What Is Puckline in Hockey Betting?

Hockey is one of the most exciting and unpredictable sports to watch and bet on. Unlike other sports, where the scoring is relatively high and consistent, hockey games are often low-scoring and decided by a single goal or even a shootout. This makes betting on hockey more challenging and rewarding, as you have to consider various factors and scenarios that can affect the outcome of a game.

One of the most popular and common ways to bet on hockey is the puckline. The puckline is a form of spread betting that gives odds of a goal spread in hockey instead of straight moneyline prices. In other words, the puckline is a way to bet on how much a team will win or lose by, rather than just whether they will win or lose.

How Does the Puckline Work?

The puckline works by giving points to the underdog team and taking points away from the favorite team. The underdog team is the team that is expected to lose the game, while the favorite team is the team that is expected to win the game. The puckline indicates how many goals the underdog team can lose by or the favorite team can win by for a bet on that team to win.

For example, let’s say that the New York Rangers are playing against the Chicago Blackhawks in an NHL game. The oddsmakers set the puckline as follows:

• Rangers -1.5 (+140)
• Blackhawks +1.5 (-160)

This means that the Rangers are the favorite team and the Blackhawks are the underdog team. The Rangers have to win by more than 1.5 goals for a bet on them to win, while the Blackhawks can lose by less than 1.5 goals or win outright for a bet on them to win. The numbers in brackets are the moneyline odds, which show how much money you have to bet to win $100. In this case, you have to bet $140 to win $100 on the Rangers, and you have to bet $160 to win $100 on the Blackhawks.

The reason why the puckline is almost always set at 1.5 goals is because hockey games are not high-scoring affairs. The average number of goals scored per game in the NHL is around 5.5, and the most common outcome is a 3-2 final. Therefore, a 1.5-goal spread is enough to create a balanced betting market and attract bets on both sides of a game.

How to Read the Puckline?

The puckline can be read by looking at the sign and the number next to each team. A minus sign (-) means that the team is the favorite and has to win by more than the number of goals indicated. A plus sign (+) means that the team is the underdog and can lose by less than the number of goals indicated or win outright.

For example, let’s say that the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing against the Montreal Canadiens in an NHL game. The oddsmakers set the puckline as follows:

• Maple Leafs -1.5 (-120)
• Canadiens +1.5 (+100)

This means that the Maple Leafs are the favorite team and the Canadiens are the underdog team. The Maple Leafs have to win by more than 1.5 goals for a bet on them to win, while the Canadiens can lose by less than 1.5 goals or win outright for a bet on them to win. The numbers in brackets are the moneyline odds, which show how much money you have to bet to win $100. In this case, you have to bet $120 to win $100 on the Maple Leafs, and you have to bet $100 to win $100 on the Canadiens.

What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks of the Puckline?

The puckline can have some benefits and drawbacks for your betting. Here are some of them:

Benefits:

• The puckline can offer a higher payout than the moneyline, as the odds are multiplied by the goal spread. For example, if you bet on the Rangers at -1.5 (+140) in the previous example, and they win by two goals, you would get a payout of $240 – your $100 comes back along with your winnings of $140. However, if you bet on the Rangers at -140 on the moneyline, and they win by any margin, you would get a payout of $171.43 – your $100 comes back along with your winnings of $71.43.
• The puckline can make your betting more exciting and challenging, as you have to predict the margin of victory or defeat in addition to the outcome of the game.
• The puckline can give you more value and opportunities, as you can find more favorable lines and markets for your bet, especially if you have done your own research and analysis on the game or event.

Drawbacks:

• The puckline can have a higher risk than the moneyline, as you have to consider the margin of victory or defeat in addition to the outcome of the game. For example, if you bet on the Blackhawks at +1.5 (-160) in the previous example, and they lose by one goal, you would lose your bet, even though they covered the spread. However, if you bet on the Blackhawks at +160 on the moneyline, and they lose by one goal, you would still win your bet, as they won outright.
• The puckline can be affected by unforeseen factors, such as injuries, weather, or referee decisions, that can change the outcome of the game or the performance of the teams.
• The puckline can be more difficult and challenging, as it requires more knowledge and skill in hockey betting. You might have to do more research and analysis, and have more confidence and discipline, to place a puckline bet.

To Sum Up

The puckline is a form of spread betting that gives odds of a goal spread in hockey instead of straight moneyline prices. The puckline is a way to bet on how much a team will win or lose by, rather than just whether they will win or lose. The puckline can have some benefits and drawbacks for your betting, depending on your preferences and strategies.