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What Does ‘Puck Line’ Mean in Sports Betting?

what-is-puck-line

In sports betting, the Puck Line is the hockey equivalent of the point spread in football and basketball.

It’s a specific type of bet where a handicap (a goal differential) is applied to make the matchup more even in terms of betting odds.

How the Puck Line Works

The standard Puck Line is always -1.5 goals for the favorite and +1.5 goals for the underdog.

  • Favorite (-1.5 goals): If you bet on the favorite on the Puck Line, your team must win the game by 2 or more goals for your bet to win.
    • Example: If you bet on the Boston Bruins (-1.5) and they win 4-2, your bet wins. If they win 3-2, your bet loses because they didn’t win by 2 goals.
  • Underdog (+1.5 goals): If you bet on the underdog on the Puck Line, your team can either win the game outright OR lose by only 1 goal for your bet to win.
    • Example: If you bet on the Toronto Maple Leafs (+1.5) and they lose 4-3, your bet wins because they lost by only 1 goal. If they win 3-2, your bet also wins.

Why Bet the Puck Line?

  1. Better Odds for Favorites: If you believe a strong favorite will win convincingly, betting them on the Puck Line (-1.5) will offer much better odds (a higher payout) than betting them on the moneyline (to simply win the game).
  2. Insurance for Underdogs: If you like an underdog, betting them on the Puck Line (+1.5) gives you some “insurance.” You still win your bet even if they lose the game, as long as it’s by only one goal. This can offer a slightly lower payout than the moneyline, but with a higher chance of winning.
  3. No Pushes: Unlike some point spreads which can result in a “push” if the game lands exactly on the spread, the .5 in the Puck Line ensures there are no ties (pushes).

Example

Let’s say a game is listed like this:

  • Boston Bruins -1.5 (-110)
  • Montreal Canadiens +1.5 (-110)
  • If you bet on the Bruins (-1.5), they need to win by 2 or more goals (e.g., 3-1, 4-2, 5-3) for your bet to win.
  • If you bet on the Canadiens (+1.5), they can either win the game outright (e.g., 4-3, 3-2) or lose by exactly one goal (e.g., 2-1, 3-2, 4-3) for your bet to win.

The Puck Line adds an exciting dimension to hockey betting, allowing bettors to seek higher value or safer bets depending on their game prediction.