combine for 61+ goals, you’ll win the bet.
