The regular season is over and the NHL Playoffs are upon us. Wednesday night will see the first games of the opening round hit the ice, with the rest of the Game 1 schedule set to go on Thursday. The games are going to be coming thick and fast for the next couple of months and you need to be prepared to get your wagers in early to take advantage of the best available odds. It can be a little overwhelming, especially when you get into a series with multiple momentum swings.
We are here to help, so let’s look at some NHL betting tips that should help you build your bankroll through the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Keys to Profitable Betting on the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs
It all comes down to this! 🙌#StanleyCup Playoffs start April 10. pic.twitter.com/J2PyJbYbwd
— NHL (@NHL) 9 de abril de 2019
Don’t wager on every game
This may seem like a common sense tip, yet it’s one that many bettors choose to ignore. In the opening round, there can be as many as 5 games per night ready to go. I always like the idea of picking one early game that I really like, followed by one of the later match-ups.
This makes it possible to potentially know the outcome of your first wager before you jump into the next, which also makes it easier to manage your money. If you do want to bet on multiple games on a single night, try putting together a parlay ticket. You can maximize your winnings while limiting how much you wager.
Ignore the seedings
If games were decided based on seeding alone, we would all be able to clean up, but that’s seldom how things play out. You Might have a #2 seed going against a #7 who came into the playoffs on an absolute tear.
Coming into the postseason on a hot streak is very often an indicator that a team might be on the brink of making a run. Likewise, a higher seed that finished the season on a slump may have a difficult time stepping back up a gear in the postseason. Look at the current form as opposed to seeding.
Don’t focus too much on home ice advantage
While it is certainly a bonus for a team to have home ice advantage throughout the series, there is no guarantee that they are going to win every game in their own building.
This is especially true in the opening two games of the series, where nerves tend to be a little tight. Every team that has to start a series on the road approaches those first two games in search of a split. If the home team loses the opener, think about playing them to win Game 2, as you will almost certainly get better odds.
Watch out for the hot goalie
We have come to expect the unexpected in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but if there is one thing that we can guarantee, it’s that one goalie is going to get hot at just the right time.
You may need to wait out the first round to see who that goalie is, but he will emerge sooner rather than later. In recent years, Pekka Rinne of the Predators and Mar Andre Fleury of the Golden Knights have assumed that role, taking their teams to the finals, although falling short of winning it all. One goalie will definitely emerge, so keep an eye open for that.
