The NHL puck line: hockey’s 1.5-goal spread

• Overtime losses still cover +1.5.
• Shootouts add just one goal to the winner.
• Empty-net goals matter late.
• Price changes, not the line.

Same game: opponent +1.5 at about -170.

Like baseball, hockey is low scoring, so books keep the line at 1.5 and move the price. A -200 moneyline favorite might pay around +140 at -1.5. The underdog at +1.5 then costs about -170, because it covers every one-goal loss.

Most sportsbooks grade NHL lines and totals on the final score including overtime and the shootout, unless the market says regulation only. Read the market name before you bet.

In a shootout, the winning team is credited with one extra goal, no matter how many shootout attempts it scores. A 2-2 game won in a shootout ends 3-2 for betting.

A team trailing by one late in the third period often pulls its goalie for an extra skater. That raises its chance to tie, but also raises the leader’s chance to score into an empty net. Many one-goal leads end as two-goal wins this way.

Overtime pulls the other way. In recent seasons roughly one NHL game in four or five has gone past regulation. Every one of those ends with a one-goal margin, so the favorite at -1.5 can never cover them.

Put together, a favorite at -1.5 needs a regulation win and then a cushion, often earned with an empty-net goal. That is why the puck line pays so much more than the moneyline.

1. 1

   Step 01

   Check the moneyline

   Know the base price.

2. 2

   Step 02

   Compare the puck line

   Is the payout worth the risk?

3. 3

   Step 03

   Think about goalies

   Starters change prices.

4. 4

   Step 04

   Consider late play

   Empty-net habits matter.

5. 5

   Step 05

   Check grading

   Full game or regulation only.

Alternate puck lines such as -2.5 or +2.5 pay more or cost more. A favorite at -2.5 might pay +300 or better. These lines suit bettors with a strong view on a blowout, but the book’s margin is built into each step.

Regulation-time markets, often called 60-minute lines, settle after three periods. They usually include a three-way moneyline with the tie as its own result, which pays well if you expect a close game.

Some books also list period lines, such as first period winner or first period total. These are covered in more detail in our quarter and period betting guide.

Forgetting overtime

OT games are always one-goal games.

Misreading the shootout

It adds only one goal.

Ignoring regulation-only labels

Grading differs.

Chasing big plus prices

The win chance is lower.

• Point spread →Spreads in every sport.
• Period betting →Betting hockey periods.
• MLB run line →Baseball’s version.
• Moneyline odds →Reading hockey prices.

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1. NHL — Official rules Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Overtime and shootout rules
2. Wikipedia — Spread betting Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Point spreads and handicaps
3. Wizard of Odds — Sports betting Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry)?The gaming industry’s standard reference for casino-game math, by actuary Michael Shackleford. Not an official registry; our calculators compute these numbers independently. · accessed Oct 15, 2026Sports betting math
4. National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER