Hockey
NHL betting lines explained: how to read NHL odds
Tap each cell of the sample NHL line to see what it means and the chance behind the price. This page is about betting lines, not forward line combinations.
Tap any part of this example line.
Home puck line 2.70
The home team must win by 2 goals or more (−1.5). A one-goal win, overtime and shootout wins all lose this bet.
A $10.00 bet returns $27.00 (profit $17.00) if it wins.
The price implies 37.0%. Both prices together add up to 104.3% – the extra 4.3% is the margin. Without it: 35.5%, a fair price of 2.81.
Example built by our model: expected goals 3.25 home and 2.85 away, a 4.5% margin on each pair, prices rounded to steps of 5 in American odds. Not any book’s line.
How it is calculated
Implied chance = 1 ÷ decimal price. Margin = both implied chances added up, minus 100%. Fair chance = implied chance ÷ that sum.
American odds: a plus price is the profit on a 100 bet; a minus price is what you risk to win 100.
Fair prices from your own line →Puck line lab →Odds converter →
An NHL line row, cell by cell
| Column | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Teams | Two teams, one above the other | Who plays; home team often listed second |
| Moneyline | +150 / −200 | Pick the winner; minus is favourite, plus is underdog |
| Puck line | −1.5 / +1.5 | −1.5 must win by two or more; +1.5 may lose by one |
| Puck line price | −110 | Odds that set what the puck line bet pays |
| Total | Over / Under a goal number | Combined goals of both teams, above or below the line |
| Total price | −110 each side | Risk $10.00 to profit $9.09 |
Moneyline, puck line and total are three separate bets on the same game. Each has its own price.
Read the row left to right
- Find the teamsCheck which team is away and which is home. Look for the @ or vs mark.
- Read the moneylineFor example, $10.00 at +150 returns $25.00 in total if that team wins.
- Read the puck line+1.5 wins if the team wins or loses by one goal. Details: puck line math.
- Read the totalOver wins if both teams together score more than the line. More in hockey totals.
- Turn price into chance+150 = 2.50 = 40.0% implied. Any price: odds converter.
- Spot the marginTwo −110 sides imply 52.4% each. With equal money on both sides, the bookmaker keeps about 4.55% of the money bet: margin calculator.
American vs decimal on a line
American odds
- Common on North American lines
- Minus: risk needed to profit $100
- −200: $10.00 profits $5.00
- Plus: profit on a $100 stake
- +150: $10.00 profits $15.00
- Even money is +100
Decimal odds
- One number: total return per unit, stake included
- 2.50: $10.00 returns $25.00
- 1.50: $10.00 returns $15.00
- Implied chance: 1 ÷ 2.50 = 40.0%
- Even money is 2.00
Words you see on NHL lines
- Favourite
- The team the book thinks is more likely to win (shorter odds: minus price or lower decimal).
- Underdog
- The team the book thinks is less likely to win (longer odds: plus price or higher decimal).
- Vig (juice)
- The bookmaker's margin built into the prices. It is the cost of betting.
- Push
- A tie with the line; the stake comes back. The .5 on puck lines and totals avoids it.
- 60-minute line
- Regulation-only bet with three outcomes: home, tie, away. See the 60-minute line.
- Line combinations
- Which forwards play together. A different topic, not covered on this page.
Questions
What do the plus and minus mean in NHL odds?
Minus marks the favourite: at −200, a $10.00 bet profits $5.00. Plus marks the underdog: at +150, a $10.00 bet profits $15.00.
Does the NHL moneyline include overtime and the shootout?
Settlement depends on the rules of the product you use, so check them before you bet. The moneyline and the 60-minute line are different bets: the 60-minute line counts regulation only and has three outcomes – home, tie, away.
What does ±1.5 mean on the NHL puck line?
±1.5 is a common puck line setting. The −1.5 side needs a win by two or more goals. The +1.5 side wins if the team wins or loses by one. The .5 means no push. Math: puck line page.
How do I turn NHL odds into a percentage?
Convert to decimal first: 1 + 150 ÷ 100 = 2.50. Then divide one by it: 1 ÷ 2.50 = 40.0%. The odds converter does this for any price.
Are NHL betting lines the same as NHL line combinations?
No. Betting lines are prices for moneyline, puck line and total. Line combinations are which forwards skate together. This page covers betting lines only.