Best NHL Betting Sites in Texas

Betting on hockey is a little different than betting on the NFL, NBA or MLB. It features a full range of future and prop bets and (in place of a point spread) a puck line.

It’s a great way for novices to pick up the nuances of sportsbooks and sports betting. Finding a sportsbook for NHL betting is as easy as a few clicks. Here’s what to know about betting on the NHL in Texas when it becomes legal.

Best NHL betting apps in Texas

The Texas online sportsbook market for the NHL will be large, with multiple operators seeking to get in on the action. It can be confusing at first to a rookie bettor, but each of the platforms has a distinct feel and style—just like a hockey sweater.

Let’s pass it around and talk about what makes each sportsbook unique.

DraftKings Sportsbook TX

This sportsbook started out as one of the first big-time national fantasy sports platforms. Its sportsbook is easy to navigate and understand.

When it comes to hockey, DraftKings is straightforward, with the NHL betting lines listed in white and green type. It goes deep with futures bets and in game offerings like single-period puck lines.

Here’s what sets DraftKings Sportsbook apart:

  • DraftKings has the most daily contests of any of the prominent national sportsbooks, and some you can enter for only $1.
  • It also has a massive amount of daily fantasy pools to jump in each day where you can make multiple bets and win as much as $100,000.
  • DraftKings’ news tab should also appeal to bettors; it provides the latest updates on the teams and players you’re considering.

FanDuel Sportsbook TX

Another one of the mega daily fantasy sports outfits, FanDuel is a wonderful site for new users with its competitive odds and great layout.

Granted, it can be easy to get lost in the sheer number of sports on which FanDuel carries bets. But when it comes to the best NHL betting sites, FanDuel does everything first-rate.

Here’s what sets FanDuel Sportsbook apart:

  • It’s a simple tweak, but when you get your account going, FanDuel will put your home teams in the top horizontal rail, so it’s easier to get right to the action on the Stars.
  • FanDuel puts a little icon above each game marked “SGP” which stands for “same game parlay.” Clicking that button puts you right on all the ways you can combine your bet for that game. Again, it’s a simple tweak, but it’s smart.
  • There is also a “Free to Play” option where bettors can try a few no-risk bets.

Caesars Sportsbook TX

Caesars was everywhere with its advertising when states started legalizing sports gambling. It has become known as a hub for smart bettors who don’t like a lot of bells and whistles, just a classic interface with good odds and plenty of offerings.

Here’s what you’ll find on  Caesars Sportsbook:

  • A black and white layout that is uncluttered and smooth. Just click on the box, it appears in your bet slip, and you’re ready to go.
  • While Caesars may not be known for its off-the-beaten-path prop bets, it still carries a deep listing of future bets that will appeal to a new or experienced player, like the Hart Trophy Winner or which team will finish with the most regular season points.
  • You’ll always find simple, accurate lines for NHL games throughout the regular season and postseason.

BetMGM Sportsbook TX

BetMGM has become a major player in the American sports betting scene, and it’s easy to see why. The sportsbook gives users a wide variety of offerings, including a new “one game parlay” where the bettor gets to choose a combination from the same game with enhanced odds. MGM was the NHL’s first sports betting partner back in 2018.

Where BetMGM Sportsbook stands out:

  • Next to the “Featured” and “Events” tabs, BetMGM has a “Calendar” tab that whisks bettors right to that day’s action.
  • BetMGM puts specials and boosts right at the top of the daily listings, like the Stars’ odds to win the Stanley Cup or Tyler Seguin’s chances at the Hart Trophy.
  • For hardcore hockey fans, BetMGM carries odds on international leagues.

Best NHL odds boosts and promos

It’ll be a new game in Texas when the state legalizes sports betting, and the sportsbooks that get approved to work in the market will sweeten the deal with promos. Some may require codes to enter.

FanDuel has offered new players a $1,000 no-sweat first NHL bet, and DraftKings will match an initial deposit of $1,000 with credit at the sportsbook. Caesars can go up to $1,250 bonus bet on Caesars with a promo code.

Be aware that the sites aren’t giving you straight cash. These promos are credit you can use to bet and build profit.

Boosts are different. They will likely occur every day at Texas betting sites. They can be as simple as betting on the Stars to win by more than 2.5 goals. Some sportsbooks will combine teams, like offering a boost if the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars all win the same day. A boost is a great option if you were already leaning toward betting a certain way.

How to bet on the NHL online in Texas

The process for signing up to bet on the NHL online in Texas is as fast as a shift change. After downloading the app for the sportsbook you like, you’ll likely need to provide these details:

  • Full name
  • Birthday
  • Email
  • Username (you select)
  • Password
  • Full address
  • Phone number
  • Last four digits of your Social Security number

Sportsbooks in Texas will need to verify your age and identity before you can start to legally bet. When you initially sign up, this is when you can cash in those promo offers.

The only thing that may be tricky is ensuring that your tablet, mobile device or desktop has geolocation software. Online sportsbooks in Texas need to make sure you’re physically in Texas before betting.

