Whether you grew up playing hockey or you’re just an avid fan, you know that the NHL is the pinnacle of the ice hockey realm. And if you happen to be someone who knows how to predict winners and losers, you have the opportunity to turn those predictions into real money by betting on the NHL online.
If you’re looking for where to bet on hockey online and the best place to give yourself the best chance of winning big, you are right where you need to be! We’re about to showcase the safest NHL betting sites and apps for betting real money on hockey games.
So, without further ado, shift your focus to center ice as we shine the spotlight on the winners.
|
Rank
|
Betting Site
|
Bonus | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Bovada
|
50% up to $250 | Go to Site |
| 2 | 
BetUS
|
125% up to $2,500 | Go to Site |
| 3 | 
BetOnline
|
50% up to $1,000 | Go to Site |
| 4 | 
MyBookie
|
50% up to $1,000 | Go to Site |
| 5 | 
SportsBetting.ag
|
50% up to $1,000 | Go to Site |
#1 NHL Betting Site Online – BetUS
- Extensive list of traditional NHL bets and prop wagers on all games
- Juicy sign-up bonus for new online NHL bettors
- Live, in-game betting on marquee matchups
While we’ve given you several options for top-rated NHL online sportsbooks to choose from, there is a clear winner skating out ahead of the pack. We’re talking about BetUS. BetUS is gloves down the cream of the crop when it comes to legit NHL betting sites.
Here’s the bottom line: if you’re looking for the best NHL betting sites and you don’t want to spend all day sorting through and testing options, go with BetUS. It’s a must-try option for beginners, seasoned bettors, and people looking to make money betting on the NHL online.
Why These Are the Top Real Money NHL Betting Websites
We hope that you guard your money like Martin Brodeur or Patrick Roy guard the goal! And with that level of protection, that means not blindly taking someone’s word for which are the most legit NHL betting sites out there.
To help with that, we want to make sure you understand exactly why we chose these hockey betting sites as our top options as the crème de la crème. It’s not because they pay us to rank higher or the results of a quick and lazy Google search.
Here’s why we love these real money mobile NHL betting apps and websites:
Access Extensive NHL Betting Types List
One of the chief tenets of the best NHL betting websites is access to an extensive number of different NHL wager types. Sure, some of you may only want to bet on which team is going to win the game (and there’s nothing wrong with that).
Here are some of the most popular bet types we look for when racking and stacking the top NHL betting apps and sites.
To-Win Bets (Moneyline)
This hockey bet is a wager on which team is going to win the game. It’s the simplest bet out there, but a must-have for any serious or recreational hockey bettor.
Puck Line Bets
The puck line bet is similar to the spread bet in other sports. It’s a way for you to bet on which NHL team is going to outperform its expectations. This means you can bet on teams you expect to lose, as well as bet on teams you expect to win decisively with a more attractive payout.
Totals Bets (Over/Under)
This NHL bet is nothing more than a wager on the cumulative number of goals scored by both teams during a game. It’s a fantastic way to bet on the game flow without having to pick a winner.
Team Totals Bets
Want to make an NHL totals bet but only on how many goals a certain team makes? Well, you can do that too. The teams totals bet is a great way to capitalize on a more specific prediction.
Futures Bets
This wager lets you bet on which team is going to achieve some sort of milestone that isn’t determined by a single game. In the NHL, this can be which team is going:
- To win the Stanley Cup
- To win their division
- To win a playoff series
Proposition Bets
The term prop bet (short for proposition bet) encompasses all of the other wagers that don’t fit neatly into one of the above NHL bet types. The best NHL betting sites in the US offer a wide array of prop bets on all games (not just in the finals). Here are some of the more popular proposition bets you’ll find from top NHL sportsbooks online:
- 3-way betting
- Double chance result
- Winning margin
- Highest scoring period
- Team to win each period
- Team to win the most periods
- Team to score first
- Team scoring first also wins the game
- Team to score last
- Race to 2 goals
- Race to 3 goals
- Race to 4 goals
- Score in the first 9 ½ minutes of the game
- Both teams score in the first period
- Grand salami
Fastest Flexible Deposit and Cashout Options
The entire point of betting on the NHL online for money is to cash in on convenience. That convenience starts with betting flexibility (like we already discussed). However, it also includes the logistics and admin side of the house.
The best USA NHL betting sites offer several methods to facilitate deposits and withdrawals. Not only should these methods be fast, but they should also be properly integrated to account for security and user-friendliness.
Here’s the bottom line:
Here are some of the most popular deposit and withdrawal options we look for when choosing the best NHL hockey betting sites online:
- Credit Card – Visa, Mastercard, Diner’s Club, AMEX, etc.
- eWallet – PayPal, Skrill, etc.
- Cryptocurrency – Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, etc.
- Money Services – Western Union, EcoPayz, Zelle, etc.
- Direct Bank Transfer
- Person to Person Transfer
- Check by Courier
- Bank Wire
- Money Order
Track Records of Taking Care of Customers
While brand-new expansion teams in the NHL are fun (we’re looking at you Golden Knights), the same sentiment doesn’t carry over to real money NHL betting sites. Sure, we do love NHL online betting with the latest and the greatest.
However, that’s only if the NHL online sportsbooks offer a ton of new features we can’t get anywhere else. Otherwise, we want to bet on the NHL for real money online with sites that have proven track records of success.
Here’s a quick look at how long some of the more popular options we’ve recommended have been around.
