Free NHL Underdog Picks

Like the NBA, professional hockey plays an 82-game regular season schedule with multiple wagering opportunities each night. There are no point spreads, but - like baseball - there are betting numbers with NHL Moneylines, totals, and puck lines (the same as MLB run-line) offered. NHL handicapping the games is the same, too, taking into account the challenges each team faces such as road trips, injuries, coaching changes, rivalry battles, and let-down situations. Proposition wagering has filtered into NHL books, as well, with player assists, goals, and shots on goal Over/Unders. The more betting NHL hockey picks options the greater the opportunities to find the softest numbers to maximize your winning. Did you know that I have daily NHL computer picks? They are 100% free and updated daily during the NHL hockey season.

Why Use Free NHL Hockey Underdog Picks

During one recent NHL season, the four division winners had records of 58-18, 54-20, 56-19, and 50-21. That means they're roughly winning two of every three games or three out of every four. That's impressive, but those division winners are going to be favored a lot and aren't ripping off 12-game winning streaks. They slip up on average once a week when playing three or four games. And those were the best teams in the league. Plenty of other NHL teams can be favorites despite being closer to having .500 seasonal marks. The key to turning a profit is identifying underdogs that are capable of winning the game. That requires understanding team strengths and weaknesses, along with other handicapping factors such as situational spots, injuries, and home/road splits. I do the homework daily to find the top betting advantages aided by decades of experience and a comprehensive computer database. When I release a hockey underdog, there are multiple wagering reasons attached.

Betting Value in Free NHL Underdog Picks

You don't increase your hockey betting bankroll simply by picking more winners than losers. For instance, if you pick three NHL teams that are all minus 250 favorites and go 2-1 you lose money. And if you went 1-2 you'd really be in a big hole. That's one of many important reasons why pro handicappers look for live dogs that can pull the upset or ones that are in a strong situational spot. The losses are less of a hit to your wallet while the wins grow the bankroll much quicker. Many underdogs win the game straight up in all sports. That's even more true in hockey with overtime shootouts preventing ties. When Tampa Bay was winning multiple Stanley Cups they were often favored. But during one of those regular seasons, the Lightening had five losing streaks of more than one game, including a pair of three-game skids.

Wunderdog Free NHL Hockey Underdog Picks

The free NHL underdog selections that I release are examined carefully from multiple angles weighed against my numbers, NHL public betting data and the actual betting odds. That last part is a key distinction. If my numbers say a team should be a +140 dog and they're only +120, there's less value than there should be. That would likely mean passing on the game. It's essential to properly gauge what dogs are in a good position to pull an upset AND that there's enough number value to make it worthwhile. In addition, I follow line movement all day long allowing me to calculate the mathematical edges at the wagering window. Over the course of an 82-game season, the differences between +120 and +140 add up (or down) with your betting bankroll!

Free Hockey Underdog Picks vs. Premium Picks

Free NHL Underdog Picks Pros:

• Free hockey insight from a documented successful betting pro
• No cost, no money lost
• With handicapping dynamics shifting daily and hourly, keeps you up to date on those changes

Free NHL Underdog Picks Cons:

• Sports betting websites often hide losers while trumpeting only winners
• Too much info and betting angles can overwhelm and confuse
• Do not parlay for a bigger payday unless the handicapping pro recommends it

Premium NHL Underdog Picks Pros:

• Providing some essential game insight that isn't available to the average bettor
• The best plays on the card brimming with reasons, angles, and expertise
• It takes an experienced eye to identify NHL Moneyline underdogs that are capable of pulling the upset

Premium NHL Underdog Picks Cons:

• Additional costs will cut into your sports wagering bankroll
• It pays to unearth the track record of the website you're garnering info and picks from
• Be wary of selections that come with little information or no reasons explained

How To Win With Free NHL Hockey Underdog Picks

You win in all sports by accumulating information and then sifting through the data to pull out the key factors that may help decide a contest. Finding a few key variables that work against the favorite often means the current underdog probably should be the favorite. This not only isolates a selection to wager on but one that is a very live underdog. It's all about finding dogs with favorable situations or matchups strong enough to keep a game close to pull off a surprise. And the more plus-money dogs you hit the faster your betting bankroll will rise.

Free NHL Underdog Picks Betting Strategy

Situational Dogs

Oddsmakers tabulate NHL favorites based on power ratings, records, personnel, and recent play. But situations are a vital component when trying to predict winners and losers. A good NHL team on a seven-game road trip is often a road favorite. But should they be? If they're at the end of a long trip, has all the road travel negatively influenced their play of late? Maybe they got upset in the last game by a weaker team, or perhaps they squeezed out a 2-1 win despite getting outshot 42-24. Take a close look at the box score. If they had a significant edge on the power play, maybe they were fortunate to get a win in a tired situational spot. The schedule-maker wasn't kind to Tampa Bay in one recent season, opening the campaign playing seven of nine on the road. They lost three of their first five road games, including as a -140 favorite at Los Angeles, 4-2 - their fifth road game in seven contests. Another common NHL regular-season situation is a division rivalry game. A big emotional win or loss can find the team can be in a let-down spot in the next game.

Defensive Dogs

A strong defense in all sports can help even mediocre teams hang tight as an underdog. Examine carefully the defensive strengths of NHL dogs, such as goals allowed, shots on goal given up, and goalie save percentage. A team in the Top 10 in any of those categories - or all three - is likely capable of keeping even a high-profile opponent from scoring many goals. If you project a 2-1 or 3-2 final it could go either way with the underdog more than worthy of pulling off an upset. The recent expansion Seattle Kraken did that in their second season, improving the defense dramatically. They pulled off a string of early-season upsets, including 4-1 at Los Angeles as a +140 dog and at defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado, 3-2, as a +200 underdog. A strong defense is a great equalizer for underdogs.

NHL False Favorites

A "false favorite" in sports betting is a team that the oddsmakers have favored but several factors are working against them. One is injuries. Hockey teams roll three and four lines, so depth is an essential element. A team dealing with numerous injuries can be negatively influenced in multiple ways. Having one or two forwards out forces coaches to adjust personnel or bring in kids from the minors. That can disrupt offensive chemistry and production. Another can be playing the second of a back-to-back or a team's third game in four nights. That's a grinding schedule that could give multiple edges to a rested underdog opponent. And remember that NHL teams utilize two goaltenders. If the backup goalie is a significant step down from the starter, the team may be in the role of "false favorite" making the live dog attractive.

Free NHL Hockey Underdog Picks Subscription

When the NHL night ends it's easy to spot the upsets and even to see why they happened. The key to making money is to identify those live underdogs before the puck is dropped. It's about having the right information beforehand to assess what upsets might happen or even what "false favorites" to fade. You can receive my NHL Underdog picks on a regular subscription service to help add layers of insight to your sports betting knowledge. Those live dogs are on the NHL card every night, so start increasing your handicapping acumen (and your betting bankroll) now!