The Most Popular NHL Bets in 2026: Moneyline, Puck Line, Totals and Player Props

Hockey is a moneyline sport with a fixed spread. The puck line sits at 1.5 goals on almost every game, so the number rarely moves and the price does the work. Goals are scarce and overtime decides a share of games. Which goalie starts can move a line more than anything else on the injury report. The 2026-27 regular season opened on 29 September with 84 games per team, up from 82.

Key takeaways

• Moneyline: the default NHL bet, and it includes overtime and the shootout unless the market says otherwise.

• Puck line: fixed at 1.5, so shop the price attached to it. A shootout win counts as a one-goal win.

• 60-minute line: a three-way market (home, away or tie) settled at the end of regulation. Three outcomes are priced, so check its margin separately.

• Goalies: the starting goalie moves sides and totals, and confirmations can come late. Goalie props only have action if the listed goalie starts.

• Shots on goal: a staple skater prop. Shootout attempts don't count, overtime does.

• Cost: on a two-way NHL price, the margin you pay usually runs a few percent. Add the two implied chances together to see it.

The markets on an NHL board

These are the markets that carry most of the action on a hockey card, in the order this guide covers them:

• Moneyline: pick the winner, overtime and shootout included.

• Puck line: the spread, fixed at 1.5 goals.

• Total goals: over or under a posted number.

• 60-minute line: home, away or tie at the end of regulation.

• Player props: shots on goal, goals, assists, points and goalie saves.

• Futures: Stanley Cup, conference and division winners, season points totals and awards.

Game markets

1. Moneyline

Pick the winner. In the regular season, a game tied after 60 minutes goes to a five-minute three-on-three overtime, then to a shootout. Standard moneylines settle on the final result after all of it. In the playoffs there's no shootout, and overtime is played in full 20-minute periods at five-on-five until somebody scores.

Even strong teams lose plenty of hockey games, which keeps both sides of most moneylines playable.

2. Puck line

The spread, fixed at 1.5 goals. The favorite gives 1.5 and usually pays plus money for it, while the underdog takes 1.5 at a short price. Because so many games finish within a goal, the -1.5 side is a much harder ask than the moneyline.

FanDuel credits the shootout winner with one goal for all game markets, so a team that wins in a shootout has won by exactly one and the -1.5 loses.

3. Total goals

Both teams' goals added together, over or under a posted line. NHL totals are low, so a single goal is a big piece of the number. Full-game totals include overtime, and the shootout adds one goal to the final total. A game tied 3-3 after regulation that ends in a shootout lands as seven goals.

The starting goalies set the baseline more than anything. News that a backup is starting can move the total on its own.

4. The 60-minute line

This is the regulation-time market, sometimes listed as the three-way line. You pick home, away or a tie, and only the first 60 minutes count. If the game goes to overtime, the tie wins. Underdogs pay more here than on the moneyline because overtime and shootout wins aren't counted, and the draw is a live outcome in a sport where many games are level after three periods.

A bet on a team to win in regulation and a moneyline on the same team are different bets, and one can lose while the other wins.

What the price is costing you

Every price carries a margin, and you can measure it quickly. Convert each side to an implied chance, add them up, and whatever sits above 100% is what's being kept. The three-way line has a third outcome to price in, and the total usually runs higher.

The prices are illustrative.

On a sportsbook, that margin is built into the price. On a prediction market such as Novig, the price is set between bettors and the fee is a separate line on the ticket. Novig charges no fee to either side on pre-game straight trades, and the maker fee is $0 on every trade type. In-game it costs more: live NHL takers pay 0.06 x price x (1 - price) per contract, $1.50 per 100 contracts at even money, and futures and parlays carry their own taker fees.

Player markets

5. Shots on goal

A staple of the skater prop menu. It counts official shots on goal only, so blocked shots and misses don't help you. Overtime counts. Shootout attempts don't, unless the market name says so.

6. Goals, assists and points

Anytime goalscorer is the long-priced end of the menu. Points (goals plus assists) is the steadier way to back a player who drives offense. At FanDuel, a skater needs time on ice for the bet to have action, and shootout goals don't count toward any player stat.

7. Goalie props

Saves and goals against. These depend on the listed goalie actually starting. FanDuel gives a full-game goalie prop action only if the listed goalie records time on ice in the first minute.

Teams don't always name a starter early, and confirmation can come on game day. A side or total bet before the news is a bet on whoever ends up in net, and nothing voids it if the starter changes. Only the goalie's own props are protected.

Longer markets

8. Futures

Stanley Cup, conference and division winners, regular-season points totals, and awards. The 84-game schedule changes the math on points totals: every team has two more games than the 82-game seasons most models were built on. FanDuel requires a team to complete 80 scheduled regular-season games for its season futures to have action. The regular season ends on 10 April 2027.

Live betting and the empty net

Hockey trades well in-play because stoppages are frequent and the score changes slowly. A team trailing by one in the final minutes pulls its goalie for an extra attacker, and an empty-net goal in either direction can settle the puck line and the total in seconds. A -1.5 favorite leading by one is often waiting on that goal.

The rules that decide hockey bets

Overtime and shootouts: full-game moneylines, puck lines and totals include both unless the market is labeled 60 minutes or regulation time. The shootout winner gets one goal.

Suspended games: at FanDuel, a game must go 55 minutes for bets to stand. A game suspended before then that doesn't resume within 24 hours is void, unless the market was already decided.

Postponements: a game that doesn't start on its scheduled date is void at FanDuel.

Tickets against handle

Splits come from one platform's own book and report tickets and handle separately, so two sources can disagree on the same game.

What to look for

• Market header: overtime included, or 60 minutes only. They are different bets.

• Goalie status: check who's starting before a side or total, since a late change doesn't void anything.

• The price on the 1.5: the puck line rarely moves, so the price is what you shop.

• Where the cost sits: add the implied chances to see a sportsbook's margin. On a prediction market such as Novig, compare the fee line instead, which is zero on pre-game straight trades.

• Shootout rules on props: a shootout goal counts for the team and not for the player.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular NHL bet?

The moneyline is the default bet on an NHL game, and the puck line, totals and shots-on-goal props carry much of the rest.

Does the NHL moneyline include overtime?

Yes. Standard moneylines include overtime and the shootout. The 60-minute or regulation line excludes both, and a tie after regulation wins that market's tie option.

Do shootout goals count for player props?

No. At FanDuel, shootout attempts and goals don't count toward player stats unless the market says so. The winning team does get one goal added for game markets.

What happens if the starting goalie changes?

At FanDuel, moneyline, puck line and total bets stand. Goalie props have action only if the listed goalie starts.

Where is the cheapest place to bet an NHL game before puck drop?

On a prediction market such as Novig, pre-game straight trades carry no fee for either side, so the cost is the price itself. On a sportsbook, check the margin by adding the two implied chances.

21+. Winnings may be taxable; check with a tax professional.

Sources

NHL announces 2026-27 regular-season schedule - NHL.com - https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-announces-2026-27-regular-season-schedule

NHL overtime and shootout format - NHL.com - https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/nhl-overtime-shootouts-row/c-310366008

FanDuel Sportsbook house rules, ice hockey section - https://www.fanduel.com/fanduel-sportsbook-house-rules-ny

Fees on Novig - Novig Help Center - https://support.novig.com/en/articles/16195057-fees-on-novig

What sports are available on Novig - Novig Help Center - https://support.novig.com/en/articles/10336189

Eligibility and legality - Novig Help Center - https://support.novig.com/en/articles/16194031