When it comes to ice hockey, the NHL is the cream of the crop. Many aspiring ice hockey players, especially in the US, aim to be a part of the NHL and play for their favorite team. With fans in the US and all over the world, it’s no surprise that the NHL is very loved by its fans, as well as bettors.
However, many sports bettors see NHL betting as a challenging sport to invest in. Not only do you have to be updated with the teams, but you also have to keep your eyes on player injuries, travel schedules, and goaltender play, among other things.
In this strategy guide, we will be talking in-depth about NHL betting strategies, the tips and tricks you have to keep in mind, and the correct way of thinking in some aspects of NHL betting that will help you dominate the books.
Check the Schedule
If you have also dabbled in other forms of sports betting, you’ll know that checking the travel schedules is a staple in every strategy guide. However, this is more important in hockey since in this sport, players are constantly getting beaten up, bruised, rocked around, and just generally get pounded each game. And if this is experienced by players night after night, it will eventually take a toll on their performance.
This is true for all teams in hockey. What makes the field uneven is that the scheduling also contributes to the player’s performance. Imagine a team only playing twice the previous week having a game against a team that not only has to travel miles to the venue but also had a hectic week previously. It’s pretty obvious which team will win that matchup.
So how are you going to apply this to your bets? You can spot a team that you think will suffer a hectic week and see if there are any excellent lines against them. However, you have to remember that even though the team suffered through many games the previous week, it doesn’t mean that they will automatically lose.
Look for Big Favourites and Bet on Them
Like in baseball, where they have run lines, hockey also has its puck lines. It’s hockey’s version of spread betting. The spread will always be the same, with the favorite running -1.5 and the underdog with +1.5. The only thing that constantly changes in the bets is the vig or juice, as some people call it.
Betting on the puck line means you will have to pay the steep price for the Moneyline but still incur the risk of a losing bet if they only win with a single goal. However, if they are big-time favorites, it’s worth betting on the puck line since the oddsmakers believe they will win the game convincingly. Not only that, but empty-netters are frequent at the end of games. This means that the big-time favorite will have a chance to cover the spread.
And since empty-netters are a regularity in most games, betting against big-time favorites is a bad idea. Underdogs tend not to cover the spread against big-time favorites so betting on them is not really worth it. However, if you believe the underdogs are competitive enough to cover their spread, then you should go for it. It is best to keep yourself updated about the favorites and the underdogs on FanDuel’s Blog for each game to help you choose whom to bet.
Not All Stats Are Created Equal
Most serious bettors tend to dabble deeply into statistics. While this is not a bad idea since some of these stats are helpful, overvaluing them can lose you tons of bets. We’re trying to say that you should be careful when picking the stat you want to go with and not overvalue the wrong ones.
One thing you should always check on stats is their accuracy. No, we don’t mean that you have to pull out a calculator and see if the stats are accurate. What we mean is that you should get these stats from a reputable source. Most bettors get their numbers from ESPN. What you can do is also check other reputable sites to make sure.
That said, you should know which of these stats matters. There are many stats out there that sound good in theory but are practically useless in practice. For example, a particular team has not lost to a specific team for 12 years already.
That sounds good, but does it tell us how good the teams are? And how are we even sure that this year will not change? We’re saying that you should pick the stat that can help you with your bets. Which stats are those? It’s another article.
Something to Ponder
These strategies can be used as a foundation of the strategies you will cook up in the future once you get a lot of experience betting on the NHL. They are like a stepping stone to more advanced strategies that you can learn as you grow in NHL betting. This is why you need to know them by heart if you want to be more successful in the future.
