Hockey betting is the most popular form of sports wagering in Canada. It draws many Canadians to online sportsbooks every week during the NHL season. If you’re a Canadian sports bettor, then you may very well be interested in betting on hockey.

This page discusses the specifics of hockey betting, including legalities, bonuses, tips, and strategies. It also covers the top hockey betting sites, along with their pros and cons.

List of the Best Hockey Betting Sites 2023

You’ll have no shortage of online sportsbooks to choose from when betting on hockey in Canada. But which of these bookmakers are actually worth your time? We’ve reviewed many hockey betting sites and have determined the following 10 sportsbooks to be the best.

1. Lucky Block – The top hockey betting site for Canadians from an overall perspective.
2. Powbet – Regularly rolls out promotions and betting contests.
3. 1Bet – Offers action on over a dozen hockey leagues worldwide.
4. WeltBet – Excels in multiple areas, including bonuses, deposits, and hockey league coverage.
5. Club Riches – The king of NHL betting futures.
6. 31Bet– Provides some of the best hockey betting odds.
7. 1Good.Bet – Has many hockey parlays and related promotions.
8. Rabona – Great for a variety of NHL bet types.
9. Cobrabet – Features lots hockey prop bets and futures.
10. BetiBet – Deposit and bet on hockey with 18 different cryptocurrencies.

Reviews of the Best Hockey Sportsbooks

You can see our favourite online hockey bookmakers above, but now you may be wondering what makes these sites great. The following reviews cover the strengths and weaknesses of each operator. You can use these pros and cons to determine which hockey betting site is right for you.

1. Bodog – No.1 Sportsbook for Hockey Betting

Operating since 1994, Bodog is one of the most-famous brands in online sports betting. Its long history of success and quality customer service have made it a trusted option. Besides its reputation, Bodog stands out thanks to multiple gambling verticals, exclusive features, and frequent hockey prop bets.

As for the gambling verticals, you can get a separate Bodog bonus for the casino, poker room, and sportsbook. The Bodog sports bonus matches your first deposit by 100% up to $400 (plus 50 free slots spins).

The $400 maximum amount isn’t terrible, but it’s not the industry’s largest bonus either. On another note, Bodog’s live betting section layout could be cleaner. But outside of these minor downsides, Bodog is the premier place for Canadians to bet on hockey.

2. Stake.com – Covers Lots of Hockey Leagues

Launched in 2017, Stake.com has made a big impact on the industry thanks to its market variety. This online sportsbook covers around 40 sports at any given time, which is much higher than the industry average (18-20).

Stake.com also provides deep coverage of international hockey, with 16 leagues currently available. You can wager on the NHL, SHL (Sweden), Liiga (Finland), Metal Ligaen (Denmark), EHL (Austria), and more. Stake features countless live betting opportunities and quick payouts too.

The Stake.com sports bonus matches your first deposit by 200% up to $1,000. The match percentage is impressive, but you must meet 40x rollover (b + d) and deposit at least $100. We can handle the high bonus rollover and minimum deposit when considering all of Stake’s good qualities.

3. BetOnline – Great All-Around Hockey Betting Site

Launched in 2004, BetOnline has been in business for almost two decades. It has lasted this long by being strong in multiple categories, including sports coverage, deposit methods, and bonuses. BetOnline covers 10 hockey leagues, such as the NHL, KHL (Russia), and DEL (Germany).

It also provides an extensive number of banking options, including both cryptocurrencies and traditional deposit methods. You don’t have to pay fees on any of the crypto deposits or withdrawals either.

The BetOnline bonus matches your first deposit by 50% up to $1,000. We like this bonus’ size, but the rollover (10x) could be lower. In addition to high bonus wagering requirements, BetOnline doesn’t offer live streaming. Outside of these drawbacks, though, this online sportsbook delivers an excellent all-around hockey betting experience.

