What Is the Canadian Line And How Does It Relate to Sports Betting and Wagering?
Just when you think Canadians can’t out do themselves, they go and get themselves a completely Canadian way of betting on the one sport they care the most about – hockey. As a Canadian, I can honestly say that we would chose hockey (plus beer) over just about anything in the world. It’s our past time and it’s our future because despite the lack of quality Canadian teams in the NHL, the fan bases are more passionate than ever in hopes of one day competing with and finally beating hockey’s elite teams. Betting on hockey used to be simple – pick who you think will win the game (and get frustrated when the game ended in a tie). Now days, we have a bet called the “Canadian Line” and it’s a pretty unique way of betting.
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What is the Canadian Line?
The Canadian line can mean two slightly different things depending on which sportsbooks you use and what their rules are. It is vital to know the rules of the bets you are placing so that no discrepancies arise after a bet is graded a loser when you thought it was a winner. They main gist of the Canadian line is a bet that combines a money line bet with a puck line bet. This unique way of wagering offers bettors a more appealing product than simply betting on the outright winner of the game.
How the Canadian Line Works
The first example of the Canadian is referred to as the puckline, which is a standard 1.5-point spread. Generally speaking, a betting favorite in hockey could see odds upwards of -200. The puckline offers up a way to bet on the favorite and get them at even-money or better. If you are an underdog bettor, betting the puckline will have you laying upwards of -150 to get the +1.5-spread during the game.
The second example of the Canadian line accounts for regulation play only since hockey games can’t end in a tie anymore. This means that a fixed point spread of .5 is used in combination with the money line. This means that if you bet on the favorite at -0.5, they would have to win in regulation time by any margin in order for you to cash your ticket. If you bet the underdog at +0.5, an outright win, or a game that goes beyond 60-minutes is graded as a winner.
Why is There a Canadian Line?
Much like in baseball, hockey scores are relatively too small for the point spread to be an absurd number. The Canadian line also helps make betting on favorites more attractive than the -200-price tag you will likely have to lay with one of the top teams in the league. The Canadian line in hockey may or may not included the dreaded shootout, so I would advise you to research your sportsbook’s rules and understand what goes into a winning Canadian line bet.
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