NHL spread betting — commonly referred to as the puck line — centers on a standard 1.5-goal margin. Unlike NFL or NBA spreads, which shift based on perceived mismatches, the NHL puck line is almost always fixed at -1.5 or +1.5. This rigidity exists because hockey is a low-scoring, tightly contested sport where even dominant teams rarely win by more than two goals. The real action happens in the odds attached to each side: a heavy favorite might see -1.5 at -130, while an underdog at +1.5 could sit around +110, with those numbers fluctuating based on goaltender matchups, back-to-back scheduling, and injury reports.
The puck line becomes most valuable when bettors identify situations where a strong home favorite is likely to build a multi-goal lead — think a top team facing a backup goaltender on the second night of a road back-to-back. Empty-net goals in the final minutes also work heavily in favor of -1.5 bettors, making game-state awareness critical. Regarding vig, NHL spreads typically carry slightly higher juice than moneylines because books need to balance the fixed 1.5-goal line entirely through price adjustments. Comparing vig across sportsbooks on puck lines can uncover meaningful differences, especially on games with lopsided public action.
Spreads Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | theScore Bet (ESPN Bet) | 3.08% | B+ | 1 |
| 2 | Pinnacle | 3.26% | B+ | 1 |
| 3 | BetUS | 3.47% | B+ | 1 |
| 4 | LowVig.ag | 3.95% | B+ | 1 |
| 5 | BetOnline.ag | 3.95% | B+ | 1 |
| 6 | Bovada | 3.97% | B+ | 1 |
| 7 | Caesars | 4.22% | B | 1 |
| 8 | DraftKings | 4.35% | B | 1 |
| 9 | BetAnything | 4.48% | B | 1 |
| 10 | Bally Bet | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 11 | betPARX | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 12 | BetMGM | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 13 | MyBookie.ag | 4.86% | B | 1 |
| 14 | FanDuel | 4.86% | B | 1 |
| 15 | Fanatics | 5.23% | C+ | 1 |
| 16 | BetRivers | 5.94% | C+ | 1 |
| 17 | Fliff | 7.15% | D | 1 |
| 18 | Hard Rock Bet | 8.33% | D- | 1 |
| 19 | ReBet | 10.90% | F | 1 |
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 exchange-level pricing. A (2–3%) is very competitive. B+ (3–4%) is above average. B (4–5%) is the industry standard — a -110/-110 line is 4.76%. C+ (5–6%) is slightly below average. C (6–7%) is below average. D (7–8%) is high vig. D− (8–10%) is very high vig. F (10%+) is predatory pricing. See the full Vig Index Methodology for formulas, worked examples, and known limitations.
- 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.