Beyond all of the ways to bet on NHL games in Massachusetts, there are also bets for the whole season to consider. NHL futures odds are released in the offseason and are a very popular attraction at legal online sportsbooks. One of the biggest attention grabbers is betting on NHL point totals.
Sportsbooks project the total amount of points for each team during the regular season, and you can bet on whether a certain team will go over or stay under their projected number.
Sports betting in Massachusetts is now a reality, and hockey fans in the state are eager to place their bets. This page will serve as your one-stop shop on how to bet on NHL point totals in Massachusetts.
NHL Point Total Betting In Massachusetts
Right now, legal sports bets in Massachusetts have to be placed in person at three MA retail casinos: MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor, and Plainridge Park Casino. The launch of retail sports betting in MA is certainly an exciting development, but the launch of MA mobile betting apps will take the industry to the next level. As of now, that is expected to happen in late February or early March.
MA mobile sportsbook apps will give bettors plenty of options and added flexibility. When the mobile betting industry goes live, hockey fans in the state will be able to place their bets from the comfort of their own homes.
But what are the best sportsbooks for NHL point total betting? What do the odds look like and how do they work? Let’s take a look:
Best Sportsbooks For NHL Point Total Betting
All of the top online sportsbooks have dedicated sections for NHL futures odds. Among the most popular options are NHL point totals.
At full capacity, Massachusetts could feature as many as 15 mobile sportsbooks. Top names in the industry such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars will soon be live in the state, and they will all offer odds for NHL point totals.
DraftKings Sportsbook MA
MA-based DraftKings Sportsbook is one of the most popular options in a number of legal states. The platform is slick and filled with plenty of bells and whistles. The platform features plenty of NHL markets including with top markets including puck lines, moneylines, and totals (over/unders). You can also bet on individual NHL player props for each game. And don’t forget about the futures. DraftKings MA will offer season-long team futures such as point totals, division winners, conference winners, and Stanley Cup winners. DraftKings will also offer season-long player futures bets such as total goals scored and total points.
FanDuel Sportsbook MA
The FanDuel Massachusetts Sportsbook app is another industry leader with a good assortment of NHL bets. Top features include same-game parlays, competitive odds, and a wide range of player props and NHL futures. You can bet on puck lines, moneylines, totals (over/unders), as well as player props for each game. Like DraftKings, FanDuel also has season-long player futures and season-long team performances including NHL point totals.
BetMGM Sportsbook MA
BetMGM Sportsbook is another trusted industry name with plenty of NHL betting odds to consider. The site has great features like ‘edit my bet,’ regular promo offerings, and all of the NHL bet types you could ask for.
Caesars Sportsbook MA
Caesars Sportsbook is another leading sportsbook that offers up a wide range of NHL markets and bet types. The odds are typically on point, and the Emperor isn’t shy about dishing out regular promos like odds boosts. It also has one of the best reward programs out there: Caesars Rewards.
How NHL Point Total Over/Unders Work
Professional oddsmakers consider a combination of factors when determining the over/under lines for NHL point totals. These include last year’s point totals, free-agent acquisitions/trades, injuries, and analytical projections. Once they release their lines, you can bet on each team to have more or fewer points than the total set by the book.
Odds are usually not available once the season starts, although some sportsbooks have started to offer new point total odds during the All-Star Break. But for the most part, if you lock in your bet in the preseason, you don’t need to worry about fluctuations after that, as you get the number that was there when you placed your bet.
Unlike individual games, futures bets on total points take all or most of the season to determine. Payouts depend on the sportsbook. Some books will pay as soon as the over hits (or the under is confirmed). Others wait until the end of the season after all teams have played 82 games before grading the bets. When betting NHL point totals in Massachusetts, be sure to check the terms of your sportsbook.
It’s important to remember that critical injuries do not void a bet and can be a frustrating unforeseen aspect of futures betting. Always keep this in mind when betting NHL point totals. See more about NHL betting rules here.
Do Point Totals Change As The Season Progresses?
The vast majority of US sportsbooks release their odds for NHL point totals in the offseason. Once they do, those numbers may fluctuate a little bit up until the season starts. However, most adjustments are minimal.
However, once the season starts and each team has their first puck drop, you won’t see any movement in the actual point totals from there. In fact, most sportsbooks do not offer point total odds during the season at all. As mentioned in the previous section, some sportsbooks have started to offer new point total odds during the All-Star Break, but that is rare.
The Best Time To Bet On NHL Point Totals
It is up to you the bettor to decide when to bet on NHL point totals. There isn’t a “best time” to place a points total bet, but the general rule of thumb is this: when you’re happy with the listed number and the odds for your choice, go for it. For some bettors, the preference is to get in early as soon as the numbers come out, while others prefer to see how the market develops.
Regardless of when you decide to jump in, check the NHL point totals upon release and track any movements in the numbers from there to pick your spots.
Stats To Look Into When Betting NHL Point Totals
Here are some trends to watch before locking in your point total bets before and during the NHL season:
- Evaluate rosters and expert predictions. Analyze each roster while considering things like trades, free agency acquisitions, injuries, and expert opinions. Based on which way the arrow is pointing for a specific team and the other teams in the division, you can attempt to predict if a team is overvalued or undervalued. You can also gauge sentiment among hockey analysts to confirm or second-guess your leanings.
- Research key metrics. For a simple starting point, if a team’s goals scored vs. goals allowed doesn’t align with its record, that might be a sign that it has over or underperformed in the previous season. That squad could be in line for a correction one way or the other. Various hockey analytics can help you gauge this.
- Consider the difficulty of the schedule. The NHL can go in cycles, which leads to variances in the competition level in the conferences and divisions. If you see a powerhouse team in a weak division – or a rebuilding club in a stacked conference – that can be a great clue on how many points they can be reasonably expected to accumulate.
More NHL Futures Odds
Besides NHL win totals, there are many other hockey futures bets to consider. Some bets include more team-oriented results, while others are on individual accomplishments. Here are some of the most popular ones:
- Stanley Cup odds
- Conference winners
- Division winners
- Odds to make the playoffs
- Top regular-season points, goals, and goalie wins
- Hart Trophy (MVP)
- Vezina Trophy (top goalie)
- Norris Trophy (top defender)
- Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)
- Jack Adams Award (best coach)
NHL futures betting can keep you engaged throughout the preseason. The odds can also be a fantastic research tool to lean on as you try to project out what may be to come in the season at hand.