Best NHL Betting Sites & Apps 2025

Top 5 NHL & Ice Hockey Sportsbooks: Summary

1. FanDuel - Best of the best for overall NHL betting experience. A plethora of betting options, superb live betting, and excellence in NHL same game parlay are highlights on FanDuel’s superb app for hockey wagering.
   
   
2. BetMGM - Best for NHL live betting. A clean, responsive in-play interface with great live betting options is supplemented by official NHL streaming.
   
   
3. Caesars - Best for ease of use for NHL betting. A well-ordered NHL betting menu instantly opens the door to excellent hockey betting markets and top-of-the-range hockey odds.
   
   
4. DraftKings - Best for NHL coverage for NHL prop bets and alternate lines. Everything you could wish to bet on for the NHL is at DraftKings.
   
   
5. Fanatics - Best for NHL straight bets and parlays. Fanatics’ classy app has a lot to offer and is the top choice for the most popular NHL wager types, with a great rewards program to boot.

Best NHL Betting Sites Reviewed

Whether you’re looking for the best NHL odds, biggest promos and offers, or the slickest user experience, let's take a look at the best NHL sportsbooks currently available in the US.

How We Rate NHL Sportsbooks

We take a user-centered approach when assessing NHL betting sites as part of our comprehensive sportsbook review methodology. All the leading sportsbooks for NHL betting have been thoroughly tested and put through their paces.

Key NHL betting criteria have been devised through feedback from bettors and expert insight. They’re weighted by what’s most important when playing with a sportsbook and rated to give an at-a-glance overview.

That includes promos applied, markets assessed, odds analyzed, a variety bets made, and payouts received. We also consider a sportsbook’s approach to customer service, how easy it is to manage an account, and other key factors like banking methods, security and safety.

As betting on the ‘fastest game on earth’ has its nuances and characteristics, all of the review summaries and ratings below are based on betting on the NHL. We consider how sportsbooks approach hockey betting and how good they are to use for NHL newbies and devotees alike.

1. FanDuel

Why FanDuel is our Top Rated NHL Sportsbook

FanDuel is one of the biggest sportsbooks in the US, is partnered with the NHL, and its slate of hockey betting options reflects both of those factors. The FanDuel app is among the finest there is. It’s easy to use, intuitive, and looks great with bold branding.

The NHL betting menu at FanDuel is neat and well-ordered. NHL team logos and player pics for props  add to the visual appeal. FanDuel’s app is one of the fastest of all top sportsbooks and it means it can power a seamless live betting experience for NHL games.  When an NHL fixture is underway, FanDuel’s live game center comes into its own.

Top-of-the-class game graphics provide a neat visual and it’s easy to toggle to in-play stats that don’t overwhelm and nicely summarize the play to inform your bets. Live NHL streaming is available at FanDuel.

There’s a mass of same game NHL parlay options available at FanDuel. Daily same game parlay profit boosts drop at FanDuel to uplift its fine odds. The ability to add alternate lines and unique props is an excellent addition to FanDuel’s NHL SGP building.

Where you will typically find FanDuel excelling against the rest for NHL odds is on the underdog. With dogs winning more often in the NHL than any other top American sports league, FanDuel offers opportunities aplenty to capitalize and potentially win a few more dollars than you would elsewhere. FanDuel’s lines for games and futures are always up early and often ahead of everyone else.

Overall it's hard to find fault with FanDuel for its NHL betting provision. Sure, there are sportsbooks that are slightly better at certain things. But FanDuel is great at everything; it was amongst the best for every criteria we tested, which is why it's our top pick.

2. BetMGM

Review of NHL Betting at BetMGM

Another sportsbook with a long-term partnership with the league, BetMGM offers some of the best hockey betting options and odds for the NHL. The official NHL website and social media channels carry BetMGM odds. 

BetMGM has something for every NHL bettor, be they a rookie ice backer or veteran staker on the skaters. Via BetMGM’s slick interface you can access the full suite of NHL bet types with plentiful props, spreads, and totals to choose from. 

Where BetMGM really excels is its NHL live betting. The BetMGM app is built for in-play hockey wagering, particularly for such a fast sport. Early cashout options are available at BetMGM, and the ability to edit a bet, even a live one, gives you control over your picks.

