A moneyline bet in hockey is a straightforward wager where you pick the team you believe will win the game outright. Unlike point spreads, it doesn’t matter how many goals the winning team scores; they just need to secure the victory. This type of bet is common among both novice and experienced bettors for its simplicity and directness.

Key Points About Moneyline Bets:

  • Simplicity: Just choose the winner.
  • Odds: Represented by positive or negative numbers.
  • Favorites vs. Underdogs: Favorites have negative odds; underdogs have positive odds.
  • Payout Calculation: A negative moneyline number denotes how much you need to bet to win $100, while a positive number shows how much you’d win on a $100 bet.

Example: If you bet $150 on a team with -150 odds and they win, you’d profit $100. Conversely, a $100 bet on a +200 underdog would net you $200 if they win.

Understanding these basics can help you make more informed decisions and potentially improve your betting success. Moneyline bets are particularly popular in hockey due to their clear-cut nature and ease of understanding.