Lucrative NHL Betting Bonuses
The top NHL online sportsbooks know they have to compete for your business. With several high-quality options to choose from, how do the real money NHL betting sites set themselves apart? Outside of just having a better product, it’s freebies.
Here are some of our favorite NHL betting site bonuses you can claim right now:
- BetUS: 125% sign-up bonus up to $3,125 with a 10x rollover
- BetOnline: 50% sign-up bonus up to $1,000 with a 10x rollover
- MyBookie: 50% sign-up bonus up to $1,000 with a 10x rollover
- SportsBetting.ag: 25% reload bonus up to $250 with a 6x rollover
- Bovada: 50% match bonus up to $250
How Popular Is Betting on the NHL in the United States?
Ever wonder just how popular betting on the NHL in the US really is? Or have you ever wondered how popular NHL betting online is compared to other professional sports and leagues? Our data team did, and they got to the bottom of it. Let’s take a look at some of their findings.
Popularity of Betting on the NHL in the US
A recent data survey study asked sports fans which professional sports leagues they were most likely to place a wager on.
While the NFL took the trophy, the NHL came in 6th edging out NASCAR, eSports, MLS, and the WNBA.
| Rank | Sports League | % Interested in Betting |
| 1 | National Football League | 61% |
| 2 | National Basketball Association | 58% |
| 3 | Major League Baseball | 53% |
| 4 | Boxing | 42% |
| 5 | Horse Racing | 35% |
| 6 | National Hockey League | 32% |
| 7 | National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing | 28% |
| 8 | eSports | 23% |
| 9 | Major League Soccer | 21% |
| 10 | Women’s National Basketball Association | 16% |
Level of NHL Fan Interest in the US
What about when it comes to how popular the NHL is to fans in general (not focusing on NHL betting online)? Well, we’ve got those results for you too.
In 2020, the data firm Morning Consult conducted a survey study of 2,200 adults in the US 18 and older. The study asked if the person classified themselves as an avid NHL fan, just a casual fan, or not a fan at all. Here are the results:
| Response | % |
| Not a Fan | 60% |
| Casual Fan | 29% |
| Avid Fan | 12% |
While these numbers might not seem impressive, you have to remember that the study looked at completely random adults. If you were to ask sports fans or even hockey fans, in particular, the numbers would most certainly be much higher.
The study goes further to break down the results by age. Here are some of the statistical takeaways:
- The largest group of non-fans is the 65+ crowd.
- The largest group of avid fans is the 35-44 aged crowd at 17%.
- The 35-44-year-old group also contained the highest percentage of casual fans at 31%.
| Age Bracket | Response | % |
| 18 – 34 | Not a Fan | 57% |
| 18 – 34 | Casual Fan | 30% |
| 18 – 34 | Avid Fan | 13% |
| 35 – 44 | Not a Fan | 52% |
| 35 – 44 | Casual Fan | 31% |
| 35 – 44 | Avid Fan | 17% |
| 45 – 64 | Not a Fan | 59% |
| 45 – 64 | Casual Fan | 29% |
| 45 – 64 | Avid Fan | 11% |
| 65+ | Not a Fan | 70% |
| 65+ | Casual Fan | 24% |
| 65+ | Avid Fan | 7% |
The Growth of NHL Betting in the US
Is the NHL betting in the United States becoming more popular? The data says so. As the overall interest in NHL hockey continues to increase the number of Americans looking to bet money on it does as well.
If we look at the change in total revenue of the league over the past few years, we see a steady upward trajectory.
Here are the numbers for total NHL revenue since the 2013/2014 season:
| NHL Season | Revenue in Billions |
| 2013 – 2014 | $3.7 |
| 2014 – 2015 | $4.0 |
| 2015 – 2016 | $4.1 |
| 2016 – 2017 | $4.4 |
| 2017 – 2018 | $4.9 |
| 2018 – 2019 | $5.1 |
| 2019 – 2020 | $4.4 |
For those wondering, total league revenue is a great metric because it encompasses things like ticket sales, convenience sales, and merchandising. These are all great indicators of the popularity of the league.
Tips to Choose the Best NHL Hockey Betting Sites
Before we send you out with your skates and pads to get into the mix, we wanted to give you a few tips to help you choose the best NHL betting sites for you.
- Know What You Want – Not all real money NHL betting sites are created the same. Some put more emphasis on different features, bet types, or rewards. Start by making a list of what’s most important to you, and then start comparing that list against the different options you have available.
- Stick to the Beaten Path – While we aren’t going to toot our own horns too loudly, we do want to say we’re really good at picking winners and losers when it comes to hockey betting sites. Can you use NHL betting sites we don’t recommend? Of course. However, we’re not going to be able to vouch for it being safe, quality, or somewhere you want to be.
- Leverage the Online Aspect – Different sportsbooks will offer different NHL betting odds on different bets. If you aren’t taking the time to compare the wagers you want to make at multiple NHL sportsbooks online to get the best odds and highest potential payouts, you’re leaving money on the table. Most professional NHL sports bettors have accounts with 2-3 different major NHL online sportsbooks.
- Understand Your Bonus – Take a few minutes to read through the fine print of the real money NHL bonuses you choose to use. Is this because we expect you to find something sketchy? Not at all. However, there are certain requirements with each of the NHL bonuses you need to be aware of. While it is free money, the NHL betting websites still need to get something out of it. Just make sure you understand everything so you can get the most mileage out of your NHL betting bonuses.