Written By:
Jelena Kabić
About Author
Jelena Kabic is a sports betting writer that focusses on responsible gambling. A psychologist by vocation, Jelena volunteered in a rehab facility, where she worked with gambling addicts. She now reviews all our content to ensure it discusses betting in a socially responsible way.
Fact Checked By:
Amy Webb
About Author
Amy's introduction to the gambling world was 6 years ago, when she joined a casino operator as a content specialist. Since then, she's helped launch and maintain gambling review sites in over 8 different countries. She's tested dozens of casinos and sportsbooks, which is how she can spot a subpar brand in an instant!
Last Update
September 28, 2023
Last Update:
NHL Betting Sites in Canada - The Ultimate Guide
NHL Betting
Think of one sport.
If you’re a Canadian, one of the first sports to pop in your head is probably ice hockey!
Ice hockey, and the NHL in particular, attracts thousands of fans and bettors every year.
But how do you bet on the NHL and which betting site should you choose?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
In this guide, we’ll walk you through our recommended NHL betting sites, popular NHL bets, Stanly Cup betting, and other hockey tips to keep in mind!
Jump to: Stanley Cup Finals 2023
Or you can read to find out whose fans are most dedicated!
Where Can I Bet on the NHL in Canada?
An Overview of Our Recommended NHL Betting Sites
Unsure which of these NHL sportsbooks to choose? Let’s look at them one by one.
Bet365
There’s a reason why bet365 is possibly the most popular sportsbook in Canada (our bet365 review can tell you more). It has a stellar performance for most sports markets.
Its hockey section is not an exception, with a lot of hockey leagues to choose from.
Bet365’s hockey focus is on the NHL, but it also offers a lot of options for Swedish, Russian, and international leagues.
At Bet365, you can also enjoy HD live streaming and an excellent downloadable app to place your bets wherever you are.
Betway
Betway is another familiar brand for Canadians. Betway’s top perks include:
- Competitive NHL Odds
- Excellent Cashout Feature
PointsBet
Unfortunately, PointsBet is only available in Ontario. However, Ontarians are in for a treat because PointsBet is an excellent choice for NHL bets. Here’s how:
- An Excellent Mobile App
- Live Streaming
- Good Range of NHL Bets
Comparison of NHL Odds
Perhaps the most important feature of any NHL betting site is its odds.
Better odds = more money in your pockets, so we took the time to compare different odds and help you make the best choice.
| Sportsbook | Colorado Avalanche | Vancouver Canucks |
|---|---|---|
| Bet365 | 1.62 | 2.40 |
| Betway | 1.62 | 2.35 |
| Sports Interaction | 1.63 | 2.35 |
During our analysis, we found very little variation between NHL odds.
This is to be expected for such a popular league where the main bets would be constantly analyzed and updated. In fact, other popular leagues like the MLB and NBA
Therefore, while in this particular instance, Sports Interaction was the best sportsbook for the favourite, and Bet365 for the underdog, you won’t find as much variation as more obscure leagues and sports.
The good news for that is that you can safely pick any of our recommended NHL betting sites without worrying too much about the odds!
Stanley Cup Betting
The highlight of every NHL season is the Stanley Cup, which determines which team gets crowned NHL champion.
Since it’s one of the most popular sports events of the year, sportsbooks go all out with a range of betting markets, extra perks, and competitive odds!
Best Stanley Cup Betting Sites 2023
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NHL Finals 2023: Odds to Win the Stanley Cup
Starting on April 17, 2023, the fiercest teams of the National Hockey League have gone head-to-head to produce two finalists: Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers.
Now that we’re getting closer and closer to the finals, we wanted to take a look at the odds different sportsbooks give them.
| Sportsbook | Vegas Golden Knights | Florida Panthers |
| Bet99 | 1.71 | 2.00 |
| Betano | 1.75 | 2.12 |
| bet365 | 1.74 | 2.05 |
| Betway | 1.76 | 2.10 |
While Betano offers the best odds for the underdog, which, in this case, is Florida Panthers, Betway has the highest odds for the favourite.
And these aren’t small differences, either. By betting $100 on Florida Panthers at Betano vs Bet99, you stand to win:
- Bet99: 2.00x$100=$200
- Betano: 2.12x$100=$212
$12 more!
How Do You Bet on the NHL?
Not sure which betting option to use for the NHL? The following section gives an overview of the most popular NHL bets!
NHL Moneyline Bet
NHL moneyline bets are bets on which hockey team will win the game. It’s as simple as that!
In the example above, Columbus Blue Jackets are the favourite to win the game, while Detroit Red Wings are the underdog.
If you bet $100 on Detroit, you’ll get a payout of $210, while a $100 bet on Columbus earns you a payout of $176.
Our Recommendation
Since NHL moneyline bets are so easy to understand, we recommend them for beginner bettors.
NHL Puckline Bet
Although more complicated at first glance, pucklines are straightforward bets!
A puckline is the equivalent of point spread betting or handicap betting in other sports.
