NHL Betting & Odds- Bet on NHL Hockey Online at Stake

This comprehensive NHL betting guide will give you everything you need to know to bet on your favourite NHL teams and ice hockey players throughout the season, with the best odds.

Stake.com is the perfect place to bet on the NHL (National Hockey League) and other ice hockey leagues, thanks to our effortless and instant deposits and withdrawals, and excellent value with your local currency or many cryptocurrencies available .

NHL betting with the best betting odds has never been easier, and there are so many markets to choose from, including winner bets, handicaps, and a vast range of proposition bets to keep things interesting during the season.

Along with the NHL, you can also bet on ice hockey leagues around the globe, including AHL , SHL , OHL , KHL , and more. So, read on to find out what you need to know about betting on sports - specifically the NHL at Stake.com , the leading online sportsbook , and how to make a profit from ice hockey this season.

History of the NHL

The National Hockey League (NHL) was established in 1917 to succeed the National Hockey Association. The NHA was on rocky ground due to several disputes between the Toronto Blueshirts and the Montreal Canadiens, ultimately leading to a new league.

The first president of the NHL was the legendary Frank Calder, who stayed in the role until his death in 1943. Initially, the NHL was competed by Canadian teams, but it embarked upon a rapid expansion during the 1920s, with the Boston Bruins becoming the first American team to join the league in 1924.

In the same decade, the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Black Hawks, and Detroit Cougars all joined the NHL, spawning its rapid growth throughout the United States. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s that the NHL enjoyed further expansion, which saw the league double in size and lead to a network television contract.

Today, 32 teams in the National Hockey League compete in four divisions – the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, and Pacific. Below, we explain how you can bet on the NHL throughout the season to make a profit from your ice hockey selections.

Types of NHL Betting

If you’re a ice hockey fan, there are so many different bets you can place at Stake, helping you find value as you back your favourite players and teams. Whether it's the Stanley Cup, or an all-star game, sports betting fans will love the wide range of bets you can place on your favourite teams and players. Some of the most popular NHL bets include:

Winner (including overtime and penalties)

The most straightforward bet to place on the NHL is picking a fixture’s winner. Sometimes known as the moneyline, your job is to pick which of the two teams will emerge victorious, including any overtime or penalties required to settle the fixture. Read our moneyline betting guide for more information on how to place this bet at Stake.com.

Outright/Futures

Another popular and easy type of betting, where you can place a wager on the winner, however this time you would place a bet on the outright winner of the entire NHL tournament. For example, you can place a bet on the futures odds for a team to win the Stanley Cup. Learn more with our outright betting guide .

1x2

In a 1x2 NHL bet, you are still betting on the overall winner of the game, but with one important distinction – you can also bet on a draw. Specifically, the 1 refers to a home win, the x refers to a draw, and the 2 refers to an away win.

Handicap (including overtime and penalties)

Commonly known as the puckline in NHL betting, a handicap bet is where the underdog is given a specific number of points as a head start, while the favourite is given a handicap to level the playing field.

In hockey, it’s common for the line to be set at 1 or 2, which represents how many points the favourite must win by for your handicap bet to come in. Check out our handicap betting guide for more information.

Total (including overtime and penalties)

Another popular NHL bet type is a total bet, which sees you place a wager on how many points you think will be scored in a game.

In a total bet, you don’t need to worry about which team or individual players score the points, only the total number at the end of the match. For instance, the sportsbook might set the NHL total line at 5.5, enabling you to bet on whether you think over or under this number of points will be scored in the match.

Asian handicap

An Asian handicap bet in ice hockey is a variation of the handicap bet already introduced. While regular handicap bets only account for the win, an Asian handicap allows for a push bet using decimal odds. So, for instance, the line in an ice hockey Asian handicap bet might be set at 0.5 or 1.5.

Asian total

Again, the Asian total is a variation of a regular total bet, which is also popular with ice hockey fans. Allowing for the possibility of a push, Asian total lines are given in decimal points, such as 0.50, 1.25, and 1.50, for instance.

Other than the variation in the line, an Asian total works the same as a standard total bet on the NHL betting markets.

Draw no bet

As draws (or ties) are possible in ice hockey, a draw no bet wager is a smart move, particularly for tight fixtures. It invites you to bet on the overall winner but returns your stake if the match finishes in a draw.

Double chance

In an ice hockey fixture, each team has three possible outcomes – win, draw, or loss. In a double chance NHL bet, you quite literally get a double chance, as you can bet on two of the three outcomes.

So, for instance, you could bet on Team A drawing or winning the fixture, and you would only lose your bet if Team A fails to win.

1st goal

A first-goal NHL bet is a simple proposition bet, enabling you to place a wager on which team you think will score the first goal out on the ice.

Both teams to score

An extremely popular bet with football fans, a both teams to score wager is a bet on both teams scoring in the match, as the name suggests. Many hockey games finish with both teams scoring, so this is an attractive betting option, particularly if you build a both teams to score bet into a multibet or parlay .

