Live NHL Betting

Written by: Joseph Falchetti, Editor-in-Chief, Pro Sports Bettor and Casino Expert
Last updated:
6 minute read
Live NHL Betting

NHL live betting lets you bet on sides, totals, puck lines, and more while hockey games unfold. Live NHL odds are now available at every sportsbook online and for every game.

Hockey in-game betting isn’t a unique market that one must search for anymore. As in-wager betting continues to expand, so will in-play NHL wagering.

If you’re a hockey bettor and haven’t tried betting on live hockey games yet – you’re missing out.

Best Live. NHL Betting Sites 2024

Rank
Payment Grade
Rating
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  • 1
    A+
    4.9/5.0
    50% Up To $250
  • 2
    A+
    4.9/5.0
    100% Up To $2,500
  • 3
    A+
    4.8/5.0
    50% Up To $250
  • 3
    A+
    4.8/5.0
    100% Up To $500
  • 4
    A+
    4.2/5.0
    125% Up To $1,250
  • 5
    A
    4.7/5.0
    100% Up To $1,000
  • 5
    A
    4.7/5.0
    50% Up To $1,000

How Live Hockey Betting Works

Hockey live betting is relatively new regarding sports betting history but has been available in some form for nearly a decade. As mentioned above, there are no longer sportsbooks that don’t offer in-play betting.

The only difference between pre-game NHL odds and live NHL odds is that live odds are updated in real-time. The rules for betting and grading wagers don’t change when in-game hockey games. The basics remain the same.

NHL hockey is one of the more efficient markets compared to other major sports. It’s not widely bet by the masses, so the few that do bet big on it are often professional-level bettors that can move the odds drastically.

However, in-play markets in hockey are far less sharp than pre-game betting markets. If you’re already betting hockey and not at least considering NHL live wagering, then you’re missing out on a lot of fun and potentially profitable bets.

How To Live Bet On NHL Games

  1. Choose NHL Betting Site – All online sportsbooks have hockey betting odds, and NHL live betting, but that doesn’t mean you should deposit it at the first sportsbook you come across.  Instead, look at reviews and payout speeds from the top options. We offer a ranking of the best hockey gambling sites. Remember, when you make a deposit, always maximize your NHL bonuses.
  2. Find NHL Live Betting Markets – In-wager betting markets will generally be a different place where pre-game wagers have a separate betting interface compared to pre-game bets. Lots of sportsbooks have a “live betting” button on the side of the page near the rest of their betting menu. Live betting is extremely popular. If you’re looking to wager on live sports at your sportsbook – it won’t be hard to find.
  3. Add a Wager to Your Bet Slip – Once you get to the NHL live betting page, you can take a look at the active games and choose which team and market you want to bet.
  4. Place A Bet – I decided to place a moneyline bet on the Anaheim Ducks to come back and win against the Red Wings. At the time of the wager, the Ducks were +120 on the moneyline. As you can see on the bet slip below – I placed a $10 bet to win $12.
  5. Submit Your Bet – Once you have checked to see you have the correct market and betting amount – it’s time to submit your bet. In many cases, this is done in one-click, but some sites will have two-clicks to finalize a bet (one to review the bet and another to confirm). Once you submit your bet, you will see a screen like the one below at SportsBetting.ag.

Best Live Betting Odds And Lines For NHL Hockey

Check out the live betting odds and lines for NHL hockey games at the most trusted sites.

Best Live Betting Sites For NHL Hockey

Bet Live On The best NHL games At This Top Online Sportsbooks.

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Check Out Our List Of The Best NHL Betting Sites

NHL Live Bets Types

The most common wagers for hockey betting are moneylines and pucklines. Those, along with totals, will be the bare minimum a sportsbook has for live betting NHL games.

Some sites offer far more options than others, and many will have a long list of propositions in addition to these traditional bets.

NHL Moneylines & Pucklines

The moneyline is the standard bet for wagering on hockey and is the most commonly placed wager when betting hockey. Moneyline betting merely means picking the outright winner of the game.

There is no spread. NHL Puckline strategy works in a modified point spread found when betting on hockey. It is usually -1.5 or +1.5 but can be -2.5 / +2.5.

NHL Totals

NHL hockey totals are the number of goals scored by both teams in the game. With the increased scoring and rule changes over the past few years, this is usually around 5.5 or 6 goals per game. Like the rest of the markets, totals are updated as the game happens live.

NHL Proposition Bets

NHL prop bets are any wager that is not related to the final outcome or score of the game. This includes how many shots may be taken on goal, the number of goals in a period, and lots more.

It’s up to the oddsmakers at each sportsbook on how many propositions they want to offer on their NHL live odds.

Live NHL Betting Strategy

Live NHL Betting Strategy

There are some specific strategies that bettors can place when wagering on in-play NHL wagering that don’t necessarily apply to pre-game betting.

To fully take advantage of live betting, you need some plan or at least know what to look for when trying to make profitable bets. The odds are always changing, and spotting value must be done quickly in many cases.

Embracing Hockey’s Variance

Hockey can be a game of bounces and ricochets, and goals that can seemingly come out of nowhere and quickly. Of course, the live odds will change when a goal is scored.

Depending on how the game is playing out there may be some opportunities to bet on the team that just gave up a goal. One thing to watch for in hockey is sustained pressure and puck control.

If one team consistently had the puck in the other team’s zone and is putting up shots, but they’re not going in – they’re probably still in the game, even they’re down 2-3 goals.

The odds in this situation are usually +400 or so, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen teams rally from several goals down to end up winning the game.

It’s extremely rare you want to bet the favorite in these situations. If you’re knowledgeable enough about hockey and can spot a team that is simply not seeing the puck bounce its way – there is a lot of value in taking underdogs when live betting hockey.

Taking advantage Of Arbitrage

Arbing can be an essential part of sports betting. Arbing in hockey allows bettors to lock in a profit due to a difference in pricing between two betting markets.

This can be a bit riskier when live betting compared to pre-game wagers as some live bets can be canceled or not accepted if you fail to get them in fast enough. In many cases, you will notice significant variations in the odds when in-game betting hockey. These are opportunities for arbs.

Hedging Your Bet

Hedging is similar to arbitrage in that your goal is to lock in a profit. We don’t always advocate bet-hedging because often bettors sacrifice +EV situations for the sake of short-term profits, but there is indeed a time and place for it.

The above example, if you have an underdog that rushes out to an early lead that you’re not sure is justified, you can hedge the bet to lock in a profit.

Live Betting On The 2024 Stanley Cup

Betting on the Stanley Cup Finals

The Stanley Cup Finals is one of the most exciting sporting events of the year. Even if you’re not a fan of hockey in the regular season – I’ve yet to meet someone whose adrenaline doesn’t pump when watching playoff hockey.

NHL live betting during the Cup is ramped up quite a bit and in many cases, bettors will find higher wagering limits and more betting market when it comes to NHL live betting in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Learn More About Betting On Pro Hockey Reading Our NHL Online Betting Guide

About the Author

Joseph Falchetti

Joseph Falchetti

Editor-in-Chief, Pro Sports Bettor and Casino Expert

Joe is the author of the majority of sports betting pages on SBS and he serves as a gambling consultant to our content team. He's been mentioned on Forbes.com as a gaming analyst, and his articles have been linked by larger publications, such as the New York Times.

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