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What Are NHL Futures?
NHL futures odds are hockey wagers where sports betting enthusiasts place money on a team to win an event that takes place at a later time in the year or season. Once a futures bet has been made at an online sportsbook, it’s officially locked in with fixed odds at the time of that wager. Depending on which NHL betting site you use and when they post their futures odds, you can bet on NHL futures before the season starts or you can wager on NHL futures during the season.
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The most common NHL futures bets are wagering on which team will win the Stanley Cup, which teams will win their respective conferences, and who will win performance awards such as the regular-season MVP, otherwise known as the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Stanley Cup Futures
Which NHL team will win the Stanley Cup next season? You can bet on that today and every other day by wagering on hockey futures odds. Oddsmakers set and move lines during the NHL season, depending on the relative strength of NHL teams.
The top-ranked team in the league might be listed at +400 odds to win the Cup. That means you would earn $4 for every $1 wagered if that team goes on to win Lord Stanley. However, the NHL’s last-place team may be +10000. Sure, it would pay out big time, but it’s a crazy long shot.
They say the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in all of professional sports, which ordinarily wouldn’t bode well for hockey bettors placing NHL hockey futures wagers, but the payoff can be so sweet.
Stanley Cup Odds
Let’s say the Vegas Golden Knights (+600) are the preseason favorites to win the Stanley Cup, with the Tampa Bay Lightning trailing ever so closely at +750. A $100 wager on the Golden Knights would profit $600 if they were to win, while a $100 wager on the Bolts would profit $750 if they were to take home the championship trophy.
Use our odds calculator to see how much you could win on NHL futures odds. Payouts depend on the odds and amount wagered. We have formats of American odds, decimal odds, fractional odds, and implied odds too.
Division And Conference NHL Futures Betting
The NHL consists of two conferences (Eastern and Western) with two divisions within each conference (Atlantic and Metropolitan in the East, Central and Pacific in the West). The top three teams from each division qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, as well as two wild-card teams. The wild-card entries are the two teams with the highest point total that were outside the top three of their division.
The top seed from each conference plays the lower-seeded wild-card team, while the leader of the opposite division within their conference draws the higher-seeded wild-card squad. This then leaves the second and third seeds from each division to face off in the first round of the playoffs. After the first round, matchups are determined by seeding, with the highest remaining seed in the conference drawing the lowest remaining seed.
NHL Awards Betting
Player awards are also a very popular NHL futures market. The Hart Memorial Trophy is awarded to the most valuable player in the NHL regular season, while the Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the MVP of the NHL playoffs. Other NHL player awards include:
- • James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defenseman)
- • Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)
- • Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
- • Ted Lindsay Award (Most Outstanding Player)
- • Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)
- • Lady Byng Trophy (Most Gentlemanly Player)
- • Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)
NHL Futures FAQ
What Are NHL Futures?
NHL futures are hockey bets on the outcome of future events such as which NHL team will win the Stanley Cup and which teams will win their division or conference. NHL futures odds open prior to the start of the regular season, and they are updated based on results, injuries and other variables until a team hoists the championship trophy.
Can I Bet On NHL Futures?
Yes, you can most definitely bet on NHL futures. There are odds for National Hockey League futures bets to be made on categories like which team will win the Stanley Cup, which teams will win the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific divisions, or which hockey player will win the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Which Teams Have The Best Odds To Win The Stanley Cup?
The Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames are the three NHL teams who currently have the best odds to win the Stanley Cup. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the NHL futures odds you see in the tables at the top of this page fluctuate throughout the course of the regular season depending on the sportsbook.