NHL enhanced pricing isn’t as plentiful at BetMGM as, say, FanDuel but daily Lions Boosts do feature games on a rotation with other sports. They’re often good value too, as high as 50% at times, so if you can get on one for a chosen game, you’re unlikely to find better odds elsewhere.

3. Caesars

Review of NHL Betting at Caesars

Caesars gets the balance between market depth, clarity, and ease-of-use bang on. It means Caesars will appeal to the entire spectrum of NHL betting fans, from novice to shark. Everything displays cleanly, without clutter and in a logical manner on the Caesars app.

A sportsbook that has long held a reputation for some of the best odds among the big names, there are some notable NHL market pricing trends at Caesars to look for. 

Where some of its rivals stray from the norm of posting pucklines at odds of -110/+110, Caesars rarely does. It often results in better odds for pucklines but also alternate points. Another highlight is that Caesars often has slightly more generous odds for NHL over/under lines.

Also, look out for regular NHL odds boosts at Caesars. They’re not usually available to apply to any NHL market, but Caesars does have some good parlay boosts that range from a lower-risk moneyline plus player prop combo, to higher-priced shots with four legs made up of favorites.

4. DraftKings

Review of NHL Betting at DraftKings

DraftKings’ NHL product is mega. It’s extensive, detailed, and if you’ve a bet in mind and can’t find it elsewhere, you’ll find it at DraftKings. So big that it could be overwhelming, DraftKings does a good enough job of making navigation and market-finding pretty easy.

It’s NHL prop bets that display DraftKings at its fullest. The brand has upped and upped its range of player props in particular in recent times. Like FanDuel player pic avatars (and team logos) add to the aesthetically pleasing interface. A comparison with other top sportsbooks for the NHL also suggests DraftKings consistently has the best odds for player props.

DraftKings is also a great option for alternate pucklines. Their odds for options to change the spread are consistently better than some comparable-in-size rivals. Likewise, NHL same game parlays. DraftKings will let you combine more selections than some others into an SGP. Special SGPs are a regular feature and have decent odds. It’s possibly just live NHL betting that isn’t as hot at DraftKings as some others.

5. Fanatics

Review of NHL Betting at Fanatics

Fanatics Sportsbook has been around long enough now to shrug off the ‘new kid on the block’ tag. It’s also a betting provider gaining traction across the US and rising up the ‘bets taken’ ranks. 

Fanatics has a fantastic betting app. Everything flows beautifully and its scrolling and navigation are among the best in the industry. It’s sleek and simple to use, with in-vogue theming and modern features.

That said, it’s the more traditional bet type as a base that is an NHL standout at Fanatics. That is the moneyline and combining such odds into a parlay. Fanatics has ace odds on NHL moneylines and is often better than the rest for favorites. That’s ideal when you want to combine several short-priced teams into a parlay and eke out some additional value from your combo bet.

Fanatics is also the best option for those who value sportsbook rewards with its FanCash program. As the exclusive supplier of on-ice jerseys for NHL teams, you can bag yourself a free one by making bets. You earn up to 10% FanCash on the value of wagers. Once you reach sufficient virtual dollars, you can head to the vast Fanatics store and convert FanCash into merch. You can also exchange FanCash for bonus bets, so the choice is excellent for everyone.

6. ESPN BET

Review of NHL Betting at ESPN BET

ESPN is one of the biggest broadcasters of ice hockey in the world, with a huge number of NHL games available to view in the US. It’s an interesting concept to have such a broadcasting behemoth also lend its name to a sports betting app, and there are advantages for users.

The ESPN Bet app is refreshingly streamlined, neat, and rapidly responds to what you want from it. It doesn’t have the features that its huge rivals have, but for NHL betting, it’s a well-functioning platform. ESPN’s broadcast channels are integrated with the sportsbook that bears its branding, and there’s a heap of NHL analysis and insight available via the wider ESPN Bet channels.

ESPN Bet is operated by Penn Entertainment, and while crossover is noticeable, there is enough of a distinction between the broadcaster and its sports betting extension. That’s important for getting on good odds due to ESPN being so influential in providing information to the sportsbook world.

ESPN Bet’s NHL odds are good, and it has some fantastic odds boost promos regularly running. They’re often boosts you won't find elsewhere too, like upped odds when backing four players to score and only three hit. That gives some nice leeway on an NHL player prop SGP. ESPN Bet is also worth joining for its rotating NHL betting promos that are regularly refreshed.

