This year I've gone 5-2 with my GIFT bets generating +2.16 units of profit and with 11 games on the NHL schedule tonight, we've got a lot of options to find more profit from bets on goals in the first 10 minutes.
Tonight I'm betting on a GIFT between the Flyers vs Rangers and Golden Knights vs Blues but I decided to take no GIFT in Utah vs Wild.
Flyers vs Rangers GIFT Bet
Flyers vs Ranges Odds - 7:00 pm ET @ Madison Square Garden
I'm surprised we're getting the typically -175 odds for a GIFT goal tonight, that's great value considering the context of this game.
A lot happens in the opening 10 minutes of Flyers games, especially of late where a GIFT has been scored in each of their last five road games. A total of six goals were scored in the opening 10 minutes of those games with Philly and their opponents scoring three each.
It's wide-open chaos when Philly is on the road and the Rangers should take full advantage. Not only have they seen a GIFT in 70% of their games this year, but that rate goes up slightly to 72% when they play at MSG. And while the Rangers may only be 2-3 against a GIFT bet in their last five home games, they've scored three goals in the opening 10 minutes of those games, they'll be ready to pounce on Philly's sloppy play right from puck drop.
Bet: O0.5 goals in first 10 minutes (-175)
Golden Knights vs Blues GIFT Bet
Golden Knights vs Blues - 8:00 pm ET @ Enterprise Center
There's no such thing as easing into a Golden Knights-Blues game, going back to the 20-21 season a GIFT bet has hit 14 times in 19 games (74%) between the Golden Knights and Blues with an insane combined total of 20 goals in the first 10 minutes, Vegas scored 12 of those goals.
This bet has legs on that trend alone, but then you have to consider that the St. Louis Blues are 4-1 for GIFT bets in their last five games with the Blues scoring in the opening ten minutes four times in that span. They also hold the fourth-best GIFT rate (64%) this season. The Blues are solid GIFT bets regardless of who they're playing.
Vegas might be quieter on the GIFT front in their last five, going 3-2 with only three goals in the opening 10 minutes, but as we saw, there's something about seeing that blue note on the opponents' sweaters that brings out early offense from the Golden Knights scoring 12 GIFTs in their last 19 games vs the Blues.
Bet: O0.5 goals in first 10 minutes (-175)
Utah vs Wild GIFT Bet
Utah vs Wild - 8:00 pm ET @ Xcel Energy Center
Switching gears, I'm betting "no GIFT" in Utah vs Wild. Both teams have demonstrated that they keep a tight ship to open games. Utah has the second-lowest GIFT rate in the league at 45%, a percentage that rises only slightly to 47% when on the road. Utah specializes in low-event hockey to open a match.
Minnesota is another team that's kept things quiet to open games with the sixth-lowest GIFT rate at 51%. The team might be excited to get Karill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon back from injury, but don't expect either to be at game speed just yet, Kaprizov hasn't played since December 23 and Spurgeon has been out since December 31, they'll be rusty and won't impact the game until later into proceedings.
Bet: U0.5 goals in first 10 minutes (+125)