4. Xbet – Lots of Hockey Betting Futures

Xbet is a great hockey betting site for NHL futures. You’ll see futures as soon as you land on the hockey section. You can also look forward to betting contests on the NFL, NBA, and other sports. These contests provide a chance to make picks and compete for prize pools worth $100k or more.

The Xbet bonus matches your initial deposit by 100% up to $500. This bookmaker offers ongoing reload bonuses too worth up to $250. Our only complaint about the reload deals is the lowly 25% match.

We also think that Xbet could improve its interface, which features an ugly green-and-navy-blue color scheme. But this color scheme is hardly enough to keep us from enjoying one of the top hockey betting sites.

5. MyBookie – Offers Great Hockey Betting Odds

MyBookie is a great sportsbook for improving your odds at hockey betting success. It offers some of the industry’s most-competitive hockey odds, thus boosting your profit potential.

The MyBookie bonus matches your first deposit by 100% up to $1,000. Due to the match percentage and size, this deal is one of the best hockey betting bonuses available. You can also enjoy loyalty rewards and other promotions here.

Downsides include a plain interface and more-difficult navigation than the average online sportsbook. If you can deal with the website, though, you’ll reap the benefits of MyBookie’s favourable NHL betting odds.

6. Everygame – Great for Hockey Parlay Betting

If hockey parlays are important to you, then you’ll appreciate this betting site. Everygame offers a nice selection of NHL parlays and special promotions for these bets. At the time of this review, Everygame delivers up to a $100 boost on successful parlays.

The Everygame bonus comes in three separate parts, each matching your deposit by 100% up to $250. Therefore, you can enjoy the maximum bonus without making one huge deposit. You can also expect reasonable terms and conditions, including 100 days to earn all three deposit bonuses.

Everygame’s drawbacks include limited hockey futures and NHL coverage. Regarding the latter, we’d like to see a larger quantity of NHL lines each night. But all in all, Everygame is a top-tier hockey online sportsbook thanks to its parlays and bonuses.

7. BetNow – Best for Hockey Betting Variety

BetNow excels at providing a wide range of hockey bet types. Upon visiting the hockey section, you’ll quickly see props, totals, futures, and periods—among other wager types. You will also find a large assortment of international hockey leagues, with 11 available at this writing.

This bookmaker offers three welcome bonus options, which is a plus. But the downside is that none of these options are great. One BetNow bonus only offers up to $300 and has 15x rollover. The good news is that you can take advantage of other promotions beyond the subpar welcome packages. You’ll also benefit from BetNow’s various bet types and hockey leagues.

8. BUSR – Provides Many Hockey Futures and Prop Bets

BUSR is a leading hockey betting site thanks to its large quantity of prop bets and futures. It doesn’t just offer futures in the preseason or prop bets during the NHL Playoffs. Instead, BUSR provides these types of wagers throughout the entire season. You won’t have any trouble finding these bets either thanks to a user-friendly website.

The BUSR welcome bonus is massive, delivering a 150% match up to $2,500. It’s the biggest bonus on this list, but it also requires a $100 minimum deposit. Additionally, you won’t have many promotions to look forward to beyond the welcome deal.

Even still, BUSR is an excellent hockey gambling site thanks to its prop bets, futures, and usability. The $2,500 max bonus also provides a great opportunity for high rollers.

9. SportsBetting.ag – Deposit with Over a Dozen Cryptocurrencies

If you’re a cryptocurrency enthusiast, you’ll love the wide range of crypto deposit methods at SportsBetting.ag. This online sportsbook currently accepts 18 cryptocurrencies, including ApeCoin, Avalanche, Binance Coin, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Polygon, Stellar, and more. Note that you can deposit between $100k and $500k with crypto.

The SportsBetting.ag bonus offers a 50% match on your first deposit up to $1,000. You can also expect a 25% reload bonus for life when betting on hockey here.

