A futures bet is just as the name implies; you are placing a bet against potential future performance by each team. If the Boston Bruins are +600 to win the Stanley Cup this year, then you can place a future bet of $100 and win $600 if the Bruins actually do win the Cup. Many of the price per head sports experts have all kinds of systems in place that they say help them to pick the Stanley Cup winner. There are two popular situations that people use to help guide their Stanley Cup betting; defending champions and regular season success.

NHL fans know how difficult it is to repeat as Stanley Cup champion. The last team to repeat was the Detroit Red Wings when it won the Cup in 1997 and then again in 1998. Prior to the 1991 and 1992 seasons when the Pittsburgh Penguins won back to back Cups, a team winning the Stanley Cup in successive seasons was common. Since 1998, it has never happened. The odds look stacked against the Bruins to repeat this year.

Another key indicator in betting on NHL futures is regular season success. The President’s Trophy is awarded to the best regular season team and has been given out 25 times since its inception in 1985. Since that time, only seven President’s Trophy winners have won the Stanley Cup. At a success rate of only 28 percent, the regular season champions are never a lock to win it all in the playoffs.

The price per head sports experts have noticed that the better teams in the league have a high winning percentage when they play a home game right after losing a game where they were the heavy favorites. It is a trend that is worth watching the first half of the season that you can use to make money in the second half of the season. For example, if the New York Rangers lose to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a game that New York was heavily favored to win, then the Rangers will carry that with them into the next game. If that next Rangers game is a home game, then the stats show that the Rangers will win that home game almost 70 percent of the time.

However, the NHL scores can go the other way as well. The stats show that if the Rangers go on the road to play that next game after losing a heavily favored contest, then the Rangers will lose that game almost 50 percent of the time. Watch the trends and see if these numbers hold up. If they do, then you know how you can make a few more bucks by betting on NHL home teams.

Money

Betting on a money line in hockey is just like baseball or any other sport. There is a favorite and an underdog. If the favorite is a -130, then you would need to bet $130 to make $100. If the underdog is a +110, then you would make $110 for every $100 you bet.

Regulation

A hockey game can be broken down into three sections; regulation, overtime and the shootout. In a regulation bet, you are placing a wager on the NHL score after regulation. The odds are given much like football odds in increments of a half of a goal. For example, if the Boston Bruins were favored to beat the Winnipeg Jets in regulation, then the Bruins may be a -1.5 goal favorite to win the game in regulation.

Totals

Totals is a common betting method that applies to most sports. It includes other betting methods such as the over/under. You can bet on the total number of goals a team will score, or you can bet that the total number of goals scored in one game will be over or under a set mark. You can also bet on the number of goals scored by all of the teams for one given day of games.

Saturday – Buffalo Sabres @ Pittsburgh Penguins

After a lot of posturing and emotional speeches, the Buffalo Sabres are still the same team it was last season. The defense is suspect and the offense cannot score goals. The Sabres have been bitten by the injury bug and have had as many as nine regulars out of the lineup and one point in the season. The Penguins are adjusting to life without captain Sidney Crosby again, but the Pens have a strong lineup that is still one of the best in the league.

Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins

Saturday – Los Angeles Kings @ Detroit Red Wings

The Los Angeles Kings’ management had seen enough inconsistency in the team and fired head coach Terry Murray. But the Kings will need more than a new head coach to beat the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit has figured out its defensive issues and is currently on a three-game winning streak.

Pick: Detroit Red Wings

Sunday – Calgary Flames @ Chicago Blackhawks

This will be a better game than most people would expect as the Flames have been playing some very good hockey lately. In its last 10 games, the Flames are 6-3-1. But that might not be enough to counteract the three-game winning streak that the Chicago Blackhawks have been riding lately.

Pick: Chicago Blackhawks

Saturday – Toronto Maple Leafs @ Boston Bruins

The betting sites are working overtime trying to keep up with the goal-scoring pace of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the Boston Bruins finally have their punishing defense in place and that should be the major difference in this battle of the top teams in the Northeast Division.

Betting Pick: Boston Bruins

Saturday – Montreal Canadiens @ Los Angeles Kings

This is a game that can really confuse the bookie software that many of the betting websites use. The Canadiens are the most unpredictable team in the NHL, while the Kings are trying to avoid being labeled as under-achievers. Something is going to have to give between these two teams and it could very well be that the visitors pull off another of its mysterious great performances.

Betting Pick: Montreal Canadiens

Sunday – Minnesota Wild @ Anaheim Ducks

The Minnesota Wild are the best team in the NHL, but they are facing an Anaheim team that is rejuvenated at the arrival of new head coach Bruce Boudreau. The Ducks are scoring goals while the Wild is not. That is what will decide this game in the end.

Betting Pick: Anaheim Ducks

The online betting sites are starting to recognize that the Pacific Division could be the most competitive division in the NHL this year. But the Los Angeles Kings are going to need to start picking up the pace if it wants to stay at the top of the Pacific Division. The Detroit Red Wings thought its struggles would be over once goaltender Jimmy Howard came back. But the Red Wings are still slumping and falling further down in the standings.

