Tips for Betting the NHL Puckline

The traditional bets on any sport usually include moneyline, point spread, and totals wagers. This is true of NHL hockey too; however, the point spread bet is a little different. It has to be since, like baseball, there isn’t a lot of scoring.

Because scoring is limited in hockey – the most common score is 3-2 – hockey betting uses something called the puckline. The puckline is set at 1.5 (-1.5 for the favorite and +1.5 for the underdog). So, how do you bet on the puckline (point spread) in hockey?

What is the puck line?

As mentioned, the puckline is simply hockey’s version of the point spread. The puckline is almost always set at 1.5. This can vary, but is rare. Bettors can also bet on alternate lines such 0.5 or 2.5, but will usually pay a price to do so.

A great way to learn more about the puckline is to look at an example. Each puckline bet comes with associated odds. These odds, aka juice or vig, will vary depending on a variety of factors. Oddsmakers look at the abilities of each team, a number of advanced metrics, injury reports, and more to derive these puckline odds.

Let’s use an example. The New York Islanders are playing the New York Rangers. Here are the moneyline and puckline odds for the game.

• NY Rangers -115 -1.5 (+180)
• NY Islanders +105 +1.5 (-220)

The Rangers are the favorite here. In order to cover the puckline, the Rangers will have to beat the Islanders by at least two goals. Most NHL games are one-goal games. It’s hard to beat a team by two goals. You’ll see that reflected in the puckline odds. 

Notice that the favored Rangers are given +180 odds to cover. A $100 bet on the Rangers’ puckline pays out $180 if the Rangers win, say 4-2. Bettors could play it safe and bet the $100 on the Rangers to win and earn $86.96, or bettors can almost double their money betting the Rangers to win by two.

Betting the puckline often allows bettors to earn a higher return. 

The Puck Line Bet & The Empty Net

Bettors can also wager on the other side of the puckline. Remember, it is easier to keep a game within a goal and there’s always the possibility of the upset. The odds in this Rangers-Islanders clash predict a close game. You’d have to bet $220 to win $100 on the Islanders covering the puckline, but in any given NHL season 60 to 70 percent of games end being decided by one goal.

One of the issues with betting the puckline is the empty net situation. Teams trailing by one goal late in a game will pull their goalie in an attempt to get an extra skater and tie the game. What can end up happening is a one-goal game quickly turns into a two-goal game. 

Puck Line or Moneyline?

There is no simple answer to the question. There are times when it makes sense to bet the moneyline and there are times when a puckline bet is warranted. The answer really comes down to the individual bettor. 

When there is little value on an underdog on the moneyline, there may be value on the puckline. A huge underdog, for example, indicates that the favorite can win by two goals. Betting favorites on the puckline usually gives bettors an opportunity to win higher profits. You will get better pricing on big moneyline favorites on the puckline.

The other thing to watch for is betting the puckline live. If a favorite has a one goal lead late in a game, that’s a situation where an empty net goal can occur. Favorites often end up covering the puckline with a late empty-net goal.