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Betting Guide
Plus/minus is a stat you see a lot in the NHL today. It’s a great surface level stat because outscoring your opponent is the key to winning and plus/minus measures exactly that.
It’s also one of the latest stats that have joined the world of betting odds. For years we have been allowed to bet on things like player goals and goalie saves, but never things like plus/minus and shots blocked. No more as sportsbook are starting to offer odds on these new stats as well.
Personally, I’m loving it. The more betting options the better and this is one that is particularly near to my heart as there can be some great values on this one.
In this article I am going to explain a bit more about plus/minus player props as well as where to bet them. Let’s get into it!
Where To Bet NHL Player Plus/Minus:
America: Unfortunately, BetOnline doesn’t currently offer this betting prop. However, they have one of the best selections of NHL player props online including player shots on goal.
Everywhere Else: Bet365 Sportsbook is a sportsbook that offers many betting options. You can find the betting prop known as NHL Player Plus/Minus here and many more.
What is NHL Player Plus/Minus?
The plus/minus stat is pretty easy to understand. A player is awarded a “plus” for every time that they are on the ice and their team scores, whether they are involved in the play or not. They are given a “minus” for each time their opponent scores while they are on the ice. These numbers are then added together to make the plus/minus stat.
For example, if a player is on the ice for two goals for his team and one for the opposing team then they are given a “+1” plus/minus. If they are on the ice for three goals by the opposing team and none for their own team then they would be a “-3” plus/minus.
So, how does this work for betting? Simple, the sportsbook creates an over/under total for the player’s plus/minus that you can choose whether they will be better or worse than.
An example:
Connor McDavid: Over 0.5 (+185) Under 0.5 (-260)
The odds here think that it is likely that McDavid will finish with a 0 or worse plus/minus. If you bet $100 on the over and it came in, it would pay $185. However, if you were to bet under then you would need to bet $260 just to win $100.
Considering the Oilers are favored in this example, McDavid might be a good bet.
Common NHL Player Plus/Minus Questions:
Why do people dislike plus/minus as a stat?
One major criticism of this award is that it comes at any time of the game and is not exclusive to times when it is 5-on-5. So, for example, if a team scores while down a man in the penalty box, that would still be a -1 for those players. If they had two men in the penalty box for a 5-on-3, it would still count as a -1 if the other team scored. Additionally, if it is late in the game and your team pulled the goalie leading to an empty netter for the opposing team? That is still a -1!
It’s easy to see why some are critical of this statistic, but the positive of the matter is that the same rules apply to everyone across the league so at least everyone is getting screwed equally.
How to Bet NHL Player Plus/Minus:
Bet365 Sportsbook: Head over to the sportsbook and click “Hockey” on the left side of the page. From there you will come to a list of betting options. Scroll down to “Score” and you will find “Player Plus/Minus” listed. Click that to display all of the plus/minus betting options for that night’s games.
NHL Player Plus/Minus Betting Strategy:
The most important rule to me when betting player plus/minus is to stick with the favorites. If a team isn’t favored to win then it becomes extremely difficult for a top player to finish with a positive plus/minus. So if I am betting overs, then I am looking for a team with a high moneyline in their favor.
However, if I am looking to bet an under? Find a big underdog and try to figure out who is going to be on the ice a lot against the top lines. Especially those players who are on the penalty killing units. If you can find a player who is not only on the penalty killing unit but also on a not so good penalty killing unit (or facing a very good power play team) then that is the perfect scenario to bet an under.
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