Pick: Los Angeles Kings

Saturday November 19: Washington Capitals @ Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still battling with the Buffalo Sabres for the lead in the Northeast Division, which is a relief to Leafs’ fans who are used to the team being in the basement by now. The price per head bookmaking experts see the Washington Capitals leading the Southeast Division, but the Capitals are not dominating like it did last year and have been struggling as of late.

Pick: Washington Capitals

Saturday November 19: St. Louis Blues @ Minnesota Wild

The St. Louis Blues are finally on a roll with a record of 6-3-1 in the last 10 games which includes a two-game winning streak. The Minnesota Wild are starting to pull away in the Northwest Division and are riding a two-game winning streak of their own. The keys to winning for both St. Louis and Minnesota are defense and goaltending. This will be a good game that the Wild should win.

Pick: Minnesota Wild

Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings – The revamped Edmonton Oilers have an uncanny mix of youth and veterans that are giving fans in Alberta hope they will see their favorite team make the playoffs. Edmonton has had much success early in the year, going seven – two – two through the first 11 games of the regular season. What’s most impressive is that the Oilers are receiving balanced scoring from three of the four lines, while also taking on outstanding goaltending. Rookie phenom Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is proving to be the center that sophomore Taylor Hall needed a year ago, as RNH is already a point a game player. Yesterday, RNH was named rookie of the month for October as he had 11 points in 11 games.

Meanwhile, the LA Kings are no slouches either, having gone six- three – two to open the season. The Kings as always are led by goalie duo John Quick and John Bernier, along with star center Anze Kopitar. Unfortunately, with former King turned Oiler Ryan Smyth scoring 10 points in 11 games, it looks as though Edmonton should take this game over LA.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Columbus Blue Jackets – The Maple Leafs will be looking to turn misfortune into success in the second game of a back to back for the first time this season. Toronto has struggled in the second games this season, losing in convincing fashion, after showing strong efforts in the first games. Yet, when facing a team such as Columbus, the Leafs should be able to come away with a victory. Especially with the return of star goalie James Reimer, who has missed two weeks due to whiplash.

Colorado Avalanche – The Avalanche have gotten out to a quick start, as they enter tonight’s action in second place in the Western Conference, with a five and one record. Colorado’s youth and speed and improved goaltending has all been on display in the early going of the 2011 – 12 season. As a result, many sportsbooks are already boosting the Avalanches odds to win the Cup. When the season opened, the Avalanche were a 70 to one underdog, but now they sit at 45 to one. With Calgary and Vancouver and Edmonton all struggling early, the youthful Mile High City team will need to continue their strong play if they hope to qualify for the playoffs.

Toronto Maple Leafs – At 30 to one odds, the Toronto Maple Leafs enter tonight’s action with one of the biggest rises in Stanley Cup futures odds. The Leafs under the guidance of goalie James Reimer, have collected nine of a possible 10 points this season. Toronto has shown that despite slow starts in all five games, they are never out of any game, as they are four zero and one. With an upcoming road stretch that starts out with the Stanley Cup champion Bruins tonight, Toronto has a huge opportunity to show and fans and critics alike, that the playoff drought ends this season.

Buffalo Sabres

Sports betting online hockey fans were a little frustrated that the Sabres did not play its entire starting lineup together during the preseason. It looked like head coach Lindy Ruff split up his starters and some would play on one night while others played the next game. But what was on the ice was extremely impressive. Newly acquired defensemen Christian Ehrhoff and Robin Regher looked comfortable in the Sabres’s system, but third-year star Tyler Myers still looks a little shaky. Ville Leino is being played as a winger and center, but will likely start the season as a center. Overall the Sabres looked strong and should be a playoff contender this season.

Winnipeg Jets

The Atlanta Thrashers were on the verge of becoming a playoff team. Once the team moved to Winnipeg, the playoff push really picked up steam. The price per head sports fans in Winnipeg may not have to wait very long to see playoff success as the young players and veterans on the Winnipeg roster looked very impressive in preseason play.

Nashville Predators

Even though Nashville lost several key players after its playoff run last season, the youth being brought in to fill vacant spots looks impressive. The Predators are expected to be a playoff team again this year and showed no signs of slowing down in the preseason.

Fans bet on sports for the competition and the thrill of winning. Athletes who have had a long and successful career often do not know when it is time to hang up the skates or refuse to accept the fact that their careers may be over. As we enter the 2011-2012 NHL season, there are two players who should strongly consider taking pride in their great careers and riding off into the sunset of retirement.

Chris Osgood – Goalie

When online casino hockey fans in Detroit were unhappy with rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard two years ago, veteran Chris Osgood tried to come in to save the day. The last time Osgood did that, he displaced Dominick Hasek and took the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup win. But two years ago, it did not work out that way. Howard was quickly reinstated as the Detroit goaltender and Osgood has been on the bench ever since. After three Stanley Cup championships, it may be time for Osgood to move on in his life and retire.

Mike Modano – Forward

Mike Modano is a legend in Dallas and throughout American hockey. The Detroit Red Wings have given Modano a hockey home the past couple of seasons, but it may be time for the 41-year-old American-born player to hang up the skates. A couple of teams have expressed interest in Modano, but the high salary he will command will scare most of those teams away. While Modano is still considered to be on top, he should consider spending his time getting bass fishing advice as opposed to trying to squeeze one more season out his great career.