Sports Betting Tips

Betting on the NHL Playoffs

Don't Overlook

If you're visiting this site from outside of Canada, chances are you have never given very much thought to betting on the NHL aside from seeing it listed when you log into your sport book account.  If you don't follow the league, then why put your hard-earned money at risk by betting, right?  I understand completely, and while I'm not suggesting that you jump right into the deep end and place multiple bets on the NHL every night, I do have some betting tips and recommend that you not overlook the league entirely.  Especially this time of year--the NHL playoffs offer fantastic, tightly-contested games on a nightly basis, and more importantly--it offers us some tremendous money-making opportunities.

Every Inch Is a Battle

The NHL is perhaps the best example of athletes "turning it up a notch" once the playoffs begin.  Every player is skating 100%, battling for every inch on the ice.  Every pass is contested, and every shot has at a 50% chance of being blocked by an opposing player before it even reaches the goaltender.  This, combined with the fact that penalties tend to be called at a lower rate, indicates some serious value in betting on games to go under the total. 

Typically during the NHL regular season, sport books will post 5.5, 6 or even 6.5 as the total for an NHL game on any given night, depending on the teams that are facing off.  In the playoffs, these numbers get adjusted down to the 4.5 to 5.5 range.  Don't let this scare you away from betting on the under.  As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, there is very little breathing room on the ice during the NHL playoffs and quality scoring opportunities are at a premium.  It's not uncommon at all for games to go into sudden-death overtime with a score of 0-0 or 1-1, particularly as the series goes beyond the fourth game.

My Advice

My best tip for betting on the NHL playoffs is to bet on game to go under the total when the series standings are 2-2, 3-2, 3-1 or 3-3.  The players know what's at stake, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a professional sports league in which the players care more about winning a championship than the NHL.  Playing my strategy will give you a nice change of pace from betting on the NBA and early season MLB, and if you follow my tips, you will definitely have the advantage.

Check out more of our sports betting tips articles to become a smarter sports better. Knowledge is power, folks.  Best of luck, and please gamble responsibly!

--ajec