Sports Betting

Online Hockey Wagering

Have you been placing the same old hockey wagers for the past six months, simply plunking down cash on either the favorite or the underdog and then anxiously awaiting the game result? With only a few weeks left in the NHL regular season maybe it's time to mix things up a bit as you re-energize your puck gambling habits for the playoffs.

Here's a rundown of some other ways you can make money wagering on hockey . . .

Totals - Simply bet on whether the combined goals scored by the teams will go OVER or UNDER the game's posted total. Another pretty common way to bet on hockey, and every sportsbook will offer totals. For example, Sunday's Flyers/Islanders game had a posted total of 6.5 at Bodog.com; their five-goal tally made the game an UNDER play.

Player Props - You can bet on one player's performance in a specific game versus another player's performance. Mybookie.com offered several of these props for the Red Wings/Wild matchup on Sunday, including Datsyuk versus Gaborik most points scored in the game, and Shanahan versus Rolston most points scored in the game.

Team Props - Along with player props, some books also offer team props for certain games. For example, for the Canucks/Mighty Ducks game on Sunday afternoon Sportsbook.com gave you the option of betting on which team would score the first goal of the game, and whether or not the game would be forced into an overtime period.

First Period Lines - Too antsy to wait through an entire hockey game to get to the payoff? Another option is to wager on a first period line and total, which considers the game result final after 20 minutes of play. At SportingbetUSA.com the Mighty Ducks were listed as -135 first period favorites on Sunday, with an OVER/UNDER of 1.5 goals.

Futures - And for the long-term hockey bettor there's always the future odds, where you can wager on the team you think will win the Eastern Conference, Western Conference, or Stanley Cup this season. VIPsports.com has Ottawa as the 3/2 East favorite, Detroit as the 8/5 West favorite, and the Senators again as the 11/4 Stanley Cup favorites.

Once the NHL playoffs begin you'll also start seeing series prices popping up at various sportsbooks, and your futures action will begin to get a little more interesting. However, don't forget about plain favorite/underdog betting - no need to abandon the classics.

Bet on sports with your credit card!