NHL Futures Betting

Futures bets are wagers on outcomes that will happen in the distance future.  Some typical NHL futures bets include the division winner during the season, the Conference Championships in the playoffs and of course betting on the Stanley Cup champion.

Futures are my favourite type of NHL bet because I feel I have the greatest control over the outcome.  Any team can win one game, but more often than not the best team will finish atop the division after an 82 game regular season.  These bets also allow me to follow my teams and cheer them on each game, without having to make a wager on the single game to excited about it.

Here are the current NHL futures odds from Bodog.com:

Check out the NHL picks section of the website to find some NHL futures predictions posts.  Throughout the season keep your eyes peeled in that predictions section for sharp bets on the Stanley Cup winner and more. It is often smart to place futures bets on teams that have been losing lately because the lines will adjust depending on the publics outlook on the teams chance for success.  If a team like the Red Wings slump mid season it may be the perfect time to place a Stanley Cup bet on them because you know if they make the playoffs the Red Wings will always have a shot at a deep run.  Vice versa is also true.  In general you shouldn’t place a futures wager on a team that is on a big winning streak.  The line for that team winning the Cup will have shortened making the return much less than it would have been if you had placed a bet earlier.  The line will likely lengthen after the winning streak has ended and the team has returned to their normal win rate and normal outlook for success.