NEWSLETTER
If you are looking to bet on hockey, you might be trying to find a traditional spread bet. They score goals in hockey, not points so you can’t find “point spread.” What is a spread in hockey? It’s called a puck line and let’s break down how they work.
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What is a Spread in Hockey Betting?
In hockey, a point spread is called the puck line. Both terms mean the same thing. You are wagering on the goal margin in a particular hockey game. You are still betting on whether or not a team covers the spread. So, the team has to win or lose by a certain amount of goals. Check out an example.
| Matchup | Puck Line | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | -1.5 (+220) | -115 |
| Rangers | +1.5 (-270) | -105 |
The Puck Line is Almost Always Set at 1.5
Similar to baseball spreads, the puck line is almost always set at -1.5 for the favorite and +1.5 for the underdog. This is because hockey games are low-scoring and usually end with a 1-2 goal difference.
Using the example above, let’s say you bet on the Panthers to cover the -1.5 spread. They need to win by 2 goals or more for you to win your bet. A $100 bet would win $220 since the odds are +220.
Odds for Puck Lines Can Vary
It is important to check the odds for the puck line because they can vary. In sports like football and basketball, the odds for spread bets are usually around -110. For sports like baseball and hockey, you can see the odds vary. Let’s look at our example again from above.
| Matchup | Puck Line | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | -1.5 (+220) | -115 |
| Rangers | +1.5 (-270) | -105 |
As you can see the odds for the Panthers to cover the spread are +220. That means a $100 bet wins $220. The odds for the Rangers to cover the puck line are -270. That means it takes a $270 bet to win just $100.
Does the Puck Line Include Overtime?
Yes. Puck line bets include overtime and shootouts. If you bet on the favorite to cover the -1.5 puck line and the game goes into overtime, you have already lost the bet. This is because a maximum of one more goal will be added to either team’s score.
If a team scores in overtime, the game is over and that would be a 1 goal difference. If the game goes into a shootout, the winning team gets 1 goal added to its score.
For example, let’s say the Rangers are playing the Penguins. The Rangers are favored by -1.5 and you bet on them to cover. The game is tied 2-2 heading into overtime. In overtime, the Rangers score a goal to win 3-2. You would lose your bet because the Rangers only won by a goal when they needed to win by at least 2 goals to cover.
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