NHL

Odds - Tue October 7, 2025

NHL odds move regularly due to betting action, injuries, and other factors, but monitoring the NHL odds board is one way to make the best hockey bets possible. Here are several NHL sports betting terms to know:

Alternate lines

Every NHL game has alternate lines, as sportsbooks post different spreads and totals with adjusted odds. For example, if a team’s goals favor a team, many sportsbooks will offer odds on the team to win by 2.5 or even lose by 1.5 goals instead.

American odds

American odds are the most common odds used in the NHL. The money line indicates the amount of money needed to win $100 (favorite) or the amount that a $100 wager would pay (underdog). This is one of the three main types of betting odds.

Closing line

The final odds posted when the game begins is the closing line. The live odds will then shift after the game starts and generally continue until the game is over.

Consensus

The consensus line is a combination of odds from the top sportsbooks. If a team is a 2.5-goal consensus favorite, most oddsmakers have the team favored by 2.5 goals.

Decimal odds

Decimal odds, also called European odds, are another format used to present betting odds. They represent how much someone would win for every $1 wagered.

Favorite

The favorite is the team expected to win the game outright. Before their spread and money line odds, favorites have a negative sign.

Fractional odds

British (fractional) odds are the final type used in sports betting. They are the ratio of the profit won to the stake, as a 6-1 underdog would pay $6 for every $1 wagered.

Futures

These can be some of the most interesting odds to monitor, relating to things such as the Stanley Cup Final winner or conference winner. Most sportsbooks update their futures odds regularly, allowing fans to see how their team stacks up in the eyes of the oddsmakers.

Home-ice advantage

One factor in every NHL game is home-ice advantage, which changes the odds based on which team is playing at home. Some teams have a bigger advantage than others, as their crowd noise or location can adjust the odds more significantly.

Hook

If the betting odds have a half-goal attached, that is called the hook. The hook makes it impossible for the betting result to end in a tie, as NHL games do not have half-goals.

Juice

Also known as vigorish or vig, the juice is the amount factored into the odds by oddsmakers. An American odds bet of -110 contains $10 of juice for every $100 wagered.

Line movement

NHL odds feature line movement due to various reasons, including injuries or wagers made by professional bettors.

Money line

The money line is the odds related to the winner of the game, with no puck line involved. In an American odds format, favorites have negative odds, while underdogs have positive odds.

Oddsmaker

Someone who sets betting odds and lines is an oddsmaker. Some oddsmakers create their own betting odds (originators), while others copy odds already in the market.

Over/Under

This is one of the primary sets of odds used for NHL betting, with the number representing the expected goals scored in the game. These are also used for some futures odds, such as how many games a team will win in a season.

Pick ‘em

If neither team is favored, the game is called a pick ‘em, which is reflected by both teams having the same money lines. The betting odds have not determined a favorite or an underdog, so they are usually good games to watch.

Props

NHL prop betting refers to wagers placed on different aspects of an NHL game aside from the traditional puck line, money line, and total markets. Player props are the main NHL prop betting markets available, which allow bettors to take positions on statistical categories like assists, shots on goal and other areas of a player’s performance.

Puck line

The puck line levels the playing field between two teams, as it is the number of goals the favorite is expected to win by. The favorite is designated by a negative spread (-1.5), while the underdog has a positive spread (+1.5).

Underdog

Unless a game is a pick ‘em, every NHL matchup has an underdog, which is the team expected to lose. They are denoted by a positive number in the betting odds.

What are the types of NHL betting odds?

The three primary types of betting odds are American (money line), fractional (British), and decimal (European). They are alternate ways of presenting the same odds, offering the same payout in each scenario. The percentage probability of an event occurring can be converted and presented in any of the odds offered.

How do I know which team is favored?

Favorites are always priced with a negative sign in front of their puck line or money line, while underdogs have a positive sign in front of theirs. If both teams have negative money lines, the team with the larger negative number is favored. If a team is -1.5 on the puck line, they are the favorite and must win by at least two goals to cover the spread. Their opponent would be +1.5, needing to lose by one goal (or win outright) to cover as an underdog.

Who sets the NHL odds?

Odds are initially set by oddsmakers, who are also called sports traders or bookmakers. They usually adjust their odds once bettors start wagering money. The odds can also be moved due to injuries, trades, or other factors.

Why can I not find hockey odds for a game?

Sportsbooks take games off the board when a star player suffers an injury or is traded, or another factor occurs. Oddsmakers usually repost the updated line within a few hours, depending on the severity of the news. The odds are frozen so the sportsbook avoids taking large wagers on odds that are likely to change.

What is the total?

This is another way to reference the over/under, which is the number of goals expected to be scored in a game. If a game has an over/under of 5.5 goals, it will go over the total with six or more goals and under the total with five or fewer goals. Over/under odds are also used for prop odds, such as a player’s total points in a game.