What is Puck Line in Sports Betting?

Puck Line Explained in Detail

Unlike football and basketball where the spread changes based on the perceived gap between teams, the puck line is always 1.5 in hockey. The variation comes in the odds attached to each side rather than the spread number itself. A heavy favorite might be -1.5 at -130, while a slight favorite might be -1.5 at +150.

The puck line dramatically changes the dynamics of a bet compared to the moneyline. A team that is -200 on the moneyline might be +120 on the puck line at -1.5. This means the sportsbook believes they will win the game 67% of the time but win by 2 or more goals only about 45% of the time. The difference reflects how often one-goal games occur in hockey.

Approximately 25% of all NHL games are decided by exactly one goal, making the +1.5 puck line a popular bet for underdog bettors. Taking +1.5 means you only lose if your team loses by 2 or more goals. You win if they win outright, tie in regulation and win or lose in OT, or lose by exactly 1 goal.

Alternate puck lines of -2.5 or +2.5 are also available at most sportsbooks. The -2.5 puck line pays significantly more because winning by 3 or more goals is relatively rare in hockey. Conversely, +2.5 puck lines are very safe but pay much less because very few games are decided by 3+ goals.