What is Puck Line Betting?
Discover the ins and outs of puck line betting in hockey. Learn how it compares to moneyline betting, the different variations, and get tips for successful wagering.
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Have you ever bet on the point spread? If you have, then you’ve got a big headstart in understanding what the puck line is in betting. While sports like basketball and American football offer the option to bet on the point spread, in hockey, you bet on the puck line.
Basically, puck line betting allows sportsbooks to offer close to even money on hockey teams by giving them a positive or negative handicap. We’ll take a look at the ins and outs of puck line betting, as well as how to make this hockey-specific bet type work for you.
What Does the Puck Line Mean?
In sports betting the puck line is equivalent to the point spread, but exclusively in hockey. You’ll see the puck line written as the same number, with a plus for the favourite team and a minus for the underdog.
One key difference to point spread betting is that puck line betting is almost always a 1.5 spread, whereas point spreads can vary hugely.
For example: Pittsburgh Penguins +1.5 Detroit Red Wings -1.5
This means that the Pittsburgh Penguins would have to win by at least 2 goals (more than 1.5) in order for a puck line bet on them to pay out. The Detroit Wings could actually lose by up to 1 goal (less than 1.5) and a bet on them would still pay out.
How Does the Puck Line Work?
We’ve looked at what a puck line bet is, but there are variations that you can make. Below are the three most common variations of a puck line bet.
● Period Puckline: A period puck line bet allows you to bet on the outcome of individual periods of the hockey game. You’ll usually see them as +0.5/-0.5 as the time period for the goals to happen is much smaller.
● Reverse Puckline: A reverse punchline gives the favourite a head start (usually +1.5). This might sound like a crazy bet, but if you believe the underdog can win by 2 or more goals, you’ll likely get a very generous price.
● Alternate Puckline: An alternate puck line bet bumps up the spread. Normally the puck line spread is 1.5, but an alternate will be 2.5 at least.
Should You Bet Puck Lines or Moneylines?
Moneyline betting and puck line betting are the two most common types of bet in hockey. They’re also almost exactly as profitable as one another.
The moneyline is a more straightforward bet to work out in terms of odds, as it’s simply a bet on which team will win. The puck line is more complex to work out in terms of odds, as the margin of victory is also taken into account.
If you enjoy the challenge of working out a puck line, then go for that. If you prefer the simplicity of a moneyline, that’s a great choice too. It really all boils down to personal preference.
Example of a Puck Line Betting
Now that you know all about what a puck line bet is and the various different types of puck line bet, let’s have a look at a quick example.
The Carolina Hurricanes are playing Tampa Bay Lightning and sportsbooks are pretty sure that the Hurricanes are going to win. They’ve set the puck line at the standard 1.5 goals. The odds are below:
Carolina Hurricanes +1.5 -108
Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 +112
You can see from the relatively short odds on the Carolina Hurricanes that the sportsbook is quite sure they’ll cover the point spread. A bet on them on the moneyline would offer much shorter odds.
You place a $100 bet on the puck line for Tampa Bay Lightning and they end up losing, but only by one goal, this means that your bet pays out! You get $112 back (plus your stake) even though your team lost.
Puck Line Betting Tips & Strategies
Betting on the puck line is quite easy to master, but here are some tips that should help you to make more successful puck line bets.
● Scrutinize Odds: The most important tip is to consider both sides of the odds on a puck line bet. Unlike point spreads, puck lines are almost always set at 1.5. This means there’s often a big difference in the odds.
● Overtime Matters: Hockey is a pretty low scoring game, so it regularly goes into overtime. If the game does go into overtime then the winner can’t score by more than one goal, this means your bet on the favourite won’t be able to win.
● Empty Netters: Hockey is one of very few sports where it’s common for the goalie to be pulled in order for another potential goal-scorer to be put on. While they might well get that late stage goal, the lack of a goalie makes it much easier for the other team to score.
FAQ
As well as wagering on the winner and loser in a puck line, you can also place a 3 way puck line, where you can bet on the tie too. The favorite must win by more than one goal, while the underdog can lose by 1 or tie for bets to pay out.
Sometimes you’ll see a puck line that’s greater than 1.5, though this is unusual. If the puck line is 2 then the favorite will need to win by at least 3 goals, while the underdog could lose by up to 2 goals and bets are still paid out.
With a decade of experience in the sports betting industry, Claudia can spot a value bet from a mile off. She prides herself on not just being a sports writer, but a fastidious researcher too.