Find Daily Puckline Value – October 31

With the 2023-24 NHL season underway, finding puckline value has become a topic of conversation among bettors. Hockey is typically a moneyline sport where bettors back a team to win regardless of the score. This is because of the low scoring in NHL games. The most common scores in games are 3-2 and 4-3, but smart bettors can find value in betting on the puckline.

Finding puckline value begins with understanding what the puckline is. It is hockey’s version of the point spread. Oddsmakers set the puckline at 1.5. It’s easy to find the puckline favorite and the underdog. Let’s use an example.

• Los Angeles Kings +1.5 (-175)
• Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5 (+155)

The favorite is the team with the -1.5 line and, in this example, that is the Maple Leafs. The team given the +1.5 line is the underdog. The Kings are the underdog in this case. Once you get that part of the equation, it’s time to understand how to read hockey odds.

Reading Puckline Odds

Each team is also given puckline odds and bettors must understand how to read and interpret them. The puckline is where the savvy bettor can find great value on a far superior team. Strong underdogs that tend to play strong defense and keep games close can also offer puckline value. 

Remember, the most common scores of NHL games are one-goal games – 3-2 and 4-3. It is often difficult to win a game by two goals. That is why bettors will find some great odds on favorites. Take our example above with the Kings-Leafs game. 

Toronto is among the favorites to win its division, the Eastern Conference, and the Stanley Cup. The Kings are not. Toronto is off to a strong start in the new season and they are playing at home. The Kings are beginning a four-game road trip and had to travel all the way from LA. Still, Toronto is given +155 odds to win by two goals. That means you can bet $100 on Toronto and if they win 4-2 you win $155. 

Puckline Betting Strategy

Bettors can also bet on the puckline underdog in games that are more evenly matched. Take another example. We’ll use the Maple Leafs again, but this time they are playing the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning are also among the favorites to win the division, the conference, and the Stanley Cup.

• Tampa Bay Lightning -106 +1.5 (-120)
• Toronto Maple Leafs -116 -1.5 (+100)

The odds suggest that these two teams are more evenly matched. You believe this is a one-goal game all the way. Tampa Bay will keep this one close but you’re not sure they can win it. You can bet $120 on the puckline and if the Lightning lose by one goal you win $100. 

Knowing when to bet puckline favorites and puckline underdogs can be a challenge. If NHL betting strategy is too complicated, sign up for a free Sports Hub membership and follow one of our many hockey experts. Our guys are winning on the ice daily.

We’re Nailing Our Free Puckline Picks

Speaking of our guys, Sports Hub experts are off to a great start with the new NHL season. One in particular is our Sports Hub Free Picks. Who doesn’t love free picks? Sports Hub Free Picks have won a ridiculous 83 percent of the time so far and are up $405. 

Our Sports Hub expert handicappers are also winning on the ice. In fact, yesterday’s leaders nailed their NHL picks. Our hockey cappers will be here all season long providing winning picks on a daily basis. Follow them for more wins.

Let’s have a look at yesterday’s leaderboard.

• Sports Hub experts at the top: It was just another day at the office for Ryan Davis and Bill Blatt. These two both went 3-0 and earned $300 for their bankrolls. Each capper hit their lone NHL pick. Ryan won his puckline bet on the Dallas Stars -1.5. He also has more NHL picks for tonight.

• Sports Investors: The Sports Investors also went 3-0 and they hit two NHL picks last night. Both happened to be puckline picks. The Investors bet on two puckline underdogs to cover. They did and the final scores were 4-3 and 3-2. Sports Investors won $300.
• Our resident hockey expert: SportsHub expert Sal Lombardi is an old-school guy who is our top hockey capper right now. Last night, he nailed all four of his NHL picks. Over the last seven days, Sal is tops on the leaderboard with $443 in NHL winnings. He’s another hockey expert you can follow here at Sports Hub.

Here at Sports Hub we also offer great hockey content in addition to winning NHL picks. Our experts just updated all of our NHL futures articles with updated odds changes. For example, you can learn more about Norris Trophy leaders or favorites to win the Stanley Cup by reading our hockey content. Sports Hub provides more quality, in-depth information to help hockey bettors win more often.

Trending Sports News

There is a big NBA trade on tap that, ironically, is happening on NFL trade deadline day. The NFL trade deadline is today at 4 p.m. ET. The Rangers won a tough one last night to take a 2-1 lead in the World Series. Texas and Arizona play again tonight. Lionel Messi is back in the news and some NFL teams have quarterback issues.

Let’s see what’s trending today.

• Messi wins Ballon D’Or: If you’re unaware, the Ballon D’Or award is given annually to the world’s best soccer player. Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon D’Or yesterday. With the win, Messi becomes the first MLS-based player to win the award. Messi won his first Ballon D’Or 14 years ago.
• Cards QB situation: The Arizona Cardinals are 1-7 and the offense is a steaming pile of hot garbage. With QB Kyler Murray still recovering from his knee injury last season, Josh Dobbs took over at quarterback. The Cards are now benching Dobbs in favor of rookie Clayton Tune, a fifth-round draft pick out of Houston. Tune will start against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
• Lions rebound: The Detroit Lions dominated the Las Vegas Raiders on the stat sheet and ended up with a 26-14 victory on Monday Night Football. The Lions were 7.5-point favorites, ended up with 486 total yards compared to the Raiders 157, and won by 12 to get the cover.

• The Beard headed to LA: The Sixers and Clippers are finalizing a deal that would send James Harden to LA. Philly will send Harden, PJ Tucker, and Filip Petrusev to the Clippers in exchange for Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, Robert Covington, and KJ Martin in addition to multiple draft picks and a pick swap.

What’s on the Schedule Tonight

It’s Halloween and that can mean only one thing – MAC-tion baby! Yes, there is college football on the final day of October, offering bettors two games full of treats. It’s not the only thing on the schedule. While you indulge in your favorite Halloween treats, don’t forget to indulge in some Halloween bets. Could there be some puckline value in the NHL tonight?

Here’s what’s on tap tonight.

1. MAC-tion: It’s that time of the season again. The MAC begins its midweek play tonight with two games on the schedule. Northern Illinois is at Central Michigan and Toledo (7-1) hosts Buffalo (3-5). 
2. MLB: Game 4 of the World Series is tonight in Arizona. The Diamondbacks will start reliever Joe Mantiply and try to find a way to win a bullpen game. The Rangers will start Andrew Heaney. 
3. Tuesday NBA: There are only three games on the schedule tonight, but there is a TNT doubleheader. The Knicks travel to Cleveland in the opener and Victor Wembenyana and the Spurs are at Phoenix in the late game.
4. Tuesday night ice: It’s a slow night in the NHL, but there may be puckline value in one of the league’s two games tonight. The Kings are in Toronto. Three of the Leafs five wins so far this season have been by at least two goals. The Kings have lost all four of their road games. Can anyone say puckline value? Nashville plays Vancouver in the other game tonight.

5. Soccer: None of the major professional soccer leagues play tonight, but there is a ton of action in the lower level leagues. There are two games in the English Carabao Cup, for example. There are also a handful of women’s international friendlies.
6. Tennis: The top two seeds – No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 1 Novak Djokovic – play today at the Rolex Paris Masters. The women continue to play in the WTA Finals and the Dow Tennis Classic.

That’s all for today. Hopefully, you understand more about hockey’s puckline. As I said earlier, you can always search our library of content for more help with hockey betting strategy, moneyline bets, puckline bets, and more. Good luck today with all of your bets. Don’t forget to check our picks database where you’ll find free picks, computer picks, and premium service plays for all of today’s sports action. See you tomorrow.