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NHL Over/Under Betting — Totals, OT Rules, and Push Scenarios

By Garrett Tilson · Updated

NHL Over/Under Betting — Totals, OT Rules, and Push Scenarios

NHL game totals typically sit at 5.5–6.5 goals. A standard over/under wager on hockey is one of the simpler bet types to learn — but the overtime and push rules trip up a lot of new bettors.

What Is an NHL Over/Under Bet?

The sportsbook sets a total number of combined goals for a game. You bet whether the final score goes over or under that number. That's it. No picking a winner. No worrying about the spread.

Most NHL totals are priced at -110 on each side. That means you risk $110 to win $100. The vig embedded in those odds gives the book a margin of roughly 4.5%. At -110/-110, you need to win about 52.4% of your total bets just to break even.

For a full breakdown of how vig works across all bet types, see the NHL Bet Types: Moneyline, Puck Line, and Over/Under Explained guide.

Do Overtime and Shootout Goals Count?

Yes — on standard totals, every goal counts. Regulation, overtime, shootout. All of it. If the game is tied 2-2 after 60 minutes and one team scores in OT, the total is 5. If you bet the over 4.5, you win.

There is one exception worth knowing: the 60-Minute Line, also called a 3-way bet. That market settles on regulation time only. A game going to overtime means bettors on Team A or Team B to win outright lose that specific bet. It's a niche market — most casual bettors stick to the standard total.

If you're interested in wagering after the puck drops, the OT rules matter even more in real time. Read how odds shift during play in the NHL Live Betting — How In-Play Odds Move Around Goals and Penalties guide.

What Is a Push on an NHL Total?

A push happens when the combined goals land exactly on the set line. Example: total is set at 6, final score is 3-3 — that's exactly 6 goals. The bet pushes. Your original stake is refunded, no win, no loss.

This is why most NHL totals are set at a half-number like 5.5 or 6.5. A half-goal eliminates any push possibility. When you see a whole-number total, push risk is real. Factor that in before you bet.

How to Read NHL Total Odds

  • Over 5.5 (-115) / Under 5.5 (-105): The book expects more goals; the over is slightly juiced.
  • Over 6 (-110) / Under 6 (-110): Even market; push is possible if exactly 6 goals are scored.
  • Over 6.5 (-110) / Under 6.5 (-110): No push risk; high-scoring game expected.

The odds tell you which side the sharp money is leaning. When one side moves to -120 or beyond, the book is seeing lopsided action or new information — like a goalie change.

What Moves an NHL Total Before the Game?

Goalie news is the biggest mover. A backup stepping in for a top starter can shift a total by half a goal or push the under odds out significantly. Back-to-back schedule situations matter too — fatigued goaltenders tend to let in more goals. Line movement on puck-line prices can move 15–20 cents on goalie swaps; totals react similarly.

Always confirm starting goalies before placing a total bet. The last thing you want is to bet the under on a matchup anchored by two elite starters, only to find out one of them is scratched an hour before puck drop.

For questions about specific markets or how totals interact with other wager types, the NHL Betting FAQ — Your Top Questions About Hockey Wagering Answered covers the most common scenarios in plain language.

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