As for drawbacks, SportsBetting.ag isn’t the best-looking hockey betting site ever. It also only covers 8-10 sports besides hockey. Provided you’re not interested in many other sports, though, then you should be fine with the limited markets.

10. Powbet – Features Plenty of Hockey Betting Promotions

You can expect many promotions when wagering on hockey at Powbet. This online sportsbook features over a dozen sports betting promos alone, such as free bets, parlay boosts, cashback, and more. You’ll also have the opportunity to regularly participate in betting contests.

Unfortunately, the Powbet welcome bonus doesn’t quite live up to the extensive promotions. It matches your first deposit by 100% up to $150, which won’t satisfy bigger bettors. On the other hand, this deal is just an introduction to everything else that Powbet offers.

FAQs about Hockey Betting

How do hockey betting lines work?

Hockey betting lines often use decimal odds, where the favourite has below 2.0 odds and vice versa for the underdog. If favoured Calgary had 1.6 odds, then you’d bet $100 to win $60 ($160 total). Assuming the underdog Ottawa had 2.3 odds, you’d wager $100 to win $130 ($230 total).

What are the best hockey betting sites in Canada?

After conducting many reviews, we see Bodog, Stake.com, BetOnline, Xbet, and MyBookie as the top hockey betting sites. All of these online sportsbooks are reputable and have their own individual strengths that make them worthwhile.

How do you bet on a hockey game?

You can wager on hockey by registering and depositing at an online sportsbook. The registration process involves filling out a form and normally only takes a few minutes. Canadians can typically deposit with Interac, Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Skrill, EcoPayz, and more.

What is the puck line in hockey betting?

The puck line is a spread bet that handicaps the favourite at -1.5 goals and underdog at +1.5 goals. The favoured team must win by two goals or more, while the underdog must lose by one goal or win.

What is double chance in hockey betting

A double chance bet requires you to wager on two out of three possible outcomes. These outcomes include Team A winning, Team B winning, or a draw (after three periods). If you pick Team A winning and a draw, for example, you win with either of these outcomes.

What is 3-way betting in hockey?

3-way hockey betting is similar to double chance with a small change. A 3-way bet still offers three outcomes, including Team A winning, Team B winning, or a tie (after three periods). But you only pick one outcome instead of two out of three.

Does overtime count in hockey betting?

Most hockey bets include overtime and penalty shootouts in the outcome. Double chance and 3-way bets are the exceptions, though, because they only count the first three periods. Some hockey prop bets also exclude overtime from the results.

What does +1.5 mean in hockey betting?

Puck lines use 1.5 as a spread for underdogs. If the underdog Calgary Flames have a +1.5 puck line, for example, they must lose by one goal or win.

Comparing the Best Hockey Betting Sites

You can’t go wrong when picking any of our recommended online hockey sportsbooks. But these bookmakers can differ in certain respects, most notably in terms of bonuses, parlays, live betting, and live streaming. You can see how our six favourites compare in these areas below.

Are Offshore Hockey Betting Sites Legal in Canada?

The Canadian government has a loose stance on hockey gambling and sports betting in general. It doesn’t criminalize betting on hockey and other sports on a national level. Therefore, you can legally enjoy hockey betting in Canada without fear. Every recommended offshore betting site here is legal within the country’s borders.

Ontario is the exception to the norm because it features regulated online hockey betting. Canadian Parliament passed C-218 in 2021, which allows provinces to regulate single-game betting—as opposed to just parlays. The Heartland Province took advantage of this law and now requires all Ontario online sportsbooks to obtain licensing. That said, you can’t enjoy unlicensed betting sites when you’re within Ontario’s borders.

Offshore hockey sportsbooks are legal and available throughout the other nine provinces. They carry the “offshore” distinction because they’re located and hold licensing in different countries (e.g., Costa Rica). Again, though, Canada doesn’t have any national laws against these bookmakers serving relevant provinces.

