NHL Betting in West Virginia
West Virginia doesn’t have a hockey team to call its own, but the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and Columbus Blue Jackets are all nearby and have dedicated fan bases. Hockey fans may not be as loud and obvious as fans of other sports, but they are a passionate bunch who love their sport. Hockey bettors are much the same way.
A normal NHL season begins in October and runs 82 games until the playoffs begin in April. You can get in on the NHL betting action every night whether it’s by betting on individual games or through NHL futures. On this page we’ll show you everything you need to know to get started including today’s NHL odds direct from WV online sportsbooks.
Today’s NHL odds
The constant, non-stop action of hockey is what betting dreams are made of. Below, you’ll find the latest moneylines, totals, and puck lines at West Virginia online sportsbooks for today’s games. Click on any of the odds below to open a new account, claim your bonus bets and start betting NHL hockey. Check the second tab below for full Stanley Cup odds (Stanley Cup, Conference and Division winners) plus all individual awards odds.
Vegas NHL odds vs. West Virginia sportsbooks odds
Las Vegas has been synonymous with sports betting for most of our lives. Recently, states have begun to legalize sports betting across the country.
With the head start Vegas has had, it’s no surprise to know that West Virginia sportsbooks are following in their footsteps when creating odds.
Both Vegas and West Virginia use computer models and analytics to help set lines that are accurate and will attract balanced action for the sportsbook. Some models are a bit different than others, but the results are very similar.
One area where a West Virginia sportsbook may differ from Vegas is with the local teams. If the Penguins or the Mountaineers play, West Virginia NHL sportsbooks may shade the line to attract action on the opposite side to balance their liability.
How to bet on NHL online in West Virginia
With West Virginia entering the sports betting world, it is now quick and easy to get involved in the action. Getting started is a simple process whether you’re on your phone or computer.
Through this page, you’ll see an assortment of promotions and offers for all of the locally available sportsbooks. Go through them and find one that fits your needs. Once you figure that out, click the link on this page.
From there, you’ll need to register an account. Fill out all the applicable information, making sure it’s safe and secure. If you need to verify your identity, do that as well.
Once you’ve registered your account, download the sportsbook app of your choice from your app store. Downloading the app is important so you can bet from anywhere you are within the state.
Once the account is registered and the app is downloaded, make sure you’ve claimed your special offers.
Following that, deposit funds into your account if necessary. Use any of the available funding methods.
Once you are funded, you are ready to bet!
NHL live betting
Just because you missed the opening face off doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the betting action. Live betting has taken the sports betting world by storm, and the easiest way to get involved is through an app. Above, we explained how to download NHL online betting apps.
If the game has already started, you can live bet on NHL games from anywhere within state lines. You don’t even need to be a resident of West Virginia as long as you’re within the state boundaries.
If you think the team that scored first is going to end up losing the lead, live bet and get some great odds!
Best NHL betting app in West Virginia
DraftKings is arguably the biggest name in the fantasy sports and sports betting industry, and for good reason. Thankfully for those in West Virginia, DraftKings is available in our state. The DraftKings WV app offers a quick and easy sign-up process that lets you get in on the action as soon as possible. You can fund your account with many different methods.
Also, DraftKings has one of the best apps in the market. Their app is high-tech and shows you anything and everything you need to know about the games you’re betting. There is no shortage of betting options with DraftKings either as they have many different markets and props for every event, including the NHL.
Once you’ve won some bets, withdrawing could not be simpler. You get your money quickly!
How to read NHL betting lines
Below, you’ll find an example of a typical betting line for an NHL game:
| Team | Moneyline | Puckline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Penguins | -120 | -1.5 (+190) | Over 5.5 (-110) |
| Washington Capitals | +100 | +1.5 (-210) | Under 5.5 (-110) |
- Moneyline: With moneyline betting, you’re simply picking the winner of the game. If your team wins, you win your bet. The margin of victory doesn’t matter and neither does regulation time or overtime. The odds are set based on the perceived strength of the teams and how they match-up against each other. In the above example, you would need to risk $120 to win a profit of $100 on the Penguins. On the flip side, a $100 bet on the Capitals would win you $100.
- Puck line: If you’re familiar with run-line betting in baseball, the puck-line in hockey is very similar. It’s the NHL’s version of a spread bet, except the spread never changes. Sports like basketball and football have more scoring, so their spreads change based on the matchup. In hockey, the favorite covering the 1.5 goal spread is usually a plus-money underdog.
- Total: Will it be a high scoring game or a defensive battle? Total betting works the same way it does in every other sport. Will the teams combine to score more or fewer goals than the listed number? Most hockey totals are between 5.5 goals and 6.5 goals based on the talent level of the teams involved.
In addition to the three main types of bets, you can bet on different things like futures.
We outlined future bets above when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup or a division, but there are also future bets for player awards. You can bet on which NHL player you think will win the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP or the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goalie.
If you think Sidney Crosby is going to have a big year for the Penguins, betting him to win the Hart Trophy in the futures market can lead to a big payday.
What is the best hockey bet?
It’s hard to say with certainty whether there’s a certain hockey bet that’s better than others.
Moneyline bets leave bettors with the least to worry about. When you bet the moneyline, you have the same interest as the team you’re betting on. They just care about winning the game, and if they do that, you’ll win your bet.
Puck line bets have better payouts in most scenarios, but teams often pull their goalie when trailing late in a game. At that point, it becomes a question of whether there will be an empty-net goal, and that’s often hit or miss. If you want to avoid laying juice on a big favorite, a puck line bet is a good way to get better odds.
If you’re not sure who will win the game but have a good idea for the pace of the contest, total betting is a great way to go. If you expect a defensive effort with a lot of hitting and checking, betting the under is the way to go. Rather than rooting for a team, you’ll be rooting for saves and nice defensive plays.
NHL betting tips for beginners
Hockey can be an overwhelming sport to get involved with if you are a novice. There are 32 teams, and they play every other night for many months. Players get injured frequently and teams make lineup changes. Here are some tips to get ahead of the curve.
- Pay attention to goaltending news and matchups. Hockey is a sport with a lot of games, which means back-up goalies will get their fair share of games. Make sure you know who is playing goal for both teams before placing your bet. Would you bet on the Kansas City Chiefs if you weren’t sure Patrick Mahomes was playing? Probably not. Goalies are one of the most important positions in sports, so getting burned because you didn’t know the starter was getting the day off can hurt your bet.
- Pay attention to streaks. These teams have long seasons and even the best teams can go through some rough stretches. You can find value betting underdogs against elite teams if you realize that the elite team hasn’t played well for a few games while the underdog is playing good hockey. If a team is struggling to score the past few games, their confidence might be low and you can look towards betting the under.
- Pay attention to individual players. It might feel overwhelming knowing there are over 600 NHL players, but try and get a grasp on some of the league’s biggest stars. Prop betting is a fun way to get involved in NHL betting, and it helps to know what individual players’ skillsets are.
NHL hockey betting rules
Hockey betting is not complicated, but there are some rules to be aware of.
Player props will be deemed actionable as long as the player plays in the game. If the player misses a game, any prop bets made on them will be refunded.
Overtime counts towards all wagers unless the wager was made in the “Regulation Time Only” market. Moneyline bets will be graded as wins if the team wins in overtime. Goals scored in overtime count towards the game total as well as team totals.
Shootout goals do not count towards players’ stats. Individual shootout goals do not count towards the total, but the winner of the shootout is awarded a goal that counts towards the total.