As legal sports betting spreads across the US, you can now bet on the NHL at retail sportsbooks, online sportsbooks and sports betting apps licensed by gaming commissions in more than a dozen states.

Below is a complete look at where you can bet on the NHL online and answers to the most frequently asked questions about NHL betting in the USA. We also provide a guide to NHL betting and Stanley Cup betting strategies you might want to try out this season.

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NHL Live Odds

All states with legal sports betting allow sportsbooks to offer single-game NHL wagering, including futures and prop bets. If you?re of legal age and inside state lines, you can bet on NHL games and the future prospects of players and teams at licensed retail and online sportsbooks.

Check below for the live odds on tonight’s NHL games at the top legal US online sportsbooks. Use the drop-down menus to change states and see puck line, moneyline & totals odds. Click on any odds to claim your bonus bets, register a new account and lock in your NHL bets.

Check the second tab for real-time NHL futures odds on the Stanley Cup winner, conference winners and individual player awards (Hart Trophy odds, etc.)

Where to bet on NHL games online

Online NHL betting is legal and already live in several states across the US including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nevada, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee?and Colorado. See all your current sports betting options in those states here:

• New Jersey sports betting sites
• Pennsylvania sports betting sites
• Colorado sports betting sites
• West Virginia sports betting sites
• Indiana sports betting sites
• Illinois sports betting sites
• Iowa sports betting sites
• Tennessee sports betting sites
• Michigan sports betting sites

Mississippi also offers online and mobile NHL betting, but only on the property at licensed sportsbooks. The same NHL betting opportunities you’ll find at retail sportsbooks are also available online in these states.

Legal NHL betting apps in the US

Here?s a quick state-by-state look at the top apps that offer sports betting, including on the NHL. All of the betting apps are available for iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android mobile devices.

1. DraftKings Sportsbook: DraftKings Sportsbook launched as the first online and mobile sportsbook in New Jersey and continues to expand across every state that regulates sports betting. It offers excellent bettor-friendly software and competitive lines on all sports and games. New players can claim a $50 bonus bet + up to $1,000 with deposit in bonuses. Use DraftKings Sportsbook online in: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV & WY

2. FanDuel Sportsbook: FanDuel Sportsbook g
rew quickly into NJ?s top-grossing online and mobile sportsbook. User-friendly Flutter/IGT software and competitive lines are the reason why. New players get up to a $1,000 no sweat first bet upon sign-up. Use FanDuel Sportsbook online in:?AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV & WY

3. BetMGM Sportsbook: Just like the other two apps, BetMGM has harnessed its popularity in NJ to hit the ground running in other regulated states. The platform is slick and easy-to-use and all features and betting markets can be found on the iPhone and Android apps. Get up to $1,000 in bonus bets at BetMGM. Use BetMGM Sportsbook online in:?AZ, CO, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, MS, NJ, OH, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV & WY – Note: Offer not available in DC, MS, NV or NY

Download a sportsbook app for NHL betting

Online sportsbooks offer a desktop version you can access either on your computer or smartphone, or fully downloadable apps for iOS and Android. While you can navigate the online sportsbooks on your phone as well, the app version is specifically tailored to work optimally for your iPhone or Android device.

Navigation and functionality are optimized for swiping/tapping, and financial transactions are equally secure. You also have full access to all of the NHL lines, odds and bets through the app.

Beginners guide to NHL betting

Licensed sportsbooks across the US offer the following basic bets:

• Moneylines: Bet on an NHL team to win a game at odds posted by licensed sportsbooks.
• Puck Line: Bet on an NHL team to win a game with a puck line, or spread, factored into the final score.
• Totals: Bet that the total combined score in an NHL game will be over/under a line set by oddsmakers.
• Parlays: Combine two or more basic bets. Win every bet, or leg, or win nothing.
• In-Play or In-Game: Bet during a live NHL game at live odds that are adjusted throughout.
• Futures: Basic NHL futures markets allow for betting on any NHL team to win its division, conference, or the Stanley Cup or players to reach specific milestones.

Most states also allow NHL futures bets on how many regular-season wins each NHL team will accumulate. Many states also allow betting on the outcome of the seasonal NHL awards, the NHL draft and the NHL free agency.

