Sports betting

NHL Hockey Odds, NHL Schedule Online, Betting Hockey Online

by SPORTSBETTING.COM staff | May 28 2009

For hockey bettors and for hockey fans, the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs feels like the beginning of a summer vacation for grade schoolers, each day offering up a new set of adventures. We all know there is still an endless list of activities available in the weeks ahead as regular season NHL betting and handicapping NHL picks takes precedence, but there is a sense of excitement as the NHL playoffs draw nearer.

Keeping track of 16 teams through the first eight best-of-seven series' is a demanding, yet delightful chore all at once. Betting these NHL games on a night-to-night basis takes an extra sense of care and while many of the handicapping principles used during the regular season still need to be considered, there is an added dimension as the rivalry unfolds.

Bitterness takes on new meaning in these slugfests and when the hatred between two teams boils over into a fifth, sixth or perhaps even a deciding seventh game of the series, new variables arise.

While the first round matchups continue to sort themselves out down the final two weeks of the regular season it is a good idea for bettors to start developing a strategy for attacking the first round that will look to produce a profit while managing the bankroll for the long run to the Cup.

Start by designing a road to the Cup, and since we are currently in the midst of a NCAA March Madness basketball tourney that is blowing the doors off the betting world, it's only fitting that we use the word "bracket".

But first surf over to your online sportsbook and check the NHL future odds, the NHL playoffs odds—see the Stanley Cup odds and the Conference odds. Note those to see if there might be some value for a wager.

Ok, so what do we have in the league right now… Boston is a hair away from clinching the Northeast and unless the wheels fall off, New Jersey and Washington will soon follow suit in the remaining two Eastern Conference divisions. That guarantees a home ice advantage for the first round and likely beyond, and while it is a given that these leaders played strong hockey home and away to get into this position, looking at how their opponents fared in certain situations can offer insight to a potential upset.

Take for example, the New York Rangers. Were the season to end right now New York would face the Devils in the opening round. New York handled lesser division foes such as the Islanders with little problem this season but as an underdog on the road the Rangers won just a single game against Northeast foes (Oct. 11, 4-3 at Philadelphia). The trip to New Jersey from the Madison Square Garden is not a long one but make no mistake, the Rangers will be a Round 1 dog. If Martin Brodeur stays as hot as he has been since coming off the IR it will be hard to fade the Devils against any opponent.

Travel is even more of a factor for Western Conference teams and if all three Canadian clubs make it to the dance, body-clock factors from all the time zone shifting should be considered. When designing a bracket for the West, consider the youth of teams like Chicago and Columbus. Many of these players are unaccustomed to playing into late-April, especially at this level. The combined road record for the Hawks and Jackets this year is just two games above .500, too, and that could make first round matchups vs. San Jose, Calgary or Vancouver tough to handle.

Making a few series bets is a great way to have a piece of action on every game but just beware of laying big money on heavy first round favs. There is bound to be an upset or two and the juice lost on one of these bets can skew the efforts you put in elsewhere. Keep in mind that there will be plenty of opportunity to back these favs during the round on a per game basis, perhaps on the road or in a puckline play, which will pay the same as it would if you were to make a series play.

The advantage of waiting and picking a spot is that it gives you chance to see how a team is gelling now that the games are for keeps. Each year it seems that at least one team that excelled throughout the first 82 games will come up short and disappoint in the first round. The theory is that the club hasn't played a meaningful game in so long that they didn't have it in them to step up when it counts.

Placing a small wager on a long-term future is also a good idea for potentially padding your bankroll while earning you major bragging rights with your pals. Look at your brackets and check the online sportsbooks for odds on winning the Conference. If your gut has told you which team is taking the East or West and the line is good, place your bets.

One more step worth taking before the playoffs begin is to reference what your Conference winners are paying if they make the next step and go all the way. Ask yourself the question, "If this team really does beat so and so in the Conference Final, is there any way they can be stopped now?"

If your answer is no, consider laying a small piece on your Cup winner. The payoff for predicting a champion that far in advance can be quite rewarding.

Good luck with your hockey picks and keep an eye on the NHL playoff odds.