7. BetRivers

Review of NHL Betting at BetRivers

BetRivers might just surprise NHL fans when they sign up and give its sportsbook a go. With a tidy app, BetRivers might not have the most modern platform around, but that means it should appeal to NHL betting newbies looking for an easy-to-use wagering option and purists who are only interested in lines.

On those lines, BetRivers' odds are powered by Kambi. Once a common odds-providing engine in the early days of legal US betting and around the world, BetRivers is now Kambi’s biggest presence in North America. As a result, BetRivers’ NHL odds aren't always the best, but when a market is rated differently from the other big sportsbooks with their massive trading teams, its puckline (and more) pricing pops.

BetRivers also has a stable presence in the ultra-competitive betting industry in Ontario. A province renowned for its love of hockey, BetRivers there goes heavy on the NHL, and you can see that outlook also playing out in the United States. BetRivers has tons of NHL markets and betting options with unique promos to boot.

8. Bally Bet

Review of NHL Betting at Bally Bet

Watch out, BallyBet has had a facelift, and boy did it need it. The result is fantastic. An underdog to date, BallyBet is now in a position to face off the opposition. BallyBet’s NHL depth is impressive, and it typically offers more hockey markets than for any of its other sports - hundreds for all games.

BallyBet has also taken its NHL betting promos to the next level. Take for example, a daily odds boost pack during the Stanley Cup comprising an SGP and live betting boost, plus first goalscorer insurance. BallyBet also has some cool fun features such as its ‘Picks’ section with a social feed for insight from other bettors, expert insight with short form videos, and betting trends.

BallyBet’s parlay builder is top notch and should you be inclined and too sluggish to make some selections yourself, you can even spin to have one constructed for you at random.

9. Resorts World Bet

Review of NHL Betting at Resorts World Bet

Billing itself as “New York’s sportsbook”, Resorts World Bet has some nice Empire State-centric promos. Recent examples include NHL parlay promos with bonus bets plus the chance to win New York Islander’s VIP tickets. 

Resorts World Bet also has some rewarding NHL odds boosts, though its prop and alternate line markets are shy of the best. Into the app action, and Resorts World Bet appears to have so few frills, it’s practically a deceptive toe drag that will catch you off guard with its relatively deep selection of NHL betting options. 

Everything loads rapidly, and the simple menu structure means you’re a tap away from all Resorts World has to offer for hockey bettors. In-game live NHL tracking is good, and for anyone who misses Points Bet, the Resorts World Bet app was bought by them from the now USA-extinct sportsbook.

If you live in or are visiting the Empire State, it’s worth checking out Resorts World as one of the licensed sportsbooks in NY that’s easy to get to grips with for NHL wagers.

Choosing The Best NHL Betting Site

There are several factors to consider when determining which legal NHL sportsbooks to make bets with, and doing so will help you select apps that will provide the best user experience. 

To make sure you enjoy a safe betting experience, we’d always recommend using one of the sportsbooks that’s licensed to provide online betting in your state. In addition to being unregistered and unregulated, illegal offshore sites also don't offer any recourse to regulatory action. You aren’t guaranteed to be paid winnings and it can be exceedingly difficult to withdraw money.

The criteria you should look at specifically for NHL hockey betting sites, and some of the main aspects we check when reviewing sites, are:

• 🔐 Safety & Security
• 📱 User Interface & Experience
• 📈 Odds & Betting Markets
• 🏒 Range of NHL Betting Options
• 💰 Bonuses & Promotions
• 💳 Deposit & Withdrawal Methods
• 🙋 Customer Support Options
• 📺 Live Betting Options 
  
  

Best NHL Sportsbooks: Category Winners

There’s a difference between picking the best sportsbook for all types of users, and picking the best sportsbook for you. We all rate sportsbooks differently. This is based on personal preferences, how and what you bet on, individual concerns and priorities, and overall pleasure patterns.

Best NHL Sportsbooks: Summary of Category Winners

Here are the top options for NHL betting in key individual categories by our assessments, and the reasons why they’re our winners:

Best For Safety & Security: 🏆 Various / Tie

There is no overall number one sportsbook for security measures and keeping you and your details safe. All of our top NHL betting apps meet high standards here with the latest encryption and authentication measures.

Of the “big four” US sportsbooks - FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM - all are at the forefront of leading the way in safety and security measures. 

Why it matters: Safety and security are crucial when choosing a sports betting app because they protect your personal and financial information, ensure fair play, guarantee legal compliance, and build trust—giving you peace of mind while you bet.

