NHL odds - How to bet on NHL odds
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Betting on the NHL odds is not like betting on any other sport. Online sports betting handicappers really need to get accustomed to not only the game itself, but also to the NHL odds and what factors are involved in making them.
NHL Odds: Important details to remember
- Starting goaltenders are key
- Home ice advantage can play a huge role
- The puckline deserves your attention
In NHL betting, one of the most important things is the starting goaltenders. Clearly, just as in any sport, there is the “team vs team” aspect, but the day-to-day NHL odds are always affected by which goalies are starting for each team. In some situations, the No. 1 goalie on the team will start the bulk of the games, but still not all of them. If he has a day off and the weaker backup is in net, there this is a big difference in the team’s performance.
Aside from goalies, the next most important factor in NHL odds is the home ice advantage. As in most sports, teams are more comfortable playing at home and perform better in front of their home crowd. Oftentimes the team that is at home is favored on the NHL odds.
The puckline is also a key betting line to keep an eye on when it comes to NHL odds. The puckline is similar to the runline in baseball and simple denotes a -1.5 spread. The difference in the NHL is that when a team is down by a goal, they will pull their goalie in the waning minutes of the game to bring on an extra attacker on the ice. But in that trade off, often the team that is winning can find that empty net and eventually win by two to cover that spread.
In the NHL, the regular season has 82 games, which is a long season. Make sure to pay attention with streaks because most teams – even the best teams in the league – go through slumps. In general, the sport can be very streaky and following those streaks can turn in some good profit on the NHL odds.
So before you start clicking away in the sportsbook, make sure you’ve done your homework on the NHL odds. Pay attention to starting goalies, home ice advantage, the puckline and streaks, and you’re sure to put yourself in a better position to win.
For more hockey betting analysis, visit the Betting Edge daily.
Who better to offer great sports betting and hockey tips than a native Canadian? Like any good Canuck, Don Melrose eats, sleeps, breathes and bets hockey, making him the perfect NHL handicapper. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
