KEY TAKEAWAYS

• An NHL moneyline picks the game winner, and overtime or a shootout counts, so a regulation tie is always resolved before the bet settles.
• An NHL total is a bet on combined goals, usually posted near 5.5, 6 or 6.5, so each single goal matters far more than a point does in basketball.
• Totals and moneylines can settle differently on the same game, because house rules decide whether a shootout goal counts toward the total.
• Low-scoring games make the price (the juice) on each side matter as much as the number itself.
• Empty-net goals and goalie changes can move totals and moneylines late, and neither makes any outcome certain.
• All example odds in this guide are hypothetical and are not current sportsbook lines.

NHL totals and moneyline betting are the two simplest markets in hockey: a total is a wager on how many goals both teams score combined, and a moneyline is a wager on which team wins the game. Both are priced with American odds, and both are shaped by hockey’s low scoring, where a single goal can change the result of either bet. What makes hockey distinctive is the way a tied game is resolved. In the regular season, a game level after 60 minutes goes to a short overtime and, if needed, a shootout, so the moneyline always has a winner, while the total depends on which goals the sportsbook’s rules count. This guide explains how each market is built, how overtime and shootouts can make the two bets settle differently, and why empty-net goals and goalie news matter. It focuses on the moneyline and the total; the NHL puck line is a separate market covered in its own article. All odds shown are hypothetical examples, not current prices.

What NHL Totals and Moneylines Are

A moneyline bet in hockey is a bet on which team wins the game, with no goal margin involved. The favorite carries negative American odds and the underdog carries positive odds. Because hockey scores are low and many games are close, upsets happen often, so NHL moneyline prices tend to be closer together than in sports with larger scoring gaps, although heavy favorites still exist.

A total, also called an over/under, is a bet on the combined goals scored by both teams. The sportsbook posts a number such as 5.5 or 6, and the bettor chooses over or under. If you want the general mechanics first, see how an over/under bet works. In the NHL, totals are commonly posted in the 5.5 to 6.5 range, which is far lower than the numbers in basketball (compare NBA totals), so the line moves in small steps and a half-goal means a lot.

Three terms matter before going further. A half-goal total such as 5.5 cannot tie, so the bet always wins or loses. A whole-number total such as 6 can land exactly, which produces a push and a refund of the stake. And the juice is the price on each side, which is why an over at -110 and an over at -125 on the same number are different bets even though the line is identical.

How the Two Markets Work Step by Step

Both markets are settled on the result of the game as the sportsbook defines it. In the NHL regular season, a game tied after three periods continues into a five-minute, three-on-three overtime, and if nobody scores, a shootout decides the winner. The playoffs differ: playoff overtime is played at full strength in 20-minute periods with no shootout, until someone scores. This is why the rules for a given market should be read before placing a wager, since the details of overtime and shootout inclusion can vary by sportsbook.

How the moneyline settles

The moneyline normally includes overtime and the shootout, so the team credited with the win after any extra play is the winner of the bet. A team that scores a shootout goal to win 3-2 after a 2-2 regulation tie wins the moneyline for its backers. Because a winner is always produced in the regular season, there is no tie result to worry about on the standard two-way market. Some sportsbooks also offer a separate regulation-only market, often priced as a three-way line with a draw option, which settles on the score after 60 minutes only. That is a different bet, and mixing it up with the standard moneyline is a frequent source of confusion.

How the total settles

Overtime goals generally count toward the total, so a 2-2 game that ends 3-2 in overtime has five goals. The shootout is where rules diverge. In the official final score, the winning team is awarded one goal for winning the shootout, which can turn a 2-2 regulation game into a recorded 3-2 result. Many sportsbooks settle totals on that final score, while others state that shootout goals do not count; the house rules decide. A hedge is essential here: confirm the rule in the sportsbook’s own terms, because the same game can be an over under one rulebook and a push or under under another. For the wider picture, read about how sports bets are settled.

A Worked Example With Hypothetical Prices

Suppose a sportsbook lists a hypothetical game with the home team at -135 on the moneyline and the visitor at +115, and a total of 5.5 with the over at -125 and the under at +105. These are illustrative numbers only.

Start with the moneyline. At -135, a $135 stake returns $100 in profit if the home team wins, for a payout of $235. A $50 stake at -135 would earn about $37.04 in profit and pay out $87.04. On the visitor at +115, a $100 stake earns $115 in profit and pays out $215. The implied probability of -135 is 135 / (135 + 100) = 57.45%, and +115 implies 100 / (115 + 100) = 46.51%. Together they sum to 103.96%, and the extra 3.96 points is the sportsbook’s margin (the vig).

Now the total. At 5.5 goals with the over at -125, the break-even probability is 125 / (125 + 100) = 55.56%, while the under at +105 requires 100 / (105 + 100) = 48.78%. A $100 stake on the under at +105 would earn $105 in profit if the game finishes with five goals or fewer.

Now see the overtime effect. Say the home team wins 3-2 in overtime. That is five goals, so the under at 5.5 wins, and the home moneyline wins. If instead the game is tied 2-2 after overtime and the home team wins the shootout, the final recorded score is 3-2. The moneyline still goes to the home team. The total’s result depends on whether the sportsbook counts the goal credited for the shootout: with the credit it is five goals, and without it is four. Under 5.5 wins either way here, but with a whole-number total of 4, the two rulebooks would produce a push or an over.