The actual process of making a bet is as simple as hovering your mouse over the box of your choice and clicking it. It will then come up as a bet slip. Confirm the bet, and you’re all set.

Today’s NHL odds at TX online sportsbooks

Hockey moves fast, and so do the sportsbooks when it comes to live betting lines on an NHL game. You can find up-to-date betting lines on play-texas.com for NHL games, or just open your sportsbook on your preferred device.

Sports betting lines are usually pretty uniform across sportsbooks, but occasionally you’ll find a different one, which is why it’s smart to have a few different accounts.

Check tonight’s Dallas Stars odds here.

NHL moneylines, puck lines and totals

There are three main bets on an NHL game: the moneyline, the puck line and the total. Let’s break down each of these NHL bets.

  • Moneyline: This is the simplest bet in the game. Pick the team you think will win. The favorite will be marked with a minus (-) sign and the underdog with a plus (+) sign. The favorite will have lesser odds and a smaller payout than the underdog on a moneyline. NHL regular season games don’t end in ties anymore. They are decided by shootouts after overtime, but some sportsbooks will offer the option of a regulation tie.
  • Puck line: Hockey doesn’t mind doing things differently, so why have a point spread when the idea is to score goals? The puck line serves as the point spread. Since there aren’t a lot of goals scored in most NHL games, the puck line is usually set at 1.5 goals for the favorite. The odds on a puck line are usually balanced at -110, meaning a $110 bet either way would earn you a profit of $100.
  • Total: This is a way to bet on an NHL contest without any interest in the winner or loser. The NHL sportsbooks in Texas will set an over/under total bet on each game, usually 5.5 goals, and you determine whether more goals will be scored in the game or fewer. Again, the payouts are usually balanced at -110 on either side. The grand salami bet is a bet on the total runs scored for all games on that day’s slate.

NHL live betting

The ability to bet on a game after it starts sparked a revolution in sports betting. It’s called live betting. Multiple Texas sportsbooks will offer ongoing hockey odds on games after they begin, based on the unfolding action.

If you feel like the Stars are about to make a comeback or perhaps blow out the Predators after watching the first period, you can jump in and place a new live bet on the outcome.

NHL props and futures markets

There’s one thing the NHL does better than any other sports league in the world: trophies.

Almost every sports fan in the world knows the Stanley Cup, and, of course, sportsbooks let you bet on who you think will win it all season long.

The NHL’s individual trophies are just as glamorous and almost as popular. Texas sportsbooks don’t wait until the NHL season starts to offer bets on the winners of the Hart (MVP), Vezina (best goalie) and Calder (Rookie of the Year) awards. These are fun bets to make in the preseason and then root for all year long.

NHL props come in all sticks and sizes. In single games, you can bet on who will be the first goal scorer, how many saves a goalie will make, or even whether the Zamboni will break down. (OK, I made that last one up.) But seriously, a prop bet adds a little spice to any regular game bet by focusing on a particular stat, outcome or incident.

What are NHL parlays and same game parlays?

A parlay is where you combine multiple bets into one, and when it comes to an NHL game, the options are endless. You can parlay that the Stars score goals in every period and win the game by more than the puck line. You can parlay a Stars victory along with Tyler Seguin scoring two goals.

Same game parlays are a big feature at most sportsbooks. The sportsbooks can mix and match all kinds of pieces of action, from the number of shots by a player to the number of saves by a goalie to who scores the first goal. You place one bet on all those different outcomes with big odds.

What are NHL alternate lines?

Many Texas betting sites will offer you even more control of your bet. The biggest way is by giving you the chance to set your own puck line, or “alternate line.”

For example, say the Stars are favored by 1.5 goals over the Chicago Blackhawks, but you believe Dallas is going to blow them out. Just find a sportsbook that offers an alternate line, meaning the Stars by something more than 1.5 goals. If you bet the alternate line, it comes with increased odds and a better payout when you win.

How do you find the best NHL lines?

On average, especially in hockey, the puck line doesn’t deviate that much from sportsbook to sportsbook. The puck line is usually set at -1.5 for the favorite, and the total typically lives at 5.5. But there are always exceptions.

Bettors can strategize in two ways. Either wait until just before the opening faceoff to account for any possible roster changes or take advantage of the initial line and lock that in before potential changes occur. It’s your choice.

Hockey betting rules at online sportsbooks

The biggest thing that can trip up an NHL bettor is the idea of regulation time betting. When we talk about regulation time, we mean the usual three periods of play, but not overtime.

Sportsbooks frequently have separate bets for regulation winners and overall winners, meaning after three periods or after a shootout. Sometimes, people might bet on a three-way moneyline and discover they don’t win because a game goes to overtime.

Here are a few other common NHL rules at online sportsbooks:

  • Only official NHL results and stats can settle bets.
  • Goals scored in overtime count toward over/under totals and NHL player props.
  • Shootout wins only count as one-goal wins, no matter how many shootout goals were scored.
  • Trades, injuries and even team relocations don’t void futures bets.