Advantages of Offshore Hockey Online Sportsbooks

Despite being legal, Offshore betting sites aren’t regulated nor do they hold licensing in any Canadian provinces. Contrast this situation to licensed Ontario sportsbooks, which must operate under the province’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission’s guidelines.

That said, you may be hesitant to deposit and wager at unregulated betting sites. But as you’ll see below, offshore hockey betting sites have notable advantages over their regulated counterparts:

• More available markets – Offshore bookmakers serve a broader spectrum of countries than regulated sportsbooks. Therefore, they provide more international markets beyond just local favourites.
• Better hockey betting bonuses – You’ll often find bigger and more-frequent bonuses at unregulated hockey betting sites. These operators usually provide a large welcome bonus, free bets, odds boosts, and more.
• More Favourable odds – Offshore operators don’t need to pay expensive licensing fees to operate in every jurisdiction. They pass these savings on to bettors in the form of superior hockey odds.
• Available in more provinces – Ontario has ring-fenced its market and only allows licensed hockey online sportsbooks. Unregulated betting sites, meanwhile, are available throughout the country’s other nine provinces.
• Cryptocurrency deposits & withdrawals – Offshore hockey sportsbooks are the only ones that accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Regulated operators, meanwhile, only take traditional banking options like Visa and PayPal.

Also of note, most offshore hockey betting sites are still reputable despite not being regulated. The majority obtain licensing in their home countries and must operate under a set of standards. They also protect their websites and customers’ data via high-level encryption technology.

Our Criteria for Choosing a Top Hockey Betting Site

We carefully consider several aspects before recommending hockey betting sites. The following points are most important to us during the review process.

Range of Hockey Bets

You may eventually tire of moneylines and puck lines when betting on hockey. In this case, you’ll want additional bet types to try, such as parlays, futures, prop bets, and the Grand Salami. This is where betting variety becomes a key factor in approving an online sportsbook.

Choice of Hockey Leagues

If you’re really into hockey wagering, you probably want to go deeper than just the NHL. The right sportsbooks can provide this variety in the form of more leagues, such as the SHL, Liiga, and KHL.

Bonus & Promotions

You don’t have to rely on beating hockey betting odds alone to make money. Most online sportsbooks offer bonuses and promotions for their customers. The top betting sites provide frequent promos with reasonable terms and conditions on withdrawing bonus funds.

Safety & Security

Safe betting sites handle customers’ money properly and prevent hackers from accessing sensitive information. This being said, we ensure that any recommended sportsbook makes timely payouts and encrypts its website.

Payment Methods

You eventually must place a deposit to enjoy hockey betting online. Additionally, you’ll need at least one withdrawal method to collect winnings when necessary. More banking options improve your chances finding deposit and withdrawal methods you can use.

Customer Support

High-quality customer service is indicative of the overall quality of an online sportsbook. The best bookmakers have knowledgeable and friendly reps who can help you with questions and issues. They gain bonus points for providing 24/7 support for live chat and email.

How to Sign Up and Bet on Hockey

You can get started with hockey betting online rather quickly. The following steps show how to sign up at Bodog, but they apply to most other online sportsbooks as well.

Step 1: Visit the sportsbook where you want to bet.

The first step to getting started with Canadian hockey betting involves visiting your preferred bookmaker. You can use our reviews to help you in this process.

Step 2: Select the Register (Join) Option.

Once at the desired hockey betting site, you want to choose the Register (a.k.a. Join) button. This action will open up the signup form.

Step 3: Fill Out the Registration Form.

Many online sportsbook signup forms begin with requiring your email and password. Of course, each bookmaker can differ slightly in this step. You’ll also need to enter various personal details, such as your name, birth date, address, country, and more.

Step 4: Select a deposit method and fund your account.

After completing registration, you must deposit to begin betting. This step involves picking a banking option and entering the deposit amount.

