NHL moneyline explained
Who will win? If you want a simple way to bet on hockey, betting the moneyline is for you.
Learn about NHL moneylines
NHL moneyline betting explained
There’s something about sports betting that adds to the excitement and drama of the game. It makes every play more compelling – even if the game itself is out of reach. The National Hockey League and NHL moneyline betting is hugely popular because of the fast-paced, end to end nature of the sport. All you need to do is pick which team you think will win the game – it’s as easy as that.
What is NHL moneyline betting?
NHL moneyline betting online is one of the simplest wagers you can make, you just choose who you think will win. This is often called picking a team to win “straight up.”
NHL moneyline betting is the most common bet type in hockey and differs from picking a game against the spread (ATS). In those bets, the favorite must win by more than a specific number of points, while the underdog must not lose by more than a specific number of points.
Your NHL moneyline wager can also be combined with other moneyline bets, or different markets entirely, to form parlays.
With a parlay bet, it is still classed as a single wager, but all your selections within that parley must hit in order for it to succeed.
How to place an NHL moneyline bet
Here’s an NHL moneyline betting example to help. Washington is hosting Detroit, and the Capitals are -270 on the moneyline, while the Red Wings are +220.
Here’s how it typically looks on a sports betting site:
| Game | Moneyline |
|---|---|
| Detroit Red Wings | +220 |
| Washington Capitals | -270 |
When you see a minus (-) in front of a moneyline, it means that team is the favorite, the larger the number, the bigger the favorite. If you want to bet on Washington, you must wager $270 for every $100 you would like to make. Thus, a winning $270 bet would return $370 total. You risk more money because your team has a better chance of winning.
A plus (+) in front of an NHL moneyline indicates that team is the underdog. And unlinke a bet on the favorite, the odds show indicate the amount you can win from a $100 bet, rather than the amount you need to bet. So, a $100 bet on Detroit will win you $220. You risk less to make a profit because your team isn’t favored to win.
When you make your pick, you don’t have to wager $100. You can bet any amount you want. Our Odds Calculator can help you determine how much you’d win based on the amount you bet.
Want to learn more about NHL betting?
NHL over/under explained
Find out why betting over/unders, AKA totals betting, is an important skill for any online bettor.
Learn about NHL over/unders
NHL point spread explained
Also called 'the line' or 'the spread', find out how this margin is used to handicap the favorite team.
Learn about NHL point spreads
NHL parlays explained
Want bigger odds and bigger returns on your hockey bets? Then parlays are for you.
Learn more about NHL Parlays
NHL moneyline FAQs
What does a +200 moneyline mean?
A +200 moneyline means that a $100 bet will win you $200. If your wager is successful, you’ll get back your original bet plus your profit for $300 total. Just remember that $100 is simply the industry standard that oddsmakers use to create NHL moneyline betting numbers, but you can wager as little or as much as you would like.
Does the moneyline include NHL overtime?
Yes, NHL moneyline bets include overtime, so as long your pick wins, so do you, even if the result comes at the end of a shootout. There are also ways to engage in NHL moneyline betting online that allow you to bet on non-overtime results, but the odds change as a result.
What is a positive moneyline?
A positive NHL moneyline indicates how much profit a bettor will make based on a successful $100 wager. It also indicates that the team is the underdog. A negative moneyline is how much a bettor must wager in order to win $100. That team is considered the favorite.
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