NHL futures odds are first set in the offseason and adjusted as the regular season and playoffs move forward. We cover plenty more sports betting basics here.

NHL futures and props

Some popular NHL futures and props bets allow you to wager on:

• NHL Win Totals: Betting on a team to win more or fewer games than a line set by oddsmakers.
• Division/Conference Winners: Betting on a team to win its division or conference.
• NHL Playoffs: Betting on a team to make the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs or win a specific series.
• NHL Stanley Cup: Betting on a team to win the Stanley Cup.
• NHL All-Star Game: Betting on the outcome of the NHL?s annual all-star game.
• NHL Skills Competition: Betting on the outcome of competitions at the NHL?s annual all-star game.
• NHL Draft: Betting on who will be the top players drafted in the annual NHL draft.
• NHL Free Agency: Betting on where NHL free agents might land in the offseason.
• NHL Awards: Betting on who will win the annual NHL awards, including:
  • Hart Trophy | MVP
  • Norris Trophy | Best Defenseman
  • Vezina Trophy | Best Goaltender
  • Calder Trophy | Best Rookie
  • Selke Trophy | Best Defensive Forward
  • Lady Byng Trophy | Most Gentlemanly Player
  • Jack Adams Award | Coach of the Year

NHL odds explained

NHL moneylines

The moneyline bet provides one of the easiest ways to wager on anything, including hockey betting.

NHL moneyline bets pay according to a team?s probability of winning, and the NHL betting odds are locked in at the time you place the bet. All you have to do is pick a winner.

Moneyline odds are expressed as either a positive (+) or negative (-) number.

Negative numbers are for favorites and represent how you?ll have to bet to win $100 plus your bet back. Positive numbers are for underdogs and represent how much each $100 wager will pay plus your bet back.

The Columbus Blue Jackets?will likely be underdogs on the road against the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The Blue Jackets’ moneyline might be +165.

That means if you bet $100 on Columbus to win, you?ll get $265 ($165 + your original $100) back if they do.

If you like Tampa Bay to win at home instead, you?ll probably find them at around -200. That means you?ll need to bet $200 bet on the Lightning to get $300 returned (your original $200 + the $100 win).

NHL puck lines

NHL puck lines are like point spread bets in other sports. Most puck lines are set at -1.5 for the favorite and +1.5 for the underdog because two goals or less decide the average NHL game.

Betting the puck line means making the correct prediction with the line factored into the final score. Prices vary even if the puck line doesn?t, so shop around for the best one.

NHL totals

NHL totals are a lot like the over/under when you’re betting on the NFL. Sportsbooks set a line on the total number of goals they expect both teams will combine to score.

You bet on whether the actual total will be over or under that number. Typically, NHL totals lines sit around five or six goals and can be booked at -110 odds.

NHL futures

Futures bets are wagers on something where the outcome will not be determined until sometime in the future.

Traditionally, that means betting on who will win the Stanley Cup, a conference or division. The earlier it is in the season, the better the odds you?ll usually get.

Midway through a losing season for any team, NHL futures odds will go way up. But they?ll go way down for teams that look like they have a legitimate chance to win it all.

NHL
futures bets also include wagers on how many regular-season wins a team will accumulate, the outcome of NHL awards, the NHL draft and the NHL free agency.

NHL parlays

NHL parlays involve combining two or more NHL bets into one.

These bets pay better than single bets because you must win them all for it to pay. You can put together parlays involving one game, multiple games and even multiple sports.

NHL live betting

More advanced NHL betting options include live betting (in play betting), which lets you book basic bets at odds that change as the live-action does.

If one team is up after the first or second period, their odds will go down but a bet on the losing team might seem appealing at longer odds.

Live betting on the NHL is exponentially growing in popularity and American bettors can’t seem to get enough of it.

American vs. Canadian NHL odds

Hockey is a truly Canadian sport, and when it comes to Canadians betting on hockey, they do it with different looking odds than in the US.

Canadians use decimal odds. If you come across these odds online and want to compare, multiply the number by what you want to bet and that?ll tell you the payout.

US moneyline odds use negative numbers for favorites that represent how much you?ll have to bet to win $100, plus your bet back.

Positive numbers represent underdogs and how much each $100 bet will pay, plus your bet back.

Divide the payout on a moneyline bet by the amount of the original bet, and it?ll tell you the decimal odds.