How Hockey Betting Works

Hockey wagering is similar to other types of sports betting in most respects. Canada-facing hockey sportsbooks typically use decimal odds to indicate favourites and underdogs. Here’s an example of decimal hockey betting odds:

• Boston Bruins 1.70 (betting $100 to win $70 [$170 total])
• New York Islanders 2.20 (wagering $100 to win $120 [$220 total]

Some Canada hockey betting sites use American odds instead of the decimal variety. You can see how American odds work below:

• Ottawa Senators +155 (betting $100 to win $155)
• Montreal Canadiens -190 (wagering $190 to win $100)

Both American and decimal hockey betting odds end with the same goal. They require you to bet more to win less on favourites and vice versa on underdog teams.

Single-Game Hockey Betting Explained

As mentioned before, Bill C-218 gives provinces the authority to regulate single-game sports betting. But what exactly does this mean for hockey betting in Canada?

Single-game wagering sees you bet on a lone team or outcome in one game. If you take the Dallas Stars on the moneyline, then you’re making a single-game bet. This type of sports gambling directly contrasts parlays, which require you to put multiple teams on a ticket.

Before C-218 passed in June 2021, provinces only had the ability to offer parlay-style betting. Now, any province can create a regulated market for single-game gambling. Ontario is the only province that has capitalized on this bill, while other provinces still have unregulated sports betting. These same provinces don’t have any rules preventing offshore betting sites from serving their populations.

Popular Types of Ice Hockey Betting Markets

Hockey wagering includes plenty of bet types, including some that are unique to the sport. You should find the puck line, Grand Salami, double chance, and 3-way betting to be interesting.

Moneyline Bets

A moneyline wager merely requires you to pick the winning outcome or team. If your team wins, then you win—it’s that simple. Of course, sportsbooks weight the higher-ranked squad and underdog differently to encourage action on both sides. Here’s a moneyline example:

• Tampa Bay Lightning 2.75 (betting $100 to win $175 [$275 total])
• Carolina Hurricanes 1.45 (wagering $100 to win $45 [$145 total])

Puck Line (Spread Betting)

Unlike football or basketball, hockey doesn’t have high enough scoring for normal spread bets. The puck line takes the place of spread betting in hockey. The favourite must cover a -1.5 goal spread, and the lower-ranked team has to cover +1.5. Moneylines on either spread vary from match to match because 1.5 goals is a large gap in this sport. You can see a puck line example below:

• LA Kings +1.5 (2.45) – LA must lose by one goal or win the game.
• St. Louis Blues -1.5 (1.55) – St. Louis needs to win by two goals or more.

Totals

A totals bet accounts for the combined number of goals by both teams. Your task is to bet over or under the given goal total. Here’s an example:

• Winnipeg Jets: over 6.5 (1.91) – You need these teams to score seven goals or more.
• Vancouver Canucks: under 6.5 (-191) – You need both teams to score six goals or less.

Prop Bets

A hockey prop bet deals with an outcome that’s not necessarily tied to the final score. For instance, an online sportsbook might ask if a certain player will score a goal. Here’s a hockey prop bet example that comes in totals form:

Shots on goal for Florida Panthers vs. Nashville Predators

• Over 60.5 (1.91)
• Under 60.5 (1.91)

Futures

Hockey futures are exactly what the name implies: bets that conclude in the distant future. Common futures wagers include conference champions and the Stanley Cup winner. You can see how the latter looks below:

Which team will win the Stanley Cup?

