An NHL handicapper’s record means little until you know the prices behind it, because most hockey bets are moneylines and a favorite can cost more than twice what it pays. A capper who goes 60% on -265 favorites loses money, since a -265 bet needs to win 72.6% of the time just to break even.
The 2026-27 NHL regular season opens on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with five games on ESPN’s schedule. This page is the checklist for judging anyone selling picks on them.
Win rate is not profit
Break-even depends on the price. At -110, a standard price on the puck line or a total, a bettor needs to win 52.4% to break even. At -130, the price ESPN listed for Carolina against Florida on opening night, it is 56.5%. At +150, it is 40.0%.
So a handicapper who hits 7 of 10 underdogs at +150 is far ahead, and one who hits 7 of 10 favorites at -265 is behind. Ask for the record in units won or lost at the prices posted, never the win-loss count alone.
| Price | Break-even win rate |
|---|---|
| +150 | 40.0% |
| -110 | 52.4% |
| -130 | 56.5% |
| -265 | 72.6% |
Sample size
A week of hockey picks tells you almost nothing. A capper who goes 5-1 in a week at -110 is up about 3.5 units, and a bettor picking at random goes 5-1 or better in a six-pick week about one week in nine. Look for a record of several hundred picks, graded by a third party, before you pay for one.
The NHL regular season runs 82 games a team, so a full-season record is long enough to mean something. A handicapper’s best week, quoted alone, is a sales pitch.
Where the picks come from
Check that picks are time-stamped before the game starts and that the losing ones stay on the record. For paid NHL picks, see the top handicappers, and for how we rate the services that sell them, our handicapper site reviews.
Our own game-by-game reads for the new season are on the NHL predictions hub, starting with opening night on September 29.