📱 Best App Interface & User Experience For NHL Betting: 🏆 FanDuel

Why we picked our winner: FanDuel hits the heights here in everything that makes up a great app interface and resultant user experience. It doesn’t do more than it needs to, yet still packs a punch with visual appeal, classy theming, ease of navigation, and impressive functionality. 

FanDuel’s NHL wagering center delivers intuitive bet slip features, live game tracking, and seamless access to popular markets. All of which are tailored to enhance the betting experience from puck drop to final buzzer.

Why it matters: Sportsbooks must have an easy-to-use interface that enables quick bet placement and straightforward navigation to find the games and wagers you desire. Finding a sports betting app that can maintain a slick and user-friendly interface is key and it has to work for you.

Interface quality along with aesthetic appeal can make a significant impact for novice users learning the ropes or for seasoned users seeking to navigate quickly to find the ideal bet. Nobody wants to bet using an app that’s difficult and frustrating to use.

📈 Best NHL Odds and Betting Markets: 🏆 FanDuel & Caesars 

Why we picked our winners: While every one of our best NHL sportsbooks will outstrip the competition on NHL odds at times, Caesars and FanDuel tie for NHL pricing. In particular, Caesars is consistently best for NHL favorite odds. Caesars has as many NHL odds boosts as the top performers, more than most. It’s also regularly better than almost everyone else for teams just below the most-fancied.

In a similar vein, there are plenty of occasions when FanDuel is miles ahead of others for NHL underdog odds. Notably, that typically applies to the lesser favored team on the run line and moneyline. You’ll also often find FanDuel has the best odds for NHL player props, particularly goalscorer markets.

Why it matters: Everyone knows that betting with the best odds you can get is important. NHL betting strategies can be complex. There is no easier way to maximize winnings than shopping lines. 

Consistently sticking to your NHL betting plan while identifying the sportsbook with the best odds for each wager is a path to long-term profitability (assuming you hit on more than you flunk).

🏒 Best Range of NHL Betting Options: 🏆 DraftKings

Why we picked our winner: For the sheer number of NHL betting markets, DraftKings races ahead of the competition. Its breadth of NHL betting options is outstanding. If you can call an NHL event outcome, then DK will invariably offer a market. Player props are the arena in which DraftKings shouts loudest, but all of its pre-game and in-play market varieties are top shelf.

Why it matters: A sportsbook with a wide range of NHL betting options and extensive market coverage not only maximizes your enjoyment but also offers more opportunities to find value and win.

At a casual level, say you support the New York Islanders, and they’re heavy favorites on the moneyline and puckline, there’s often little point backing them and risking a large stake for a potential tiny return. Plus, there’s always risk, no matter how big a certainty one team is. You might identify better value by checking out a flexible same game parlay, a range of prop bets, and the chance to tweak a spread line.

For intermediate bettors aiming for expert NHL shark status or those already with the badge, a variety of markets offers the chance to implement betting strategies. This might include middling and arbitrage betting. They're at the higher end of the wagering skill spectrum, but at a lower level, if you’ve identified what you think is a likely outcome, and your sportsbook doesn’t offer a market, then that’s an opportunity missed.

🔮 Best Sportsbook For NHL Futures: 🏆 Fanatics

Why we picked our winner: For the forward thinkers, Fanatics has positioned itself as a top sportsbook for NHL futures. There’s a good selection of NHL futures at Fanatics, and some you probably hadn’t even thought of with more generous odds than many. 

The FanDuel app is an ultramodern-looking app, a pleasure to bet with and run your futures through the entire NHL season.

Why it matters: Access to competitive odds, a wide range of betting options, and early market availability, give you better value and more flexibility when placing long-term bets on the season.

This is especially important for dedicated NHL fans, long-term bettors, and strategy-focused users who want to capitalize on early predictions, spot value in team or player futures, and track season-long outcomes for maximum returns.

↔️ Best Betting Site For NHL Point Spreads: 🏆 Various / Tie

Which sportsbook is best for NHL points spreads has a bit of a muddy answer. Typically, Caesars trumps most regularly but that’s notably so for favorites on the points spread. The same is often true for ESPN Bet. For underdogs, consider DraftKings and FanDuel. All four allow you to adjust the spread line.

