By Eduardo Solano
Puck lines are the most popular way to bet on hockey. There are two types of puck lines: the Canadian puck line and the American puck line. The Canadian puck line is a combination of the goal line spread and the money line. The team that is bet on must win by the goal line spread and the amount to lay or take is determined by the money line odds. Here’s an example of a Canadian puck line:
Anaheim Ducks +1.5 -150
Los Angeles Kings -1.5 +130
In this case, Los Angeles is the favorite and they have to win by two goals for the bet to be a winner. If you bet on Los Angeles and the Kings win by two, then you’d win $130 on a $100 bet. If you bet on Anaheim, and the Ducks win outright or lose by one goal, then you would have to bet $150 to win $100.
The American puck line is similar to the Canadian puck line except that the bettor pays no juice (+100) on either side of his bet. The money line for the American puck line will always be even on the side and there’s a ½ point difference between the favorite and the underdog, the favorite always being ½ point higher. For example:
Colorado Avalanche +1
Detroit Red Wings -1.5
The Red Wings are the favorite, they must win by more than 2 goals and you would lay $100 to win $100. Colorado has to win outright or lose by one goal for you to win $100 on a $100 bet.
Regarding hockey betting strategy, keep in mind that this is a sport with a lot of variables. Puck line betting can yield profits when used the right way, especially in the postseason. Here are some tips for you to get the most out of your puck line bets:
– Who is playing goalie?: Knowing who is playing goalie for the two teams involved in any given game is very important. The goalie is the most important player on the ice because his performance directly translates into the success of his team. Know the starting lineups and monitor the injury reports of the two teams because sometimes a backup goalie gets the start and that changes everything.
– Previous matchups: When it comes to postseason betting, do some research to see how the teams have measured up during the regular season. If a team has beaten their opponent four out of six times during the regular season, then, getting another win is more than likely.
– Trades or Injuries: Nowadays players come and go from team to team, mixing up the overall performances. It takes a few games for teams with new players to get used to the changes. On the other hand, injuries also impact the performance of any team. Imagine what could happen if a top scorer or goalie is taken out, that will affect the performance of any team.
– Location of the game: Many don’t believe in home-field advantage in hockey, but, teams are more confident playing in front of a crowd that’s behind them, they feed off of the positive energy of their fans and their performance improves.
