Hockey
Puck line meaning – how −1.5 and +1.5 work
The puck line is a ±1.5 goal handicap on an NHL game. Set a final score above to see which bets win: −1.5, +1.5 or the moneyline.
Home won 4−2 in 60 minutes.
A 2-goal win in regulation: the favourite’s −1.5 covers.
What it does
When a team trails by one goal late, it pulls its goalie. Fitted to two NHL seasons: the leader then scores 22% of the time and the trailer ties it 19% of the time. This brings ties after 60 minutes and one-goal results in line with real games. Off = plain Poisson.
Moneyline HomeWins
Home won the game.
Moneyline AwayLoses
Away lost the game.
Home −1.5Wins
Home won by 2: 2 or more covers.
Away +1.5Loses
Away lost by 2: more than 1.5.
Over 5.5Wins
6 goals is more than 5.5.
Under 5.5Loses
6 goals goes over.
60-minute 3-wayWins
Home wins: after 60 minutes it was 4−2.
How it is calculated
Puck line −1.5 wins only if the team wins by 2 goals or more. +1.5 wins if the team wins, or loses by exactly 1.
A game tied after 60 minutes goes to overtime, then a shootout. The winner is credited one goal, so the final margin is 1 and −1.5 loses. The 60-minute 3-way bet is settled on the score after 60 minutes, so it pays the Tie.
From the odds: chance of each 60-minute score = Poisson(home goals) × Poisson(away goals), with expected goals fitted to your moneyline and total. The empty-net adjustment moves one-goal scores: the leader adds a goal or the trailer ties it, at rates fitted to the two latest complete NHL regular seasons (NHL API).
All markets of one game →Goal distribution →Expected value →
Which bets win for each final score
| Final score (favourite first) | Favourite −1.5 | Underdog +1.5 | Favourite moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favourite wins 4–1 | Wins | Loses | Wins |
| Favourite wins 3–1 | Wins | Loses | Wins |
| Favourite wins 2–1 | Loses | Wins | Wins |
| 2–1, then empty-net goal: 3–1 | Wins | Loses | Wins |
| Favourite wins 3–2 in overtime | Loses | Wins | Wins |
| Favourite loses 2–3 in a shootout | Loses | Wins | Loses |
| Favourite loses 1–3 | Loses | Wins | Loses |
Overtime and shootouts are included, as on PROLINE and Mise-o-jeu team markets unless stated otherwise. A 60-minute line uses regulation only.
Puck line vs moneyline
Puck line (±1.5)
- Favourite at −1.5 must win by two goals or more.
- Underdog at +1.5 wins the bet if it wins or loses by one.
- Overtime game: +1.5 wins, −1.5 loses.
- The final margin matters, not only the winner.
- Works like a point spread with a fixed line.
Moneyline
- Pick the winner – the final margin does not matter.
- The moneyline price and the puck line price for the same team differ.
- Compare both prices for the same game in the market list.
- Both markets carry the bookmaker's margin.
- More markets: NHL betting lines.
How often each margin happens
One-goal win in regulation
18.4%Share of 2025-26 NHL games decided by one goal after 60 minutes. Here −1.5 loses and +1.5 wins.
Two goals or more
56.8%Games won by two or more in regulation, by either team, not only the favourite. A trailing team often pulls its goalie late, so empty-net goals often decide −1.5.
Past 60 minutes
24.8%Games tied after regulation. They end one goal apart, so +1.5 wins.
One-goal final score
43.2%All one-goal finals, counting overtime and shootout winners. +1.5 wins the bet in every one of them.
Sources
- olg.ca /en/proline/proline-game-conditions.html · checked Oct 27, 2026
- miseojeu.lotoquebec.com /fr/comment-jouer/regles-mise-o-jeu · checked Oct 27, 2026
Questions
What does puck line mean in hockey betting?
It is a ±1.5 goal handicap. The favourite at −1.5 must win by two goals or more. The underdog at +1.5 wins the bet if it wins or loses by one goal.
Puck line vs moneyline – what is the difference?
The moneyline only asks who wins. The puck line adds a 1.5 goal handicap, so the margin matters and the prices change. Both carry the bookmaker's margin. More basics: how to bet on hockey.
Does overtime count on the puck line?
On PROLINE, hockey team markets with no stated time frame include overtime and shootouts, and the winner is credited one goal. Mise-o-jeu team questions also include them. Read the market name before you bet.
Can a puck line bet end in a push?
No. With a half-goal line the adjusted score can never tie, so a ±1.5 bet wins or loses. It can still be voided if the game is cancelled or abandoned.
Why do empty-net goals matter for −1.5?
A team behind by one late often pulls its goalie for an extra skater. An empty-net goal then turns a one-goal win into a two-goal win, and −1.5 wins.