Why it matters: NHL points spread markets have traditionally centered around the puckline. Much like the runline in baseball betting, the puck line has a spread of +1.5/-1.5 goals with the odds adjusted accordingly. 

That limits the options when you identify a game that is likely to have a greater scoring margin between two teams so the ability to consider a range of points spreads is beneficial, as are the resultant odds.

🔗 Best Site For NHL Parlays: 🏆 Caesars

Why we picked our winner: Each top betting app for NHL parlays has its merits but Caesars makes them super simple to construct. The SGP sub menu at Caesars is also extensive with an array of options to add. As Caesars’ NHL odds are so competitive, it’s a great choice for making the most from your parlay.

Why it matters: NHL parlays are risky but often the best way to up the odds when backing several favorites. The best sportsbooks for NHL parlay betting have easy-to-use building tools and a ton of same game options that can be combined without too many restrictions.

🧮 Best Sportsbook For NHL Prop Betting: 🏆 DraftKings

Why we picked our winner: DraftKings has the best selection of NHL prop bet markets and is phenomenal for player props. DraftKings’ prop bet markets are also top-notch for the odds they offer. Its live props are also the best there is.

Why it matters: Prop betting adds a whole load of intrigue to a hockey game beyond the final result. There are lots of bettors who concentrate on NHL prop bets as they’re a good option when you follow team or player performance stats.

📺 Best For Live NHL Betting: 🏆 BetMGM

Why we picked our winner: BetMGM is superb for live NHL betting. Its in-game center is great with a neat live graphical game tracker and live stats that don’t overcrowd with numbers that are of use. BetMGM’s live odds update quickly and trend arrows show you how the market is behaving. 

Live NHL streaming at BetMGM elevates its whole hockey product and the broadcast can nicely be run alongside up-to-the-second odds.

Why it matters: Betting on hockey games as they’re in play is an exciting trip at the best sportsbooks for NHL live betting. They have a wide range of in-game markets, refresh odds and stats without lag, and enable you to get on the action instantly. 

Top live wagering sites for the NHL also have early cashout options, neat graphics, and keep you in the game from the first puck drop until the clock hits zero.

💰 Best NHL Betting Site For Bonuses & Promotions: 🏆 BetMGM

Why we picked our winner: Overall, BetMGM has perhaps the widest range of NHL promos. If you can get its top-value welcome bonus then it's usually the biggest in any state in which they operate. BetMGM also has some excellent NHL odds boosts, hockey-specific specials, prize competitions, and the best sportsbook refer-a-friend program. It's also got a great rewards program that enables you to collect and spend points across its sportsbook, hotels, casinos and other locations.

Why it matters: It's vital to examine the kind of bonuses and bet credits each of the top sports betting sites offer, and choose the bonuses that are best for you before signing up. There’ll usually be introductory offers, incentives, or bonuses for registering and the best sportsbook promos are a great way to help you get started. They also offer opportunities for users to win big or collect useful bonuses to place even more bets. 

Regular users also have opportunities to access bonuses and rewards on an on-going basis when they bet at the leading sportsbooks, including special NHL promos throughout the season. On top of all that, you can find things like referral bonuses that give you credit when your friends sign up, as well as a whole heap of loyalty schemes that can give you points to spend on anything from placing wagers to scoring merchandise and visiting entertainment venues.

💳 Best NHL Sportsbook For Deposits & Withdrawals: 🏆 DraftKings

Why we picked our winner: All of the best sportsbooks featured here process America’s favorite banking methods so good deposit options are a given when choosing one of them. 

Where betting operators are differentiated on this subject is in withdrawal times. DraftKings is the fastest payer. As a bonus, its minimum withdrawal amount is just $1, giving you total control over how much you can take out, with the reassurance that you’ll get your funds quickly.

Why it matters: Good sportsbook banking options are easy to define. They enable a wide range of secure payment methods, have deposited funds in your account instantly, and process withdrawals as quickly as possible.

🙋 NHL Sportsbook With the Best Customer Support: 🏆 Caesars 

Why we picked our winner: Every one of the big NHL sportsbooks we tested has online help resources and guides, and a range of contact options including by telephone, email, and live chat. We rate Caesars as the best as it has all those options and consistently has the fastest response times. That’s helpful when you want help in a hurry.

Why it matters: If you have a problem or query about a bet you’ve placed, your account, or anything else, then good customer support is essential. It should be responsive, easy to access, reliable and ultimately help you get your issue resolved quickly, with a satisfactory outcome.  

