NHL MONEYLINE BETTING EXPLAINED

HOW MONEYLINE BETS WORK

A moneyline bet is a straight wager on which team wins the game. There's no point spread, no goal margin — just pick the winner. If your team wins by 1 goal or 10 goals, you win the bet.

The odds tell you two things: how much you need to risk (for favorites) and how much you can win (for underdogs). A team listed at -180 requires a $180 bet to win $100. A team at +155 returns $155 profit on a $100 bet. Use our calculator for instant payout conversions.

FAVORITE VS. UNDERDOG ODDS

Sportsbooks set moneyline odds based on each team's estimated win probability, plus their vig margin. Bigger favorites have more negative odds; bigger underdogs have more positive odds.

OVERTIME AND MONEYLINE BETS

Standard NHL moneyline bets include overtime and shootouts. This is a critical difference from puck line betting, where overtime creates asymmetric outcomes (+1.5 always covers, -1.5 never covers). On the moneyline, overtime simply means the game continues until there's a winner.

Some sportsbooks offer "regulation time" moneylines with three outcomes: home win, away win, or draw. These typically offer better odds on each team because the draw outcome absorbs some probability. However, they're less common and require understanding of 3-way betting.

MONEYLINE VS. PUCK LINE: WHEN TO USE EACH

The choice between moneyline and puck line depends on the matchup and odds. Here's the general framework:

For a detailed head-to-head comparison with examples, see our puck line vs moneyline guide. Also explore our strategy framework for identifying which bet type offers better expected value in specific situations.