Winning margin

A winning margin bet enables you to place a wager on how many points you think one of the teams will win by. The sportsbook will offer you margins of +1, +2, +3, +4, etc.; your job is to decide how many points a team is likely to win by out on the ice.

Specific bets

In addition to the above popular NHL betting types, there are several specific bets that you can place before tuning into the action.

These are known as proposition bets, and they’re not tied directly to the outcome of the fixture. Some specific bets that you can place on ice hockey include:

Periods

Ice hockey matches are 60 minutes long, with three periods of 20 minutes. As such, you can place a number of bets on each period of action, including which team will win the period and how many goals will be scored in total.

Goals

Rather than betting on the team you think will win a hockey match, you can focus your attention on goals betting. This could be how many goals will be scored in a match or which player scores them, for instance.

Player props

As is the case with all sports betting, there are lots of player props for you to choose from when betting on ice hockey, including:

First goal/last goal
Anytime goal
To score two or more
Assists
Anytime points
Powerplay points
Number of shots

This allows you to back your favourite players in different ways, be it the Oilers centre Connor McDavid or the free-scoring Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings.

How to Bet on Ice Hockey and Tips for Successful NHL betting

Now that you know the basics, let’s take a look at some helpful tips and strategies for NHL betting at Stake's online sportsbook:

Do your research: Ice hockey is a game of fine margins, so make sure you research player form, player stats, and performance before placing a bet. Game odds will also differ throughout the ice hockey season, so be sure to keep up to date with our betting resources and betting tips online.
Consider injuries: Due to the rough nature of ice hockey, injuries are common on the ice. Always check a team’s injury list before placing a bet, as injuries can severely hamper a team’s chances of victory. Specifically, look out for key players who may be sitting out on multiple or single games.
Look at travel schedules: NHL players have to travel far and wide to compete throughout the season, so consider weeks where teams have to make particularly long trips, as this is likely to affect their performance.
Understand line matchups: Ice hockey is a game of lines. A line is a group of players sent out onto the ice together simultaneously, and it can be changed throughout a season. So, spend some time analysing how a team’s lines work together for a good idea about how likely they are to win.
Look for promotions: At Stake.com, we offer a range of promotions and bonuses to use at our online sportsbook. So read up on the latest offers to enhance your chances of winning NHL bets. To take things up a notch, you can become a Stake VIP member ! To learn more about the program, read our Stake VIP guide .

2024 NHL Stanley Cup Betting

The NHL season is nearing its end, and the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup is underway. Eight teams are left, fighting for one of the world's most prestigious ice hockey trophies. Bet on the teams you predict will make it to the NHL Playoffs final rounds at Stake online sportsbook . You can also bet while the action unfolds and enjoy the best odds to bet live .

Bracket & Schedule

The Stanley Cup playoffs began on April 21st, right after the regular season ended. They have been a rollercoaster of surprises, with eight teams left standing after Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, title holders Vegas Golden Knights, and five other teams suffered a first-round exit.

The second round will last until May 20th, when we should know the last four teams commencing the Conference Finals. The NHL has one of the longest post-seasons of all professional sports leagues worldwide. It’s planned to last until June 24th, 2024, so you can explore our expert betting tips, guides and promos to make the most of your bets.

Stanley Cup Teams

NY Rangers are the NHL playoff favourites, followed by the Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, and Boston Bruins. Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk and Nathan MacKinnon from the Avalanche have performed well thus far, but keep your eyes on goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky moving forward. His .933 SV% against the Bruins in game 2 of their series were more than impressive.

As for the Hurricanes, they went into the playoffs as one of the favourites of many sports betting sites. However, they face many issues, mainly due to their special teams' woes. They currently have the lowest betting odds for lifting the Stanley Cup, regardless of whether you want to make a moneyline , handicap or Asian total bet.

Make pre-match or live bets on ice hockey and other professional sports at Stake.com.

NHL Betting Predictions & Tips

If you’re keen to bet on the 2024 NHL season playoffs, here are some top ice hockey betting tips to take advantage of to boost your chances of winning:

Form often goes out of the window in playoff games as the stakes are raised. This is why you often see unfancied teams go all the way in the Stanley Cup! So, it’s always a good idea to check a team’s previous playoff performances before backing them!
As well as pre-match bets, consider placing live bets on the NHL playoffs for more variety on your betting slip. Read our guide for more information about the differences between live and pre-match betting at Stake.
Do you know your Asian totals from your handicap bets ? Ensure you understand your NHL betting options before backing your selections in the playoffs. You can use our online sports betting guide to help you.

The NHL playoffs are the most exciting time of the ice hockey season! Make sure you have funds in your account to make your selections. For more information about supported crypto and fiat currencies at Stake.com, learn about our supported deposit and withdrawal methods. While you're at it, be sure to check out our online casino and you'll find yourself playing the industry's best online casino games!