How to Bet on the NHL

In only a few minutes, you could be ready to place a bet on the NHL at an authorized online sportsbook. Most sportsbooks have a similar registration process, and you can place an NHL bet right away if you follow the process listed below.

1. You’ll first need to decide which sportsbook you wish to register with, download its app, and open an account. Registration often involves providing your email address, a chosen username and password, and any sign-up-related promo codes for NHL betting.
   
   

2. The sportsbook will also ask you for extra information to verify it, such as your complete name, date of birth, and your social security number's last four digits.
   
   

3. Before authenticating your account, the sportsbook may request a second form of identification from you if it has problems verifying your details. The sportsbook will want to check your location to make sure you can bet legally in your jurisdiction.
   
   

4. The next step is to fund your account, which you can do in several ways, such as using a debit or credit card, an online bank account, or even an e-wallet. Once you’ve deposited, you can make bets.

   
   

Popular NHL Bet Types

You can place bets on NHL hockey odds in many ways. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular ways of betting on the NHL:

🔮 NHL Futures Betting

NHL futures bets are wagers made on end-of-season events like divisional winners, the team to lift the Stanley Cup, and MVP trophies. NHL futures markets open before the start of the season and can offer very significant rewards to anyone who can pick the winner that long in advance.

Learn more about futures betting

🧮 NHL Prop Bets

A prop bet is a wager not directly related to a final game result. These could be goals scored, player points, and goaltender saves. Prop bets are essentially side wages on potential game-related events. They can carry a higher level of risk, but prop bet payouts are higher than those of a typical team bet.

Learn more about prop betting

↔️ NHL Point Spread Bets

Point spread betting is a wager on the margin of victory. Sportsbooks will set a "spread" to represent the number of points the better team is favored by. If you bet on the underdog side and they lose by less than the number set, your bet would be successful. 

If you bet on the favorite and they win by that many goals or more, your bet would be successful. NHL points spread wagers offer a chance to fancy an underdog team to perform better than an oddsmaker believes.

Learn more about point spread betting

👑 NHL Moneyline Bets

Moneyline bets are simply wagers on which team will win a specific game. Moneyline odds are set with a plus for the underdog and a minus for the favorite. 

If the New York Rangers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, for instance, and the moneyline had odds of +185, a $50 wager would return $42.50 for a total payoff of $92.50. Alternatively, if you backed the Pirates at -150, a $100 bet hands out $50 in profit.

Learn more about moneyline bets

🔗 NHL Parlay Betting

Players can find a lot of potential profit pleasure in combining bets to find the best combination for a large payout. This is what parlay betting offers - the option to combine several “legs”, with the payment calculated by multiplying their odds together. With parlays, all legs must win for a hit.

Learn more about parlay betting

⚖️ NHL Totals Betting

Totals betting, also known as over/under betting, is when a sportsbook sets a line for the overall number of goals that will be scored by both teams during a game. That offers the chance to wager on whether the final score will be over or under that line. Depending on the game, this line in hockey is typically set between 5.5 and 6.5 goals but can vary by more.

Learn more about totals betting

📺 NHL Live Betting

Pro hockey games are crazy fast. And so is live betting on NHL matchups. Dynamic action, unpredictable outcomes, and thrilling passages of play that turn games on their head have made in-game NHL betting insanely popular. 

You can bet live on the moneyline, spread, and totals.  Or choose prop bets on the next passage of play, who will score next, and back one of the league’s stars to shine as you watch among many more options.

Learn more about live betting

🧩 NHL Teaser Betting

A teaser bet is a parlay bet with the option to change the point spreads and totals to your preference. Since this is a type of parlay, all of the pieces must come in for you to win out, but since you can shift the lines, there's a chance for big payouts.

What Can You Bet On in the NHL?

One of the most fascinating sports in the world is made even more thrilling by the range of hockey betting options. Every game night, a huge selection of hockey odds and action is offered by sportsbooks.

Stanley Cup Outright Winners

The NHL's grandest stage, “who will win the Stanley Cup” is the biggest domestic hockey bet of the season.

Making the Stanley Cup Playoffs

As well as betting on the outright winners of the Stanley Cup, you can also wager on whether a team will make the playoffs. The top three teams in each NHL division at the end of the regular season are joined by four wildcards, for a total of sixteen teams to battle it out for the biggest prize in hockey.

