With the 2025/26 National Hockey League season underway, it’s time to look to the future – as in NHL Futures wagering options. Placing future bets in the preseason (or even during the regular season) can result in monster payouts when the victors hoist the Stanley Cup i July 9. With this article we present some tips to help handicappers make profitable future bets when it comes to the fastest game on ice. The early bird definitely catches the worm when it comes to successful NHL futures betting.
Best NHL Futures Betting Sites
To receive quality prices on all of your future wagers, please refer to the sportsbooks recommended in our Top 5 Table. Remember, NHL futures bets will help enhance your interest throughout the entire season.
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NHL Future Betting Strategy & Tips
Although not something we would normally wager the farm on, there is money to made with NHL future bets. Options on who will win the Stanley Cup, plus the Eastern and Western Conferences, are currently the most popular markets. The best time to make future bets are prior to or early into the season, when the odds are still fairly robust and ripe for the picking. Here are some tips and strategies on how to make profitable NHL future bets.
1) Shop for the best NHL future prices
As is the case with any online betting option, future bettors need to shop for the best odds. The price on the Pittsburgh Penguins to with the Cup in 2015-16 opened at 12-1 and grew to 25-1 by Feb. 15, depending on the sportsbook used.
2) Place your bets as early as possible
Top online bookmakers will normally post odds for the Stanley Cup championship shortly after the current winner is crowned. No matter what the sport, the best futures prices are almost always posted at the end of the season.
3) Bet a mix of favorites and underdogs
On 100 unit wagers, current top chalk Chicago (8/1 odds), mixed in with Dallas (12/1) and Montreal (22/1) as longshots would guarantee a minimum 800 unit return if one of them wins the Cup.
4) Watch how the teams start out of the gate
In a league where 14 of 30 teams fail to qualify for the playoffs and the propensity of the three-point shootout and overtime games can leave making up ground a fruitless pursuit, so stumbling out of the gate can prove fatal for an NHL team. If your preseason picks look dicey, add a couple of teams to hedge your bets.
5) Back up your picks during NHL postseason play
Let's say all four of your preseason selections have made it to the final eight. Knowing those teams will bring a minimum 800 unit return you can wager another 400 units on the other four teams to guarantee a profit.
Advantages of National Hockey League Future Bets
Just as it is with all of the pro sports, the primary advantage to NHL future betting is the huge payouts that come when you cash a winning betting slip. Based on the Penguins 12/1 preseason odds to win the Stanley Cup in 2015-16, a small investment (let's say $100) cashed a monster $1,200 payout for puck bettors who backed Pittsburgh'. NHL future bets can also make for a more enjoyable season. Having some skin in the game makes following the action remarkably more intriguing – if the teams you backed to capture the Cup are winning.
