NHL spread betting — commonly referred to as the puck line — is standardized at 1.5 goals for the vast majority of games, unlike football or basketball where spreads fluctuate based on perceived team strength. The favorite sits at -1.5 and the underdog at +1.5, which means the favorite must win by two or more goals to cover. Because hockey is a low-scoring sport with frequent one-goal outcomes, this fixed spread creates significant juice imbalances: favorites at -1.5 often carry plus-money odds, while underdogs at +1.5 are typically heavily juiced. This dynamic makes comparing vig across sportsbooks particularly impactful, as even small differences in the price attached to a standard 1.5-goal line translate directly to long-term profitability.
The puck line becomes most valuable when bettors identify mismatches that the moneyline has already priced steeply. A -250 moneyline favorite, for instance, may offer better expected value at -1.5 with plus-money odds if the matchup features a dominant team against a weak goaltender or a club playing on a back-to-back. Bettors should also monitor empty-net goal tendencies, as trailing teams pulling their goalie late frequently concede the second goal that covers the spread. Vig on puck lines tends to run slightly wider than on NHL moneylines, making it essential to shop across books for the best available price.
Spreads Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BetUS | 3.63% | B | 10 |
| 2 | LowVig.ag | 3.80% | B+ | 10 |
| 3 | BetOnline.ag | 3.80% | B+ | 10 |
| 4 | BetAnything | 3.98% | B | 10 |
| 5 | Bovada | 4.21% | B | 10 |
| 6 | Caesars | 4.40% | B | 10 |
| 7 | DraftKings | 4.43% | B | 10 |
| 8 | BetMGM | 4.75% | B | 10 |
| 9 | Fanatics | 4.89% | B | 10 |
| 10 | theScore Bet | 5.26% | B | 10 |
| 11 | FanDuel | 5.34% | C+ | 10 |
| 12 | betPARX | 5.55% | C+ | 10 |
| 13 | MyBookie.ag | 5.69% | C+ | 10 |
| 14 | Bally Bet | 5.74% | C+ | 10 |
| 15 | BetRivers | 5.99% | C+ | 10 |
| 16 | Hard Rock Bet | 6.41% | C+ | 10 |
| 17 | Fliff | 6.74% | C | 10 |
| 18 | ReBet | 8.23% | D | 10 |
Upcoming Spreads Lines
| Matchup | Time | betPARX | BetRivers | Bally Bet | FanDuel | Fanatics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins @ New Jersey Devils | Mar 16, 11:00 PM | -1.5 (+215) | -1.5 (+215) | -1.5 (+215) | -1.5 (+205) | -1.5 (+200) |
| Calgary Flames @ Detroit Red Wings | Mar 16, 11:00 PM | -1.5 (+130) | -1.5 (+128) | -1.5 (+130) | -1.5 (+134) | -1.5 (+130) |
| Los Angeles Kings @ New York Rangers | Mar 16, 11:00 PM | +1.5 (-265) | +1.5 (-265) | +1.5 (-265) | +1.5 (-240) | +1.5 (-240) |
| Utah Mammoth @ Dallas Stars | Mar 17, 12:00 AM | +1.5 (-182) | +1.5 (-182) | +1.5 (-182) | +1.5 (-194) | +1.5 (-180) |
| Pittsburgh Penguins @ Colorado Avalanche | Mar 17, 1:30 AM | +1.5 (-124) | +1.5 (-124) | +1.5 (-124) | +1.5 (-140) | +1.5 (-125) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a point spread bet?
A point spread bet levels the playing field by giving the underdog a head start. If the spread is Patriots -7, they must win by more than 7 points for a spread bet to pay. Spreads are the most popular market in football and basketball, which means they attract the most volume and typically have the lowest vig.
Why do spreads usually have lower vig than moneylines?
Spreads attract the highest betting volume because they create a roughly 50/50 proposition regardless of team quality. This balanced action means sportsbooks don't need wide margins to manage risk, resulting in tighter vig — often the best value available.
How does NHL vig compare to other major sports?
NHL vig sits between NFL and niche sports. Hockey attracts decent volume, especially during playoffs, but less than football or basketball. Expect NHL vig to be 1–3% higher than NFL on average, with puck lines (spreads) typically carrying more vig than moneylines.
When is NHL season?
The NHL regular season runs from October through mid-April, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs extending through June. The season offers consistent daily games from October to April, making it a steady option for bettors during football's off-season.
Why are NHL puck line vig margins wider?
The puck line (±1.5 goals) is harder for books to price efficiently because hockey is low-scoring. A single goal swings the market dramatically. This uncertainty leads to wider margins. Moneyline bets in NHL tend to offer better vig for that reason.
What is vig (vigorish) in sports betting?
Vig — short for vigorish, also called juice or overround — is the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. It's the difference between the true probability of an outcome and what the odds imply. Lower vig means you keep more of your winnings on every bet. For example, a standard -110/-110 line has about 4.76% vig.
How often is this data updated?
We pull fresh odds from The Odds API three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds. The timestamp at the top of the page shows the most recent refresh.
How is the vig grade calculated?
Each sportsbook is graded on a letter scale based on average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exceptional, A (2–3%) is excellent, B+ (3–4%) is above average, B (4–5%) is the industry standard, C (5–6%) is below average, and D (above 6%) indicates high-juice markets.
Why does lower vig matter for bettors?
Lower vig directly impacts your long-term returns. A bettor placing $1,000 per week at a book with 4% vig loses roughly $40/week to the house edge. At 2% vig, that drops to $20/week — a $1,040 difference over a year. For serious bettors, shopping for lower vig is one of the most reliable ways to improve profitability.
What sportsbooks do you track?
We track both regulated US sportsbooks (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars) and offshore books (Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, BetUS, LowVig.ag, BetAnySports). Data comes from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed sources.
How We Calculate These Numbers
- Data Source
- All odds on this page come from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed US and offshore sportsbooks. We track moneyline, spread, and totals markets across every sport with active betting lines.
- Update Frequency
- We pull a fresh snapshot of every tracked market three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds for a given event. The timestamp at the top of each page tells you exactly when the data was last refreshed.
- Vig Calculation
- Vig (short for vigorish, also called juice or overround) measures the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. We calculate it by converting the odds on each side of a market to implied probabilities, summing those probabilities, and subtracting 100%. For example, a market priced at -110/-110 implies 52.38% on each side — a total of 104.76%, meaning a vig of 4.76%. Lower vig means better value for bettors because you keep more of your winnings.
- Per-Market Breakdown
- We compute vig separately for each market type: moneyline (h2h), point spreads, and totals (over/under). The "average vig" shown for each sportsbook is the mean across all market types weighted by the number of events sampled in each market.
- Grading Scale
- Every sportsbook receives a letter grade based on its average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exceptional and rare — these are typically sharp-friendly books. A (2–3%) is excellent. B+ (3–4%) is above average. B (4–5%) is the industry standard for most recreational sportsbooks. C (5–6%) is below average. D (above 6%) indicates high-juice markets where bettors face a steep cost per wager.
- Trend Tracking
- We store daily snapshots for 30 days, allowing us to show 24-hour and 7-day vig trends. A downward trend (improving) means sportsbooks are tightening their lines — often in response to increased competition or higher betting volume as a season heats up.