How to Read the Two Numbers Together

Reading the two markets together tells you more than reading either alone. A low total with a heavy favorite suggests the sportsbook expects a tight, defensive game in which the favorite’s edge is small in absolute goals, while a high total with a short moneyline price suggests an open game where either team could score several times. Neither number says what will happen; each is a price reflecting expected goals and the sportsbook’s margin.

The number of goals is a count of rare events, and rare events are noisy. Even when a team is the better side, a single deflection or a hot goalie can decide the result. That is why NHL prices rely on estimates of team scoring rates, shot quality, and goaltending, and why a bettor’s own estimate of probability should be compared with the break-even figure, not treated as a prediction. A line at a half goal, like 5.5, carries no push risk but can carry heavier juice on one side, which moves the break-even probability up even when the number itself did not change.

Also consider how the total and the moneyline relate through game state. A game that goes to overtime is level after 60 minutes, which means regulation produced a low-margin result and the total can only grow by the goals scored in the extra period. Bettors reading a total should recognize that a close game and a tied game are different things, and that the number only counts what is actually scored.

Common Mistakes With NHL Totals and Moneylines

The first mistake is assuming a shootout goal always counts toward the total. It does not at every sportsbook, and a bettor who assumes it does can misjudge a result by a full goal. The fix is to read the market rules before wagering, since the answer is a house rule rather than a league fact.

The second is confusing the moneyline with a regulation-only line. The standard NHL moneyline includes overtime and the shootout, so a team that trails for most of the game and wins in a shootout still cashes. A bettor expecting a result after 60 minutes only would be mistaken.

The third is treating a close total as a coin flip. At 5.5 with -125 on the over, the sportsbook is not offering an even-money bet; the price already shows a break-even probability of 55.56%. Ignoring the juice makes a line look cheaper than it is.

The fourth is reading a lopsided moneyline as a guarantee. A favorite at -250 implies roughly 71.43% (250 / 350), which still means the underdog wins about 28.57% of the time on that price, and upsets are common in hockey. Staking money on a favorite to recover earlier losses is chasing losses, and no price makes it safe.

Goalie Confirmation and Empty Nets in Practice

In practice, the starting goalie is the most important piece of news for both markets. A backup goalie can move a moneyline and a total at the same time, because a weaker goalie raises the expected goals against. Teams often confirm their starter on the morning of the game or shortly before the puck drops, and sportsbooks may adjust or pause markets when the news arrives. Rules on what happens to a bet if the expected goalie does not start vary by sportsbook, with some applying action regardless of the starter and others offering conditional bets, so read the terms in advance.

Empty-net goals are the other late factor. A team that trails near the end of regulation often pulls its goalie for an extra attacker, which raises the chance of a goal at either end, and a goal into an empty net counts as a goal toward the total. That is why an apparent under can turn into an over in the final minute, and why a late empty-net goal can change a total result without affecting who wins the moneyline. This is also relevant in-play, where prices update continuously (see how live markets behave when a game goes to overtime), and no price movement should be read as proof of what happens next. Betting should only use money you can afford to lose.

Totals and moneylines are the foundation for most other NHL markets. The natural next step is the NHL puck line, which adds a fixed 1.5-goal margin to the winner market and settles differently from the moneyline once overtime enters. For the underlying mechanics, how an over/under bet works covers the general market, and moneyline bet covers the generic moneyline outside hockey.

Understanding implied probability helps you judge whether a price is fair relative to your own estimate, and the article on how sports bets are settled explains grading, voids, and pushes. Continue with those in order: the market definitions first, the price math second, and the sport-specific rules last.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does total mean in NHL betting?

A total is a bet on the combined goals both teams score in a game. The sportsbook posts a number, commonly between 5.5 and 6.5, and you choose over or under. With a whole-number total, landing exactly on the number is a push and the stake is returned.

What are totals in betting?

A total, or over/under, is a wager on the combined number of points, runs, or goals in a game rather than on who wins. The sportsbook sets the line, and the bet wins if the final combined score lands on your chosen side of that number.

Do overtime goals count toward NHL totals?

Overtime goals generally count toward the total, since overtime is part of the game. A goal scored in overtime ends the game and is included in the final score. Always confirm in the sportsbook’s own rules, because settlement details can vary between operators.

Does a shootout goal count for the total?

It depends on the sportsbook. The official final score awards the shootout winner one goal, and some books settle totals on that recorded score while others exclude it. Because the same game can settle differently, read the specific market rules before wagering.

Does the NHL moneyline include overtime and the shootout?

Yes, the standard two-way moneyline normally includes overtime and the shootout, so the team that wins after extra play wins the bet. A separate regulation-only market exists at some sportsbooks, and it settles on the score after 60 minutes, so check which market you selected.

What happens if the starting goalie changes?

It varies by sportsbook. Some apply action to the game regardless of who starts, while others void or condition bets on a named goalie. A goalie change can also move the price, but it only changes the probabilities, not the outcome, which remains uncertain.


Sources & References