Hockey Betting

US States with Legal Hockey Betting

Despite the PASPA repeal, hockey betting is not yet legal in every state. You can currently bet on hockey in these US states:

•      New Jersey
•      Pennsylvania
•      Delaware
•      Rhode Island
•      Mississippi
•      West Virginia
•      Nevada
•      New Mexico

Each of these states has separate rules and regulations when it comes to betting on hockey, and sports betting in general. While some of these states permit online sports betting at licensed sites, others only allow betting at a land-based commercial or tribal casino.

Major Hockey Events

Hockey may not be as popular football or basketball, but that doesn’t mean punters are limited in their betting opportunities.. Alongside the NHL is the American Hockey League (AHL), serving as the developmental league for the NHL. A total of 1,271 games are scheduled for the regular NHL season, which runs from early October through early April, making for plenty of exciting hockey action. But what are the big hockey events that sports bettors can take a punt on? Here is a quick rundown of the biggest hockey events to bet on.

Stanley Cup Playoffs

At the end of the regular NHL season, 16 teams qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. These 16 teams are made up of eight teams from the Western Conference and eight from the Eastern Conference. The playoffs are essentially an elimination tournament in which teams compete to enter the Stanley Cup Final.

The Stanley Cup playoffs work differently to the playoffs in other major league sports. Once the bracket has been finalized, teams compete in a best-of-seven series to advance to the next stage of the bracket. As there could be up to 98 games during the playoffs, there are plenty of betting opportunities.

Stanley Cup Final

The two teams that come out on top of the Stanley Cup playoffs face-off in the Stanley Cup Final for the most coveted prize in the NHL: the Stanley Cup. The Stanley Cup, originally commissioned in 1892 as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports league. This is the most popular event in the hockey calendar and is full of betting potential as both teams will have to compete in multiple games before a winner is decided.

NHL All-Star Game

The NHL All-Star game is usually held during the regular season and sees the star players in the league face off against each other. Fans vote online to select the captains of four different divisions and the player with the most votes captains for that division. From there, the NHL hockey operations department selects the remaining 40 players for a total of 44 all-star players. The proceeds from this event go towards the players’ pension fund. As the players are mixed and placed in different teams that wouldn’t normally play together, this event is incredibly popular and is a must watch for hockey fans and bettors alike.

Picking a Winner

As with all types of sports betting, there is no such thing as a guaranteed winner when it comes to betting on hockey. While a sportsbook’s hockey betting odds can give you an idea of the favourite team to win, the odds aren’t a failsafe prediction of the result. Although you can take hockey betting tips from tipsters, your best bet is doing plenty of your own research to help you make an educated wager.

Spend time checking out statistics and figures, which can be found on the official NHL statistics page, before placing a bet. Here, the league breaks down various stats such as points per game, penalty goals and team milestones. Not only can you check out a team’s stats, but you can also focus on one specific player and get a snapshot of their performance over time. This is especially helpful when it comes to placing prop bets.

Hockey Betting Markets

In the US states where sports betting is legal, the best sportsbooks offer a wide selection of hockey betting markets. US hockey fans can currently place bets on the following markets:

Match winner

This is a straight bet on the team you back to win an individual game in the season and can be made on both NHL and AHL hockey games.

Outright winner

Another straight bet, but this is on the team you believe will win the league or tournament.

Over/under

Over/ Under bets involve wagering on whether a hockey team will finish the game with more goals or fewer goals than the sportsbook predicts. These markets are usually offered on “Total Goals” at US sportsbooks.

Spread betting

Also known as the “Puck Line” in hockey, spread betting involves putting money on a team to win and either maintain a points advantage or overcome a disadvantage. These advantages and disadvantages will be displayed with plus (+) and minus (-) symbols Your team must win, or lose, according to this margin for your bet to pay out.

Proposition bets

Proposition bets, or prop bets, focus more on the outcome of a certain event during a hockey game. These bets might include, “which team will score the most penalties” or “how many goals will be scored in the first period?” but can cover a range of different possibilities.

Parlays

A parlay wager is a single bet that is linked with two or more wagers. In order to win a parlay bet, a bettor must win every wager in it. The maximum number of wagers in a parlay varies between sportsbooks, with some allowing up to 20 bet parlays.

Grand Salami Betting

Grand Salami betting gives hockey bettors the opportunity to place a bet that covers the scores for all hockey games played on a single day. For example, there may be seven NHL games scheduled for Saturday, for which bettors must estimate the total number of goals across all seven games. You must then decide if that will be over or under the odds set by the sportsbook. Think of it as higher stakes over/under wagering.

