Betting on NHL futures means wagering on events that will be decided at the end of the season. Popular NHL futures bets include:
- Odds to win the Stanley Cup
- Odds to win the conference/divisions
- Odds to make the playoffs
- Odds to win the Conn Smythe trophy
- Odds to win the Art Ross Trophy
See below for more on NHL futures bets and how to find them at the best NHL betting sites. See here for current Stanley Cup futures odds.
Hart Memorial Trophy odds
The NHL’s most valuable player has been recognized annually since 1926 with the Hart Memorial Trophy. The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association votes on the honor. NHL futures bettors often love to wager on which player they believe will be the NHL MVP.
Click any of the odds below to visit the sportsbook that’s posting odds you like.
Vezina Trophy odds
Voted on by the 32 NHL general managers at the end of the season, the Vezina Trophy is awarded yearly to the NHL goalie “adjudged to be the best at this position.”
You can visit any sportsbooks listed below by clicking on their posted odds.
Norris Trophy odds
The league’s best defenseman is annually awarded the James Norris Trophy. Check the current odds below and click any of them to visit the matching sportsbook.
Other NHL futures
There are a few other NHL futures markets you can bet on besides those listed above. These include both player and team NHL futures, which you will find at the best sports betting sites.
Team futures include
- Eastern Conference winner
- Western Conference winner
- Atlantic Division winner
- Metropolitan Division winner
- Pacific Division winner
- Central Division winner
Player futures include
- Rocket Richard Award (most goals by a player)
- Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year)
- James Norris Trophy (best defenseman)
- Jack Adams Award (best coach)
How to read NHL futures odds
Most of the best sports betting apps offer American odds, which use negative (-) and positive (+) numbers to indicate favorites and underdogs, respectively.
Reading these odds can be confusing at first, but they are relatively simple once you get the hang of them.
Negative numbers, such as -155, tell us a team or player is the favorite to win. It also tells us how much money we have to wager to win $100. In this example, if you were to wager $155 and you won, your payout would be $255. That includes your original stake returned to you plus your profits.
Positive numbers indicate the underdog. In the case of futures bets, you might see only positive odds when lines are first released, but those odds will tighten as the season progresses and more information, such as team and player performance, becomes apparent.
Positive odds, such as +280, show us how much we stand to win for every $100 we wager. Using this example, let’s say you bet $200 on a game and won; your payment would total $760, which is your $200 bet plus $560 in winnings.
When is the best time to bet on NHL futures?
Futures odds, especially on initial release, often have much larger profit potential, such as +1000 odds or better. That’s because there isn’t much data to go by for the oddsmakers to craft their lines. They essentially guess at which team or player will come out on top.
As the season advances, more news and information become available, and the lines will get tighter and more accurate until the futures bet is settled.
As a bettor, you have to weigh the risk versus reward of betting early for the better odds and, like the oddsmakers, essentially guess who will win. Or you can wait until you, too, have more data to use to make an educated decision. The odds will be tighter at that point, but you’ll do far less guesswork and be far more informed.
Betting on NHL futures at online sportsbooks
To bet on NHL futures, you’ll need to open an account at an online sports betting site. The process is easy, and you can complete the entire sign-up in a short time.
Here are the steps to signing up for an account at an online sportsbook.
- Choose a sportsbook that best suits your needs. If you’re unsure which sportsbook is right for you, check out our reviews to see the pros and cons of each as well as what welcome bonuses are currently available to you.
- Using our links, visit the sportsbook of your choice. On the homepage, you’ll find a button saying “sign up” or “register.” After clicking that, you’ll be directed to a form where you’ll need to provide personal information such as your name, email address, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
- Once you’ve filled out the form, you’ll be required to accept the sportsbook’s terms and conditions, which outline all of the rules for betting and give the sportsbook permission to verify your location before allowing you to bet. Remember that you must be within the state lines where sports betting is legal to make a bet.
- At this point, you’ll either accept your welcome bonus or input your sports betting promo or bonus code. Make sure to read through all of the requirements before accepting any offers.
- Now that you’ve created an account, you can make a deposit to fund your bankroll and be ready to start making bets. Legal sportsbooks offer a variety of different ways to add and withdraw money from your account.
- You’re ready to start betting now. You can find the NHL futures bets under the hockey tab and in the NHL section. Click on the bet you wish to make, adjust how much you’re betting, and finalize your bet slip. It’s that easy. Be on the lookout for regular NHL betting promos as well.
NHL FAQ
Which team has the most Stanley Cups?
Since 1915, the Montreal Canadiens have captured a staggering 24 Stanley Cups, far and away the most among NHL franchises. The Toronto Maple Leafs are second with 13, and the Detroit Red Wings are third with 11.
Which player has won the most NHL MVP awards?
Wayne Gretzky took home the Hart Memorial Trophy a record nine times, winning it eight times while playing for the Edmonton Oilers and another while with the Los Angeles Kings. Gordie Howe is second on the list with six, which he won during his time with the Detroit Red Wings.
Who is the reigning NHL MVP?
Edmonton's Connor McDavid is the reigning NHL MVP. He won his third Hart Trophy after registering a career-high of 153 points (64 goals and 89 assists) last season.
Who won the Rocket Richard Trophy last year?
Connor McDavid also won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal scorer in 2023.
What is the Grand Salami in hockey betting?
The Grand Salami is an over/under on the total goals scored in all of the hockey games on a specific day. For example, if there are 10 games on the NHL schedule for the day, the Grand Salami over/under could be 50 goals.
You have to decide if all the teams playing that day have the ability to score over that total or if they’ll be held under it. According to DraftKings, the Grand Salami will typically have a total that “will be slightly higher than all of the individual totals added together.”
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