Sports bettors, both novices and
veterans alike, would benefit greatly by taking the time to study line moves
each day. The various sportsbooks spend a great deal of time and money creating
odds on sporting events, so line moves are generally viewed as a mistake on
somebody's part. Either the oddsmaker, the person setting the odds, or the
sports bettors causing the line to move, are going to be wrong.
There are three primary reasons why
the line will change on a hockey game.
The
amount of money bet on one side
When the sportsbooks are getting a
lot of action on one team, they will change the line to attract money on the
other side to help balance their books. Lines can be moved in terms of the
point spread, for football or basketball betting, or the odds will be adjusted
for baseball and hockey betting. If the sportsbooks get the same amount of
money wagered on each side in a contest, a profit can be assured.
Who
bets on one side
Somebody known by sportsbooks to be
a winning bettor can cause the odds to change even with a small wager, while
somebody unknown to the sports books can make a much larger bet and not affect
the odds.
Team
personnel movement
The odds will also change if a
player, or players, will miss a game and it wasn't factored into the opening
line.
Late injuries, suspensions, and
illness are the main culprits here.
The
Key Line Move in the NHL
The most important line move in the
NHL is the first one. A typical sports bettor who wagers on football and
basketball games is unlikely to have any idea if an opening line of the Dallas
Stars - 130 over the San Jose Sharks is a good number or not. A gambler who is
willing to back their opinion with cash and wager against the opening line is
generally a sports bettor with an informed opinion. Gamblers who patiently wait
for the sportsbooks to release their NHL lines and then pounce right away have
opinions that should be respected.