• Colorado Avalanche 4.20
• Carolina Hurricanes 5.35
• Toronto Maple Leafs 6.15
• Pittsburgh Penguins 7.45
• Florida Panthers 8.60

Parlays

As opposed to the single-game bets covered so far, parlays require you to choose two or more teams. You have to pick every outcome correctly to win. Obviously this is difficult, which is why hockey parlays pay more than the typical single-game wager. Here’s a hockey parlay example:

• Edmonton Oilers +1.5 puck line (2.3)
• Chicago Blackhawks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: over 6.5 goals (1.91)
• New Jersey Devils on a 1.70 moneyline
• Pays 6.5-to-1 (e.g. $100 would pay $650 in profits)

Live Hockey Betting

Live hockey wagering refers to bets that arise in the middle of games. It’s different than pre-match bets, which are only available before a game begins. The following scenario illustrates a live hockey bet:

• The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals are tied 1-1 in the second period.
• A sportsbook proposes the following live bet:
• Which team will score the next goal
• Boston Bruins 2.2
• Washington Capitals 1.67

Grand Salami

Unique to hockey, the Grand Salami involves guessing the total number of NHL goals scored in an entire day. It gives you a vested interest in every game during that day. Here’s how the Grand Salami works:

How many NHL goals will be scored today?

• Over 47.5 (1.91)
• Under 47.5 (1.91)

3-Way Betting

A 3-way bet calls on you to pick one of the following: Team A wins, Team B wins, or draw. The draw wins if both teams are tied after three periods (NHL games don’t end on draws). Here’s an example on how 3-way betting works:

• Edmonton Oilers to win 1.80
• Montreal Canadiens to win 2.05
• Draw 3.60

Double Chance

A double chance bet is very close to a 3-way wager. The key difference, though, is that double chance lets you pick two out of the three outcomes. You only need one of these outcomes to win for a successful bet. The following example illustrates 3-way betting in action:

Pick two of three

• Detroit Red Wings 2.43
• Florida Panthers 1.57
• Draw 3.30

Hockey Betting Strategy & Systems

Hockey betting strategy involves using gambling systems in hopes of profiting. Systems don’t guarantee long-term profits—at least not the common ones anyways. But the right hockey betting strategy can help you maximize winnings when things are going well.

Fade the Public

The public loses more often than bookies, which makes fading the public a popular hockey betting strategy. It requires looking up stats on public betting percentages for a particular game, which isn’t usually difficult to do. Once you find where the public is wagering, you bet on the opposite side.

Bet 1% of your Bankroll

Bankroll management is just as important when betting on hockey as it is with any other sport. A good bankroll management strategy involves only risking 1% of your roll on a given contest. If your bankroll is worth $1,500, for example, then you would bet $15 per game. This way, you don’t risk overextending your bankroll and can stay in the game longer.

Focus on ATS Records

Against the spread (ATS) records indicate how a team performs against the point spread. Or in hockey’s case, ATS records show how teams do against the puck line. With this strategy, you look for teams that have good puck line records and wager on them.

Our Top 5 Hockey Betting Tips

The strategies covered above are broad approaches to hockey wagering success. If you’re looking for more-specific advice, you can check out the following five hockey betting tips.

Tip 1: Monitor Changes in Hockey Betting Lines

Bookmakers typically open with a hockey line and change it one or more times before the game. You might not like the initial price you see on a team. By watching for line shifts, you may eventually get the odds you want.

Tip 2: Slow Down on Live Hockey Betting

Live wagering presents numerous chances to bet on hockey every day. But it can also cause you to get carried away and place too many wagers. You should have a preset limit on live bets going into a game to limit your risk.

Tip 3: Focus on One Division

You might fancy yourself a big hockey expert, but you don’t want to overplay your hand. 32 teams are in the NHL alone, thus making it difficult to become an expert on every one. You’re better off focusing on the teams from one division and learning them inside and out.

Tip 4: Pay Attention to Travel Schedules

Road trips can be an overlooked part of hockey betting strategy. They’re definitely notable, though, because long travel schedules can greatly impact a team’s performance. If you notice an East Coast team making a long West Coast trip, you might want to bet against it.

Tip 5: Hunt for Hockey Betting Bonuses

The last of our hockey betting tips revolves around capitalizing on bonuses. Most online hockey sportsbooks offer bonuses, including free bets, deposit bonuses, and more. You should take advantage of these deals whenever possible to help boost your bankroll.

