Is it legal to bet on the NHL in Illinois?
Yes, betting on the NHL is legal in Illinois. After a lot of struggle, the sports betting law was pushed through as a bill in 2019. In fact, Governor Pritzker signed the bill into law in June of that year. Despite Covid shutting things down and slowing things up, the first sports bet was taken in March 2020.
Since then, sports betting in the state of Illinois has only grown and is now available in both physical and online forms.
Illinois sportsbooks where you can bet on the NFL
There are a number of different sportsbooks in Illinois offering NHL betting. Each one has something different to offer, which makes it very important to take a look at their specific features on offer. Have a look at the top betting sites here.
Different types of bets in ice hockey
If you want to get started with betting on the NHL, then you need to know what the different bet types are. Below are the most common bets placed on ice hockey:
Which NHL teams in or around Illinois can you bet on?
While there is only one NHL team in Illinois, there are a number of other ice hockey teams in the surrounding states that can also be bet on. Here are some of the top NHL teams in the area for you to bet on:
Tips when betting on the NHL in Illinois
Below is a walkthrough of our best tips when betting on the NHL in Illinois:
Moneyline Sport
The National Hockey League is a moneyline sport, and the moneyline is the most common wager Illinois bettors make when betting on hockey. Oddsmakers set a number, and the Illinois sports bettor decides which team will win and bets on that team.
The most important thing to remember when betting the moneyline is to never wager on a favorite over -150 and never bet on an underdog of +150 or higher.
A bet on Chicago -150 will cost the Illinois sports bettor $150 to win $100. That is 1.5 units in standard 100-unit bankroll management. While winning a few of these bets are terrific, the inevitable losing streak could significantly reduce the bankroll, and that is why we advise not to play favorites of -150 or higher.
Illinois bettors are encouraged to wager on the underdog whenever possible, as a $100 wager on Detroit to win this game pays $130. Prairie State NHL bettors should also remember that favorites generally win and refrain from betting on underdogs over +150.
Goaltending matters
Goaltending is the most important thing when considering which NHL team to back. Solid goaltending knowledge can make or break an Illinois sports bettor, and we have some tips to help Praire State punters choose the correct goaltender.
Favorites generally win
The NHL favorite wins roughly 60% of their contests, which means the favorite loses 40% of the time. Look for favorites on short winning streaks of 1-2 games with their top goaltender in action and try and attack teams with injuries to their blue line.
Illinois sports bettors should remember the higher the favorite, the more risk is involved, and NHL bettors should avoid favorites of -150 or better.
NHL away underdog
Unlike most sports, NHL home teams have a 54.5% win rate, which means the away team has a realistic chance of winning 45.5% of the time.
This is sometimes an excellent spot to find a profitable away underdog. The Illinois sports bettor should look for an away underdog playing well against a home team with either a backup goaltender or injuries to its defense.
Rested road favorites
Sports bettors love the home team, but as we’ve seen, home teams don’t win as often in the NHL as in other sports, and sometimes an Illinois sports bettor can get a reasonable price on an away favorite.
Prairie State sports bettors should always consider a rested road team with a winning away record against NHL teams with either mediocre or sub-.500 home records.
Line shopping
Betting on NHL contests is about finding the best price. To get the best moneyline odds, sports bettors should have betting accounts at each of the legal Illinois sportsbooks.