In 2020-21, Connor McDavid recorded 105 points in only 56 hockey games.

It’s safe to say that NHL prop gamblers who were targeting McDavid OVERS last year had a lot of fun watching Connor and his Edmonton Oilers play games.

What Is An NHL Player Prop Bet?

A player prop bet is a wager that is specific to the performance of a particular player and not the results or final score of the game.

NHL Player prop bets will focus on things like the number of goals, assists, or shots a player will have in a game. The final score or the winning team is not relevant when it comes to NHL player prop betting.

Example Of An NHL Player Prop Bet

As NHL player props become more popular, the different prop bet opportunities continue to grow as well. Still, the most popular NHL player prop bets focus on goals and assists.

Here is an example of an NHL Player Prop Bet:

• Auston Matthews 0.5 goals -120 OVER
• Auston Matthews 0.5 goals +100 UNDER

Just like traditional game betting, you will see that there are moneyline odds associated with an NHL Player Prop Bet.

In this case, the oddsmaker is suggesting that the more likely scenario is that Auston Matthews will score a goal and have made the OVER a slight -120 favorite.

If Matthews scores a goal in this game, then someone who wagered $120 on the OVER would win $100.

Using the +100 UNDER odds, if Matthews did not score a goal, then a $100 wager on the UNDER would win $100 in profit.

Different Types Of NHL Player Props

As mentioned earlier, the most common NHL player prop bets revolve around goals, assists, and total points, but there are many other options as well.

Here are just some of the different types of NHL player props you can find listed in sportsbooks:

• Player O/U goals
• Player O/U assists
• Player O/U points
• Player O/U total shots on goal
• Player O/U total saves (goalies)

Just like traditional betting, each sportsbook will offer its own menu of player prop options and its own moneyline odds for each bet they offer.

A wise bettor will shop around to find the best available odds on the NHL player prop that interests them the most.

What Are The Advantages Of Betting NHL Player Props

One of the big advantages of betting on NHL player props is the added excitement and opportunities it can provide for a specific game. Maybe one team is decidedly better than the other team at that moment in time.

Sometimes a gambler isn’t overly interested in following along with the final score, instead, they would rather focus on individual player performance.

NHL player prop betting brings a whole new set of entertainment options for a gambler.

The NHL talent level has never been higher than it is today.

The game has never been faster and the skill level of the average player is truly impressive.

If the final score of the Boston Bruins vs Tampa Bay Lightning game doesn’t interest you, then maybe how many goals Brad Marchand or Nikita Kucherov will score does.

NHL Player Prop Betting Strategy

Bet what you know:

Smart gamblers will recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and try to put themselves in the best position to win.

If you are unfamiliar with one or both of the teams involved, then make sure you check out the player prop bets options, which may be a better option based on your knowledge of that specific game.

Many fans of an eastern conference team, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, won’t watch a lot of western conference hockey games.

Times zones and busy schedules can make it difficult enough to watch your own favorite team.

In this case, a bettor who is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs might be more interested in betting on Nathan MacKinnon or Leon Draistl as opposed to the Colorado Avalanche or Edmonton Oilers.

Bet alignment:

A sure sign of a novice gambler is someone who doesn’t have bet alignment when they are making their prop bet selections.

If a bettor likes Patrick Kane to go OVER 1.5 total points, then it wouldn’t make sense to bet the UNDER in the Chicago Blackhawks game as well.

Cheering for a player to score a lot of points while also cheering for a game to be low scoring isn’t a long-term strategy for success.

When adding NHL player prop bets to your betting card, make sure they are in alignment with your other selections for that game.

Where Can You Bet NHL Player Props?

Wise bettors know that there is more to earning a profit than just picking winners. Yes, winning bets is obviously the goal of all gamblers.

However, those who are experts in the field are diligent with their money management and that includes shopping for the best available lines on NHL props betting apps.

Shopping for the best available line should be done for traditional bets and all player prop bets as well. Most sportsbooks will have a player prop available for how many points Connor McDavid will score in a game.

However, many of those same sportsbooks will set a different point total or have a different moneyline associated with their Connon McDavid total points option.

A wise gambler will always shop around.

NHL player props are now available at pretty much all legal U.S. sportsbooks and the amount of prop bet options is continually expanding.

DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, FOX Bet, and PointsBet are some of the top-tier regulated sports betting sites offering NHL player prop bets.