Biggest Hockey Leagues to Bet on

The NHL is definitely hockey’s premier league, boasting two conference championships and the Stanley Cup Finals. As you’ll see below, though, this sport has a few other leagues for betting purposes.

NHL

The 32 National Hockey League are across four divisions, including the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, and Pacific. The first two divisions are in the Eastern Conference, while the latter two are in the Western Conference. As for the playoffs, the top three teams in each division earn a postseason bid. The final four spots go to the two next-best teams from each conference. All 16 teams—eight from both conferences—compete and eliminate each other until the Stanley Cup winner is determined.

Kontinental Hockey League

The KHL is the world’s second most-competitive hockey league, drawing from an international talent pool. It features 27 teams, which, similar to the NHL, sees the top 16 squads make the postseason. These teams play down until one squad is left holding the Gagarin Cup.

Swedish Hockey League

With 14 teams, the Swedish Hockey League isn’t quite as big as the NHL or KHL. Nevertheless, it still features plenty of solid players and competitive play. The top eight teams make the playoffs, and the highest three seeds choose their opponent.

Winter Olympics

Although not technically a league, the Winter Olympics features intense international competition. Taking place once every four years, the Olympics pit the top national teams against each other for medals. The first, second, and third place teams take home gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively.

Canadian Hockey Teams to Bet On

The NHL features seven teams from the Great White North. If you’re passionate about Canadian hockey teams, then you should check out the following at betting sites.

Calgary Flames

This team actually started out as the Atlanta Flames in 1972, before moving to Calgary in 1980. It has won one Stanley Cup (1989) while making the playoffs a total of 29 times.

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton launched in the now-defunct World Hockey Association in 1971 and transitioned to the NHL in 1979. It enjoyed great success in its first decade in the league, winning five cups from 1984 to 1990.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens have been a part of this league since 1917. Montreal’s long NHL history has helped it win a record 24 Stanley Cups and earn 83 playoff bids.

Ottawa Senators

Founded in 1992, the Ottawa Senators have yet to win the cup. This team has had some success, though, earning a playoff berth 16 times.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Like the Canadiens, Toronto was one of the four original NHL teams in 1917. It won 13 Stanley Cups up until 1967, but it has yet to win the title since then.

Vancouver Canucks

Formed in 1970, Vancouver is one of the unluckiest hockey teams. The Canucks have come up short in three Stanley Cup Finals, losing two of them in the seventh game.

Winnipeg Jets

Originally founded as the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999, the Winnipeg Jets became official in 2011. This team hasn’t experienced much success in either city, only making the playoffs four times so far.

Bonuses for Hockey Betting Online

Bonuses are one of the best aspects of hockey betting online. Most betting sites try to retain customers with various bonuses, including the following common offers.

Match Deposit Sign Up Bonuses

A match bonus matches your deposit by a certain percentage. If you deposit $100 under a 100% match deal, for example, then you’d receive a $100 bonus.  Match bonuses are one of the most-common types of signup (a.k.a. welcome) bonuses.

No Deposit Bonus

Most hockey betting bonuses require you to deposit before qualifying. A no deposit bonus, in contrast, merely calls on you to complete registration. After signing up for an account, you’ll receive the given bonus deal.

Free Bets

A free bet doesn’t cost you anything to place. The small catch is that it only pays your winnings minus the stake. If you make a $25 free bet and win $20, then you’ll only collect the $20 in winnings.

Bitcoin & Crypto Bonuses

Crypto deals are available to anybody who deposits with Bitcoin or another eligible cryptocurrency. These bonuses can cover free bets, match bonuses, or risk-free bets. Again, the lone stipulation is that you deposit with an accepted cryptocurrency.

Reload or Top-Up Bonuses

A reload bonus is a match bonus for existing customers. In contrast to a signup bonus, you don’t need to be a new bettor to qualify for this deal.