Online NHL betting vs. retail NHL betting

While the social environment at a retail sportsbook is always fun, an online or mobile sportsbook in any state is usually superior when it comes to making frequent NHL bets.

To get started betting online, you typically only need to sign up for an account via the app or website. You don?t need to visit the physical sportsbook to register. This may vary from state to state, though.

Opening an online betting account is fast and efficient. You must be 21 years or older, and you only need to provide your home address and the final four digits of your Social Security number to verify.

While you must be physically inside state borders to place a real-money bet in any licensed state, you don?t have to be a resident there to do so. You can open an account and see all of the NHL lines available from anywhere.

Another nice feature of betting online: You can browse through all of the different NHL lines, props and futures, and enter combinations into your bet slip to see various payouts. You can?t do that at a betting window inside a busy retail sportsbook.

There?s also no waiting in line at the window to place bets online. You can search through all your options and enjoy quick access to the bets you want in real-time.

Also, there is a huge advantage for making in-game NHL bets when games are in progress.

Funding your NHL betting account

Once your account has been verified, it?s a quick leap to funding your account for betting. As fully licensed and regulated online businesses, online sportsbooks accept:

• Major credit cards
• Online bank transfers
• Third-party payment processors, like PayPal.

Cash options include making a deposit at the cage of an affiliated casino or even a 7-Eleven or CVS.

NHL Power Rankings

NHL.com releases the Super 16 NHL Power Rankings, identifying the top teams in the NHL throughout the regular season.

It is put together by NHL beat writers. These 13 staff members put together their version of the rankings. From there, a point total is assigned to each team. It gives 16 points for a first-place vote, 15 for second and so on through the 16 teams.

NHL.com also does the same heading into the season. Check the current Super 16 rankings every week on?NHL.com.

NHL betting strategies

Nobody picks winners in every single NHL game throughout the season. You don?t have to master the NHL betting scene to the point where you never lose a bet.

The trick is to learn how to not suck at NHL betting. The following five tips should help:

1. Embrace the home-ice advantage: The home-ice advantage is real in the NHL. Home teams get the last line change and can manipulate the on-ice matchups. Plus, they get the boost of confidence only the support of a home crowd can give a team. Just be careful; some teams are better at taking advantage of this than others. Home and road records are something you?ll want to look at before making any NHL betting decisions.
2. Use analytics/stats:? No matter what the sport, betting on it is a battle for information. Researching a team?s statistical data and any analysis of it will always help you make better and more informed NHL betting decisions.
3. Understand parity: There?s not much separating the league?s top teams from those at the bottom of the standings. Parity is real in the NHL. Most games are decided by one goal, and it?s rare to see games with more than five goals in total. Understanding that the NHL is a low scoring league where most games are close can give you an edge.
4. Bet your teams: Like we mentioned earlier, NHL betting is a battle for information. Try betting on the teams you follow closely as you?re bound to be winning that battle for info most of the time. Just don?t get caught up in betting with your heart instead of your head.
5. Read the situation: Look at key injuries, who?s at home, their home record, and whether they are coming off a long road trip or another game the night before. All these situations create betting opportunities with real value if sportsbooks have yet to adjust. You should always be aware of what kind of situation any team your betting on is in and make sure you?re not asking too much of them

Rookie NHL betting mistakes to avoid

• Chasing your losses:? Nobody is perfect. You?re going to lose a few bets along the way, and it might even start looking like you?re on a losing streak. You may be tempted to increase your typical bet size to chase those losses. Don?t, because that’s just a quick way to go broke. Instead, keep things the same and make sure you still betting when your picks start winning.
• Chasing upsets:? Sometimes favorites don?t pay well and big underdogs offer tempting prices. Scouring the NHL schedule looking for major upsets is not an effective betting strategy. In fact, they are so few and far between you might as well ignore them. Instead, look to grind out wins based on the principles you know.
• Betting parlays: Huge multi-game NHL parlays are a sportsbook?s dream. Punters get drawn in by big payout numbers, but the odds on these bets ever paying out are even more significant. One big NHL upset is rare, never mind half a dozen. But even a parlay filled with favorites is bound to catch a snag. If you must bet parlays, keep them small and manageable. In other words, don?t chase dreams that may never come true.