Free NHL Picks Today & NHL Best Bets

The NHL season is filled with exciting action virtually non-stop from early October until late June, and Lines.com provides the best expert NHL picks all the way through every day of the season.

Hockey is not one of the more popular sports betting choices, which means a savvy bettor can take advantage of the best odds, predictions and parlays available.

2023 NHL PICKS TODAY

Tonight’s NHL action includes multiple games, and Lines.com has all the best betting advice for every game on the exciting slate of action. Make a hockey pick based on a prediction you like and get in on the excitement.

See our complete list of odds, props, and predictions: 

• NHL Odds
• NHL Player Props
• NHL Predictions 

BEST NHL GAME BETS

There are countless ways to bet on every NHL game at a sportsbook for the experienced player and newcomers alike. You can start with a simple moneyline wager, which requires you to just pick the winner of the game (say the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Pittsburgh Penguins), and then move up to more interesting wagers including over/under totals (for goals scored), puck lines (works like a point spread) or a 60-minute result (not including OT or a shootout). Then there are an endless menu of props – goal scorers, points/assists, shots on goal, goalie saves – that are good on their own or can be combined to create high-paying parlay bets.

For any good handicapper, it’s important to search for the best odds when selecting these wagers in order to maximize your profits.

NHL FREE PARLAYS

One of the best NHL betting choices is a parlay bet, where you can combine individual items to create a bigger payout. For example, if you think a team will win the game, it’s probably likely their best player will score a goal and take multiple shots on goal while their goalie will make plenty of saves. The bettor can combine all four to increase the odds and cash in.

A player props parlay also can give the bettor an interest in the game without having to worry about which team wins or loses. It’s important to keep track of who the best NHL players are and who might be on a hot streak (or a cold one) when using individual players as part of your parlays.

HOCKEY COMPUTER PICKS

Lines.com uses an automated AI algorithm to bring bettors the best computer-generated NHL predictions in the business. A bettor can wager on NHL action from moneylines to parlays with a free pick that suits your interest.

HOCKEY BETTING TRENDS: TOTALS, MONEYLINE, AND PUCK LINE

TOTALS

Hockey totals work the same way as they do in other sports, based on the amount of scoring – in this case the total number of goals – by both teams in the course of the entire game (three periods + overtime). The over/under line – usually between 4.5 to 7.5 goals – can vary based on the styles of the teams, and it's important to consider those matchups, along with the ability of the goalies, before placing your wager.

You also can bet the over/under for each period, if you expect a fast start or a closer game that may include an empty-net goal late. You can also make a hockey pick on a total for just one team, either for the entire game or by period.

MONEYLINE

The most popular NHL bet is the moneyline bet, which just requires you to pick the winner of the game (either via regulation, with overtime or with a shootout). Though the general talent of the teams is the best way to determine which side to take, there are other betting trends to consider, like home or road teams, back-to-back games, injuries and the starting goalie.

PUCK LINE

Another way to bet on an individual NHL game is through the puck line, which works the same way as the standard spread or run line works in NFL or college football, NBA or college basketball and MLB baseball. If you feel that a team is much superior to its opponent and will win by multiple goals, the puck line – usually a standard +/- 1.5 goals – will give you increased betting odds than a moneyline play. Or, if you believe the underdog has a chance to keep the game close but maybe not win it outright, using the puck line is a good way to play that, but it will cost a little more than a moneyline play.

BETTING LINES: FREE HOCKEY BETTING PICKS

NHL betting lines in some cases work just like the more popular ones associated with football and basketball. There’s a moneyline (just pick the winner), a puck line (works like a point spread) and a total (over/under based on scoring). Those will be familiar to any level of sports bettor.Hockey does provide some very interesting prop bets as well, both for teams and individuals at any point from the first faceoff until the final horn. For teams, they include scoring by period to shots on goal and almost everything in between. For players, you can boost your odds by choosing the first goal scorer, an anytime goal scorer, points by player and saves by the goalie, among many others.

Lines.com is here to guide you through the entire scope of wagers to increase your hockey action.

LATEST NHL FUTURES PICKS AND PREDICTIONS: STANLEY CUP, PLAYOFFS, AND MORE

A futures bet placed anytime during the season can give you a long-term interest in a player or team at higher odds. You can wager on the team to ultimately win the Stanley Cup, which teams will win their division or conference or simply make the playoffs, or how many games they will win over the course of the campaign. You can also place a bet on the player to win MVP or to lead the league in goals scored or points scored. It pays to watch the odds as they change during the season.

The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup last season at their raucous T-Mobile Arena and are among the favorites to do so again. But there are many worthy challengers – including the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins – that could provide attractive odds.Make a hockey prediction and enjoy the season. See our full list of NHL Futures.  

BEST NHL BETTING SITES AND SPORTSBOOKS

There are plenty of sportsbooks that offer a full board of wagers available for the NHL. Lines.com can help you find the best ways to bet the sport at these online sites. 

NHL CONSENSUS PICKS

The NHL is as wide open as it’s ever been with regards to who can win the ultimate prize, the 2024 Stanley Cup, so it’s hard to find a consensus play among the top teams. But the teams at the bottom and will likely stay at the bottom this season, so it’s more likely to find a path to some consensus on unders for wins and points and teams that won’t make the playoffs.

Individual players have more of a consensus opinion. For example, Edmonton Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid had a historic season in 2023 and is a popular choice to win MVP and the scoring title again. 

As any bettor can see, NHL hockey provides a wealth of choices to keep fans of the game excited throughout the 2023-24 season.

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