Hockey betting markets will vary between sportsbooks and betting sites, with some online sportsbooks offering in-play betting opportunities on live hockey events. It’s up to you to compare hockey betting odds between operators. Even so-called ‘safer’ bets carry an element of risk, so you should never bet more than you can afford to lose

Hockey Betting Odds

Before betting on a hockey match, it is essential that you understand how betting odds work. While the majority of US sports betting sites display odds in the American format, you might also see them displayed as a fraction or in a decimal format. Check out our how to read odds guide for an in-depth look at betting odds.

Odds are essentially a sportsbook’s prediction of what could happen during a hockey game. These can help you to predict what would make a winning bet, but betting on the favourite doesn’t guarantee you a profit. Hockey odds can vary from sportsbook to sportsbook so it’s best to shop around to find the best odds for your chosen market.

Here’s a real-world example of hockey odds:

In a regular NHL season game between the EDM Oilers and BUF Sabres, a sportsbook could set odds of +110 for the Oilers to win. If you were to make a $100 bet on the Oilers to win, you would see a return of $210 if they were victorious. You will win back your initial $100 wager, as well as $110 for the successful bet. When it comes to negative odds, a successful $100 bet on the Sabres winning at odds of -110, would net you your initial $100 wager, along with a with a modest profit of $90.91.

Mobile Hockey Betting

Although sports betting is legal in several states, only a handful of them permit mobile and online sports betting. This allows residents and visitors in these states to place sports bets from anywhere within state lines. Mobile sports betting is available in:

• Nevada – Online betting is only available via mobile apps.
• New Jersey – Online betting available via apps and browser sites.
• West Virginia – Online betting available via apps and browser sites.

In these states, residents and visitors can use mobile apps or online betting platforms to wager on hockey from the comfort of your home. In these states, mobile sports betting apps are usually available for both Android and iOS devices. It is also worth noting that online odds and offers can differ from those offered a land-based retail sportsbook.

However, it is important that you are aware of the state-specific gambling laws before choosing a sportsbook, as the sign-up process can differ from state to state. For instance, in Nevada, you will need to visit a land-based sportsbook to verify your identity and register your account, before you can place a bet online via a mobile betting app.

For more information when it comes to picking the sports betting app that’s right for you, check out our mobile betting apps guide.

Online Hockey Betting in New Jersey

Online Hockey Betting in Nevada

Online Hockey Betting in West Virginia

Now that you’re all clued up on US hockey betting, it’s time to get out there and make a bet on the action. Want to know the latest on legal sports betting in your state? Here at Compare.bet, we are tracking the movement of sports betting in America and will continue to provide you with the latest sports betting news and legal developments.

FAQs

Is there a winning formula for hockey betting?

No. Just like any other type of sports, there is no winning formula or method when it comes to placing a bet on hockey. As with any other form of gambling, you could win, or you could lose, nothing is guaranteed. Different bet types carry different levels of risk, a straight bet would be much safer compared to a parlay bet which yields a higher payout but is much riskier. If you’re new to betting on hockey we suggest dipping your toes into the sports betting pool by placing a bet that carries less risk before placing high stakes wagers.

Is hockey betting safe?

Yes, as long as you place your bets with a licensed and regulated sportsbook. In the states where sports betting is legal, all sportsbooks, land-based and online, must be regulated and granted approval before they can accept bets. Regulatory bodies ensure that these sportsbooks offer bettors fair chances and implement security measures to protect customer information, but it is up to bettors to gamble responsibly and never bet more than they can afford to lose.

Do sportsbooks offer bonuses and promotions for hockey betting?

Yes. Each sportsbook has a number of promotions and bonuses, such as free bets offers and matched deposit deals. These cover a wide range of sports,  though some offer bonuses specifically for hockey betting markets. The exact bonuses vary, depending on the sportsbook you choose, so it’s well worth shopping around to find the best deal for you.

I don’t want to bet on hockey, can I bet on other sports?

Yes. In states where sports betting is legal, sportsbooks offer odds on a variety of different professional and amateur sports such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer and darts. Some sportsbooks even offer odds on NCAA hockey games.

Are offshore hockey betting sites safe?

No. Offshore betting sites are not licensed to operate in the US and are therefore unregulated. This means that these sites are not required to meet basic player protection standards. On top of this, there is no way of seeing who is managing your money and some even engage in predatory marketing and advertising practices. If you want to bet on hockey online stick with a regulated site. If online sports betting is not legal in your state we recommend waiting until it is.