Traditional bettors may be sceptical when mentioning fantasy hockey wagering. However, making the transition has become a seamless process thanks to a variety of popular websites. Unlike wagering on bets such as puck lines, over/under and point spread, fantasy hockey allows you to be a little more creative by selecting your team and running it much like a real-life general manager would.

There’s no season-long commitment either, as fantasy giants FanDuel and DraftKings offer weekly leagues with the chance to cash in on big prizes. If you want to draft a team and run it right to the end of the NHL season, FanDuel and DraftKings have you covered as well.

Best Online Fantasy NHL Leagues

Newcomers to either site can also create their own league and invite friends at any time. Tracking your team’s progress can be viewed on your desktop or any other handheld device, keeping you in the game 24/7.

Other websites — such as Yahoo! and Fantrax — also offer comprehensive leagues with the option of drafting year-to-year or competing in the Dynasty format, which gives customers the chance to carry over their teams every season and even have a minor league system to draw players from.

Scoring systems can be complex in some leagues, but the main two formats are head-to-head and the popular rotisserie setup. There’s also various drafting types — the most common being a standard draft. However, websites like Fantrax have made auction drafts more popular over the years.

The signup process for any of these websites is seamless. Open an account by using your email and create a strong password. From there, you’ll be drafting and playing fantasy hockey in no time.

How To Win Fantasy NHL

Fantasy hockey betting can be overwhelming for any newcomer, but with the right strategy and player research, it can be very rewarding in the end.

Many believe the initial draft will determine how you finish in the standings. Selecting the big star players will definitely enhance your chances of winning, but drafting a strong support system to build around your star players is the key to success.

Many leagues are introducing enhanced stats such as shots on goal and blocked shots, which requires a little more homework when taking part in the draft.

If hits is a scoring category in your league, picking up  a top forward from a high-scoring team like the Toronto Maple Leaf is something to consider.

If drafting a goaltender is part of your plan in the first few rounds, there’s a handful of No. 1 goalies that will fly off the board as early as the mid-to-late first round in many leagues. The importance of this one position cannot be overstated, as they can contribute to stunning shutouts.

Are you picking last overall in your draft? Well don’t sweat it. Many leagues have snake drafts, which means the person selecting last has back-to-back picks, ensuring you get two solid players early on. It may be a perfect time to lock up the goaltending position considering by the time you make your third pick, all of the top-flight goalies may be off the board.

Traditional betting will always be the preferred choice of wagering, especially in cities like Las Vegas where putting your cash on one game with a money line pick at any sportsbook can pay off substantially.

But fantasy hockey wagering continues to gain in popularity and has been attracting even sceptical bettors throughout the years.