Division / Conference Championship Winners

There are four divisions in the NHL - Central, Pacific, Central, and Atlantic.  Teams are also split into two conferences - Eastern and Western, with the winner of each is decided by a knockout competition from the best teams in each division. A popular wager is on which team will top their division and/or win their Conference.

NHL Totals Betting - Number of Points / Goals / Assists / Penalties

A bet on the number of points, goals, assists, or penalties scored in a game is exactly as it reads. You get to bet on whether the number will be over or under. For instance, if you place a bet on the New York Rangers to hit over 5.5 goals in a game, and the team ends up scoring 6 or more goals, you’d earn a profit.

NHL MVP Betting

The NHL Most Valuable Player is one of the player prop bet highlights of the season. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association rank the best individuals. Also, you can bet on the Vezina Trophy winner which is awarded to the goaltender rated the best each year, which is also a common market offered by sportsbooks.

NHL Grand Salami Betting

This is a goals total wager, but instead of focusing on a single NHL game, it covers the entire slate over a period, usually a big game day. You wager on whether the total number of combined goals from all games will be over or under the number set by a sportsbook.

NHL 60-Minute Line Betting

Similar to a moneyline wager in that you can choose an overall game winner, a 60-minute line wager only covers regulation time for the three main periods. That means you also have the option of betting on a tie, something that doesn’t happen if a game goes to overtime and if necessary a shootout.

How to Read NHL Betting Lines & Odds

Being able to read betting lines is one of the most important steps to get started with NHL betting. It’s easy when you know how. Let’s take an example.

A set of NHL betting lines (moneyline, points spread, and total aka over/under) seen recently at a sportsbook looked like this:

• Buffalo Sabres: Moneyline +165, Spread (+1.5) +120, Total O 6.5 (+110)

• New York Rangers: Moneyline -200, Spread (-1.5) -150, Total +115 (U 6.5) -110

So, how would we interpret these odds?

• Moneyline: Sabres at +165 and Rangers at -200. The minus (-) sign tells us that the Rangers are the favorites and a plus for the Sabres means they are the underdog. You'd have to bet $200 on the Rangers to gain a $100 profit, and a bet of $100 on the Sabres would put you up by $165.
• Spread (Puckline): Rangers at 1.5. This means if the Rangers won by 2 points or more, then a wager on them would win. If the Sabres lost by less than 2 goals (or indeed won) then the wager would hit.
• Total (over/under): Bets are settled depending on whether the total number of goals is higher or equal to than 7 or lower and equal to 6. Note the “.5” intervals on the spread and total line. That rules out a winning bet on an outcome of a whole number for both.
  
  

🗓️ When Are NHL Odds Released?

Sportsbooks will start publishing odds for the first games as soon as the season schedule is released and the games are set. The odds for future fixtures are released weekly by the top sportsbooks for NHL betting as soon as the previous game day is completed. 

Some sportsbooks are “leaders” and have their odds up first, while others lag behind and tend to be “followers” in assessing what the big books have set their odds to.

🔃 Why Do NHL Odds Change?

NHL odds change frequently and for many reasons. Sportsbooks adjust their odds in response to new information like injuries, signings, and head coach public utterances. NHL odds are also adjusted after markets open because more people are betting heavily on one outcome than the other, so oddsmakers try to entice more wagers on the least popular side to balance their risk.

NHL odds are also heavily influenced by monitoring the activity of notable professional gamblers - the assumption being that they know almost as much as an oddsmaker. 

Such high rollers also place big stakes so a sportsbook will try to mitigate the risk of making huge payouts to them by trying to tempt others to the opposite side that sharks are betting on.

NHL Teams to Bet On in New York

New York has three NHL teams spanning from Upstate to NYC and down to Long Island. New York ties with California for the most NHL teams from a single state. All three NY teams have experienced successful streaks, winning Conference and division titles. The Buffalo Sabres are the only New York team without a Stanley Cup.

🗽New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises, founded in 1926, and play their home games at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Over the years, the Rangers have built a rich legacy, winning four Stanley Cups (1928, 1933, 1940, 1994). Known for their passionate fan base and presence in the heart of Manhattan, the team has experienced cycles of rebuilding and contention. 

In the modern era, the Rangers are often considered a well-rounded team with star talent, strong goaltending, and high expectations, frequently in the playoff conversation and striving to return to championship form. In 2023/24 they clinched the Presidents' Trophy with 55 wins and reached the Eastern Conference Final.

