SELECT SCORE:
When the U.S. decided to legalize sports betting, we knew there would be learning curves for the sports bettors and sportsbooks. This has proven true on both fronts and there are still adjustments occurring.
One positive aspect is the creativity of the oddsmakers offering new products that can open more wagering possibilities for bettors. That’s not to say because something is new, it’s good, but those who learn the ins and outs of what’s being offered can increase their winnings without taking on too much more risk.
Case in point is the 3-way or 60-minute line in the NHL and the Alternative Puck Line, which help a hockey bettor have an improved position in a contest. Let’s review these options.
Betting 3-Way, 60-Minute Lines
For those looking to reduce risk on betting favorites, this wagering option is fantastic.
Let’s say Washington is -200 on the money line as a home favorite against Montreal. The standard puck line of -1.5 (+120) is certainly not a bad option for a 2-to-1 favorite like the Capitals. However, because you follow the sport closely you spot possible trouble with that wager.
Washington is hot having won five in a row, but four of those victories came by one goal. That reg flag is matched by knowing the Canadiens goaltender has played extremely well in permitting only 11 goals in his previous five starts.
With a 60-minute line, here are your options.
- Montreal +250
- Draw +330
- Washington -130
Because hockey typically has more scoring than soccer, the Draw is a poor choice, though it will hit from time to time. With Washington expected to win almost 67 percent of the time based on their money line odds, being able to secure them at -130 odds on the 60-minute line is a great value.
There is risk because the favorite has to win in regulation and on average about 10% of NHL games go to overtime. However, that’s for all teams and if you are comfortable thinking your reduced favorite can win by just a single goal in the first three periods, you could have a winner.
Betting underdogs this way does increase the size of a possible payout, but why limit your chances to win by condensing the time you might have? Imagine your underdog team never leads until the game-winning score in the seventh round of a shootout and you choose the 3-way line attempting to add more profit.
Alternative Puck Line Betting
The Alternative Puck Line takes the standard line of plus/minus 1.5 and moves it up to 2.5, 3.5 or higher depending on the combatants.
Our experience is to use 2.5 from a fair odds perspective. The matchup would have a favorite of -350 or higher money line. If the chalk-laden favorite is mentally sharp to play at home, they would often jump on the weaker opponent right from the start to lead by three or three goals and add another or two to win handily to cover the spread.
However, this isn’t just for heavy favorites. Though the underdog has an inferior record, they could be scoring well beyond their season average, but playing poor defense and losing 5-3 or 6-4 contests for several games. If this big favorite has a key division matchup on deck, they might lack focus, and your +2.5 alternative puck line secures the win or snags a late score to slide under the number.
Late-Game Opportunities
Another wager for those who do in-game betting is to wait until five minutes are left in the game and take +2.5 or -2.5. If you take the underdog who’s trailing by a 6-3 score when they pull their goalie, because your team has already lit the lamp three times, with the opposing netminder or defense shaky, adding a sixth attacker could provide the goal you need to cover.
The other side of this wager is your team has a 2-0 lead and they’ve dominated the puck. The opposing club had less than 20 shots on goal and most were from a distance. Jumping in at -2.5 with four/five minutes remaining when the goalie is pulled might give your squad four to seven shots from distance to build on a lead or even just a simple breakaway for another goal.
In wagering today, it’s always best to know your options, study how you can benefit from them, and pick your spots.
