Best Ice Hockey Betting Sites in the US for 2026

NHL betting in the US

The NHL season starts in October and the Stanley Cup Final usually ends in June, so hockey fills the gap between the end of the NFL season and the start of baseball's playoffs. US bettors mostly focus on the NHL, though the books in this list also carry the AHL, college hockey and international tournaments, and some list European leagues such as the KHL, SHL and Liiga.

Hockey has its own betting vocabulary. The puck line is a spread fixed at 1.5 goals, so backing the favourite on -1.5 means they must win by two. Moneylines usually include overtime and the shootout, while regulation-time or three-way markets settle after 60 minutes, with a draw possible. Totals, period betting, anytime goalscorer, shots on goal and goalie saves props round out the menu.

How the three books compare on hockey

All three sportsbooks earn a wide ice hockey coverage tagline, so the ranking comes down to overall quality. BetMGM is first thanks to its strong live betting coverage and the MGM Rewards programme, and it is licensed in more states than bet365, including New York, Michigan and Massachusetts, which are all strong hockey markets.

bet365 is second. Its odds are the sharpest of the three by our ratings, and its live markets are deep, which helps in a sport where a single power-play goal can swing the price. BetRivers is third: the iRush Rewards programme and simple layout make it a comfortable choice for casual NHL bettors, though fewer same-game parlay options limit how much you can combine props on one game.

Hockey-specific tips

Before betting, check which sportsbooks are licensed in your state on our state pages; you must be at least 21 in most legal states and physically present there.

• Confirm the starting goalie. Teams announce starters on game day, and a backup in net can move the moneyline noticeably.
• Know whether your bet includes overtime. A regulation-time bet on a favourite loses if the game goes to overtime, even if they win it.
• Puck line underdogs at +1.5 are popular, but the price is often short; compare it with the moneyline before choosing.
• Third-period live bets on a trailing team are tempting because coaches pull the goalie late, but empty-net goals cut both ways.

Betting through a long season

With more than 80 games per team, the NHL rewards patience over volume. Pick a few teams or markets you know well, keep records of your bets, and use the limit and time-out tools every licensed US book provides if the schedule starts to feel relentless.