Risk-Free Bets

Risk-free wagers give you an opportunity to earn back losses after meeting terms and conditions. If you get a $100 risk-free bet and lose, you’ll have a chance to recoup the $100 in losses. Assuming you win the bet, you will simply collect the winnings and move on.

The Best Payment Methods for Hockey Betting

Hockey betting sites make sure to offer multiple ways to deposit. After all, they want to make the experience as convenient as possible for you. The following payment methods are the most popular types in the hockey wagering world.

Crypto Betting Options

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum let you make peer-to-peer transactions with no middleman involved. They’re great for betting online where doing so is a grey area (e.g. most of Canada). After all, nobody can block crypto deposits like banks do with credit card or wire deposits. All of our Canadian partners covered here accept cryptocurrency deposits.

eWallet Betting Options

An eWallet provides a convenient link between your bank account and betting sites. It helps you send money faster than a bank transfer, using delivering funds within 24 hours. Popular eWallets include EcoPayz, Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill.

Traditional Payment Methods

While crypto and eWallets are great, credit cards and debit cards still rule the day in online hockey betting. Visa and Mastercard are the most-popular deposit methods at betting sites. American Express and Discover also have plenty of fans in the sports gambling world. Bank transfer is another traditional payment method that’s available at many Canadian sportsbooks.

2022 Hockey Schedule

In being the most-popular hockey league, the NHL holds the biggest events each year. You can see the most-notable milestones that’ll happen in 2022 below.

Hockey Betting Terms

• 3-way bet – This wager requires you to pick from three options (Team A wins, Team B wins, draw).
• Accumulator – A different term for parlay bets.
• Bookmaker – A term for betting sites or sportsbooks.
• Double chance – This bet sees you choose two out of three outcomes (Team A wins, Team B wins, draw).
• Draw – NHL games don’t end in draws, but 3-way and double chance bets can end with draws after three periods.
• Fade the public – A betting strategy that calls on you to bet opposite the public.
• Future – This wager concludes at a distant point in the future (e.g., Stanley Cup Finals winner).
• Grand Salami – This is a totals bet involving the over/under on all NHL goals in a day.
• Juice – The commission that goes to bookmakers in a bet (e.g., -110 odds forces losers to pay 10% juice).
• Moneyline – A simple bet on the game winner with handicaps on the favourite (e.g., 1.7) and underdog (e.g., 2.2).
• Prop bet – Prop wagers involve an outcome other than the game winner or final score.
• Puck line – A hockey spread bet that assigns a -1.5 spread to the favourite and +1.5 to the underdog.
• Public – Amateur bettors who form the bulk of sports gamblers (see fade the public).
• Sharp – A professional sports bettor.
• Stanley Cup Finals – Best-of-7 NHL championship series that draws lots of betting action.
• Totals – This wager involves the final score and requires you to bet over or under the given point total.
• Vig – Another term for juice.

Betting on Hockey Near Me

Online hockey betting is by far the most-popular way to bet on this sport in Canada. You can place online hockey bets at offshore sportsbooks throughout most of the country. Meanwhile, Ontario features a regulated market with licensed bookmakers.

Retail locations also exist throughout the country, especially in Ontario. The province’s Lottery and Gaming Corporation features over 10,000 retail sports betting locations. Alberta is another province with retail hockey betting. Sports bettors can place in-person wagers through Sport Select, which is a lottery operation.

The Best Hockey Betting Site in Canada

To recap, Bodog is our number one choice for Canadian hockey bettors. It stands out due to its hockey markets (especially futures), multiple gambling verticals, and exclusive features. Bodog also has an excellent reputation in the industry thanks to nearly three decades in the business.

Downsides to this sportsbook include its smaller signup bonus and imperfect live betting layout. We can certainly overlook these drawbacks, though, when considering everything else Bodog brings to the table.