NHL betting is considered one of the hardest to master by avid punters around the world, including Australians. However, it is also considered one of the most lucrative betting options available at sports betting sites. This is due to the fact that there are many instances in which underdogs win matches in a very surprising fashion.
If you are interested in betting on the NHL, you have come to the right place. Below we’ve got a complete guide to wagering on this famous hockey league. It includes the best NHL betting sites along with the most popularly available bets at each site.
Best NHL Betting Sites 2020
NHL Betting Lines Explained
Below are some popular hockey bets punters will find at the best NHL betting site options. We recommend having a good look at them to see which may prove to be the wager most suited to their playing desires:
- Head-to-Head – these bets simply involve picking a winner. There are two popular types at Australian sports betting sites. That is the 1×2 match result, which involves selecting a winner in regular time, and Match Result (including overtime and penalties), which includes the result reached in overtime.
- Puck Line Betting – this is basically the NHL’s version of run line bets. Basically, a sportsbook picks a favourite to win a particular game and set a scoreline they’ll win the game by. Punters who bet on the favourite will need the team to beat the handicap in order for any bets made on the team to be successful.
- Futures – these are bets made on a team to win the Stanley Cup. They are often made long before the final is actually played. Odds tend to shift throughout the season as the year’s top teams become more apparent. These bets often prove to be quite lucrative if you get them right. However, with the unpredictability of the playoffs, it can be very hard to do so.
- Props – these are bets made on specific happenings taking place in a match. For example, in a match between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins, betting on the Bruins to score first, etc.
- Totals – these are bets made on what the total score of the game will be; both teams scores combined. Punters can bet over or under a specific score line set by the sportsbook and will win money if they are able to correctly predicted the total scoreline.
NHL Tips and Predictions
Many Australians are on the lookout for hot tips to build their NHL betting strategy. Especially, as many avid bettors consider hockey to be a very difficult sport to bet on. While we agree with that statement, any avid NHL bettor will need to look at including the following tips in their betting strategy if they are to place successful bets more often:
- Pay Attention to Team Line-Ups – it is important to note that there are just under 1300 games in an NHL season, with each team playing 82 over a six-month period. This means that it is impossible for teams to keep putting their best players on the ice all the time. Thus, punters need to have a look at who is playing on a particular matchday. For example, a second-string goaltender is more likely to let in goals than the first pick, and this may be a crucial deciding factor in the match. So, always have a look at team line-ups.
- Travel Schedules – it is important to have a look at a team’s travel schedule. The dreaded four-game away streak has been known to end many a team’s winning streak due to fatigue and needing to change up line-ups. If you can see that a team is beginning to slow down during an away trip, then you may want to look at betting against them in their next match-up.
- Postseason Zigzag Strategies – remember that the road to the Stanley Cup is anyone’s ball-game once the season enters the playoff period. Many a time there has been upsets in the playoffs and the lowest-seeded team has won the Stanley Cup. (Case in point, the 2012 Los Angles Kings team). NHL playoffs generally do begin with a zigzag pattern that lasts awhile until a winner is decided.
Latest NHL Betting Odds
If you’re looking for the best NHL odds, we’ve got you covered with the sportsbooks listed above. Remember that odds are always changing based on the latest news released involving the match up, such as injuries and team line-ups. This makes it essential that punters keep having a look at the latest odds at multiple sportsbooks before placing a bet.
Odds at Aussie sportsbooks will always be displayed in the decimal format. Here is an example of what betting line will look like:
Recent Stanley Cup Winners
If you’re looking for tips based on the past winners of the NHL Stanley Cup, here is a list of the last ten winners. Punters will notice that seems to be a trend with teams winning twice over a short period of time for the most part.
| 2018 | Washington Capitals |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2015 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2013 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2012 | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2011 | Boston Bruins |
| 2010 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2009 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2008 | Detroit Red Wings |