🏝️ New York Islanders

Founded in 1972, the New York Islanders quickly made their mark by winning four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983, one of the most dominant dynasties in NHL history. The team, now based at UBS Arena in Elmont, Long Island, has experienced both rebuilding years and playoff resurgences in recent decades. 

Known for their gritty, defense-first identity and strong team cohesion, the Islanders have cultivated a loyal following and remain competitive, regularly challenging for postseason berths in the Eastern Conference.

⚔️ Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres, established in 1970, are a proud franchise in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. While the team has yet to capture a Stanley Cup, they’ve made two Finals appearances (1975 and 1999), and have earned multiple division and conference titles. 

The Sabres are known for their dedicated fan base and a history of standout players. While the team has faced a prolonged playoff drought, ongoing development and young talent have continued to foster optimism for a brighter future.

View All NHL Teams

Betting Responsibly on the NHL

All legal sportsbooks that are licensed to operate in the US are subject to certain federal and state regulations. This includes an obligation to make available tools to encourage responsible betting and resources to help if you’re worried about your gambling.

 Regulated sports betting apps will allow you to activate time, deposit, and wagering limits. You can also opt to self-exclude yourself from betting activity for a period to ‘cool off’ or permanently in many states that operate registers of bettors who wish to opt out of being able to at all legal sportsbooks.

Best NHL Sportsbooks: Final Tips

Even though sports betting advice such as selecting the right bets, reading lines and odds, and betting with multiple sportsbooks is essential, sticking to a wider betting plan can give you a benefit that you can implement through the NHL season and into the Stanley Cup season. 

The following NHL betting tips are intended to open the door for you to explore further:

1. Pick the Right NHL Sportsbook (But Don’t Limit Your Options)

Perhaps the NHL provision at different sportsbooks varies more than any of the other most popular US sports to bet on. Some of the smaller books remain rooted in moneylines, spreads, and totals, while bigger operators have massively increased the NHL options available. 

Consider the features making for a great NHL sportsbook that we’ve discussed in depth and bet with ones that meet your wagering patterns and priorities.

2. Match Promos & Odds to NHL Characteristics

Sportsbook welcome promos, ongoing offers, and odds are also different for every brand, and how you use them for NHL betting can be key. For example, second-chance bet promos are often best suited to high-variance plays. 

The NHL is a notable league for divergence. Consider backing a high-value underdog in an NHL game that you conclude has a justifiable chance of winning and if it doesn’t you get bonus bets to the value of your stake.

The same is true of NHL odds. Whereas the volume of NFL bets will lead to a greater equilibrium of odds at sportsbooks, the lower number of NHL wagers means variance is higher. Sportsbook odds inefficiencies are more common in the NHL than the NFL and MLB, so shopping the lines to compare means you have a good chance of spotting them.

3. Study Team & Player Statistics

Sports stats is now an industry in its own right. There are some excellent metric-based resources online to inform your NHL betting. Look into the following NHL betting trends based on the numbers as a taster.

• Scoring and power players - the greatest players in the top-ranked NHL teams have a greater probability of scoring on power plays when the opposition ranks in the bottom five in the league for defensive play.

• Goaltenders - pay close attention to which goalkeeper each team starts with. A reserve goaltender can start as many as 15 to 25 NHL games a season. Naturally, a team's chances of winning will be lower if it starts the backup rather than the No. 1 player.

• Pick some numbers. Puck luck (PDO) is a simple metric that represents a team’s shooting versus save percentages. Check out both sides’ PDO for a game and apply its logic.
  For example, sportsbooks typically offer more value on the under in a totals market because a greater number of bettors hope for the excitement of the over. When a first-choice goaltender and defence pair are in form, the team PDO should tell you to check out the under odds. There are many more hockey stats so brush up on including Corsi, xG, and Fenwick.
  
  

4. Bet on Strong Teams to Have Strong Opening Periods

Since strong teams typically tighten up more defensively while they are ahead, pay close attention to when strong teams score the opening goal or have strong first-period totals and adjust your prop bet picks accordingly.

5. Don't Place NHL Futures Bets on Goalies to Win the MVP

Voters for the MVP Award these days are increasingly favoring giving the prize to a position player. Goalies have their own trophy (Vezina) as the league's finest for a season. Centers have won more than half of all-time MVP trophies.