With a puckline, one team (the underdog) gets 1.5 goals added, while the favourite starts with a disadvantage of 1.5 goals.
The reason is to even the odds of the two teams, which allows the underdog teams to be attractive for bets. Here’s an example:
Here, the Detroit Red Wings are the underdogs and are given the 1.5 goal advantage. On the other hand, Columbus Blue Jackets are considered the stronger team and therefore are given a disadvantage.
If you compare it to the above moneyline example, you’ll see the difference in odds.
While Detroit Red Wings’ odds of 2.10 weren’t looking desirable, its implied probability improved drastically with the puckline bet and odds of 1.44!
NHL Total Goals Bet
As the title indicates, this is a bet on whether the number of goals goes over or under a specific amount.
If we use the same example of Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets:
You win the ‘over’ if the total goals exceed 5.5, while you win the ‘under’ when the total goals are below 5.5.
At some NHL betting sites, you’ll also find variations of the total goals bet. Here’s an example:
As you can see from the example, the odds are adjusted accordingly for each scenario, depending on its likelihood.
NHL Prop Bets
NHL prop bets can be difficult to explain as they can be so varied in nature.
However, one good way to sum up NHL prop bets is that they don’t depend on the outcome of a game.
NHL player props include bets like:
- First goalscorer
- To score 2 or more goals
- To score 2+ points
While game prop bets have bets like:
- Highest scoring period
- Home team to win every period
- Empty net goal
Top Tip!
Although these bets are more dependent on luck than other bet types, they are also a good opportunity to spot value bets as they are still a small market at sportsbooks.
While our first three bets are common bets that you’ll find at all NHL betting sites, NHL prop bets can be trickier to find.
NHL Live Bets
With a popular league like the NHL, there’s no doubt that you can place live NHL bets while a game is ongoing.
Since there is only a limited time window, live bets are best suited for bettors who already know their way around a sportsbook and have enough knowledge of the sport and teams to bet without further research.
While all sportsbooks offer live betting, some are better than others thanks to the tools they have available.
For instance, we think Bet365 is one of the best options for NHL live betting due to its live streaming option and excellent mobile app.
Ice Hockey World Championship 2023
Another exciting event NHL fans will be betting on in 2023 is undoubtedly the IIHF 2023.
The 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship is set to take place from May 12 to May 28, and this time, it will be co-hosted by two European nations, Tampere in Finland and Riga in Latvia.
The International Ice Hockey Federation is organizing the tournament.
The Canadian men’s national team has consistently dominated the IIHF Championship, and this year’s tournament betting odds favor them yet again.
However, Finland, the reigning champions after their gold medal win in 2022, is seen as a co-favorite and will undoubtedly bring their A-game to the rink.
The Swedes and the Americans are also strong contenders for the championship title and are expected to give the Canadians and the Finns a run for their money.
We recommend checking out Bet99 for this tournament. It offers a decent number of betting markets, including first and last goal, as well as the correct score.
bet on IIHFAlternative Hockey Leagues to Bet On
Although NHL is by far one of the most popular hockey leagues for Canadians, there are other leagues to keep in mind if you want to expand your hockey betting activity.
Let’s take a look at some of the top ones, including international leagues.
Champions Hockey League (CHL)
You won’t find Canada participating in this league, but you’ll see the very best of European ice hockey as it features top teams from the first-tier leagues of countries in Europe.
It’s a yearly event with 32 teams from 13 different countries, and due to its high profile, you’ll find it available at all hockey betting sites.
The 2022-23 dates are from 1st September 2022 to February 18th 2023.
Keep an eye out for Sweden as they’ve won nearly all seasons since this league started.
Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)
The KHL is an international ice hockey league founded in 2008 and is considered to be the second strongest hockey league in the world (after the NHL, of course!).
While the majority of players are Russian, you’ll find another 30% of players from different nationalities, including Canada.
The KHL season starts in September and teams are split into two conferences – Western and Eastern. Each conference consists of 12 clubs divided into two groups, and after a total of 62 games, the top 8 teams qualify for the playoffs.
Swedish Hockey League (SHL)
The SHL is the highest division in the Swedish ice hockey system and consists of 14 teams in total.
Its regular season is from September to March, while playoffs occur from March to April. This means that there is plenty of activity to keep you occupied with if you bet on this league.
The SHL is not as popular as leagues like the NHL and the KHL, so you’re more likely to find good betting opportunities to profit from.
FAQs
Can I bet on hockey in Canada?
Absolutely! Our list of recommended hockey betting sites offer options for the NHL, but also smaller leagues like the WHL, AHL, and the MHL.
Where can I bet on NHL online in Canada?
Apart from the provincial lottery sites, you can also bet using operators with an iGO license like Bet365.
What can you bet on in hockey?
There are loads of betting options available in hockey. Some of the more common ones include betting on the winner, total number of goals, and first team to score.
What does a puckline mean?
A puckline is type of bet that is a form of spread (or handicap) betting. With a puckline, one team is given an advantage (usually of +1.5 goals) and another team a disadvantage (-1.5 goals) to even the odds.
