Sports bettors know that the National Hockey League often offers quality betting value, and NHL player props help set apart well-informed and casual bettors.
Plenty of NHL fans have played daily fantasy sports, which requires research into player trends and stats. That gives them a nice edge when it comes to betting player props.
Read on for the latest NHL player props odds direct from California online sportsbooks.
Tonight’s NHL player props
Below, you will find our odds feed dedicated to the latest lines available from California online betting sites. If you see NHL player prop odds you like, click on them to be taken directly to the corresponding sportsbook to sign up for a new account.
Which CA sportsbooks have the best NHL player props?
DraftKings Sportsbook app
Having transitioned from DFS to broader betting, DraftKings is no stranger to the world of props and player performances. It boasts a slick user interface on both its app and website.
NHL fans will find the usual suspects for player props. It’s nothing flashy, but there’s a solid selection for every NHL game. You just might find the following betting opportunities for NHL player props at DraftKings California sportsbook:
- First scorer
- Last scorer
- Anytime scorer
- Over/under player points
- Over/under power play points
- Over/under player assists
- Over/under player shots on goal
- Totals goalie saves
- Goalie shutout? Yes/No
FanDuel Sportsbook app
Another company that made the switch from DFS to full sportsbook, FanDuel brought with it legions of fans to make it one of the top companies in the industry. NHL fans will find all the usual suspects when it comes to online hockey betting at FanDuel.
You’ll likely find these NHL player props in the mix at FanDuel CA sportsbook:
- Total player goals
- Total player points
- Over/under player assists
- Over/under player shots
- Goalie shutout
- Goalie goals against
- Goalie saves
BetMGM sportsbook app
BetMGM is one of the most recognizable names in sports betting. It brings plenty of experience to the digital space thanks to the wealth of MGM casinos. In short, its platform is quite appealing.
When it comes to NHL player props, however, BetMGM trails a bit behind the competition. You’ll still have a nice selection of NHL opportunities, especially for the major bet types, but you won’t get quite as robust an offering as elsewhere.
Some props you will likely come across at BetMGM Sportsbook CA include:
- Any time goal scorer
- Over/under player points
- Over/under shots
- Over/under saves
- Over/under assists
- First scorer
- Last Scorer
- Over/under goalie goals against
Caesars Sportsbook app
While Caesars may be another of the big names in the sports betting industry, it actually brings less NHL prop bet variety than does nearly every other major sportsbook in California.
As long as you’re fine with sticking to the most popular opportunities for NHL player props, then you won’t be disappointed in Caesars. If you want a more eclectic selection, however, this is the wrong book.
Below, we have a few examples of the bets you might be able to make at Caesars Sportsbook in California:
- Over/under assists
- Over/under shots
- Over/under points
- Over/under power play points
- Shutout Yes/No
- First scorer
- Last scorer
- Anytime scorer
Best prop bets for NHL players
Many bettors really like to focus on the top goal scorers or top goalies. Some others like to dabble among the higher risk/reward players.
You will have the opportunity to bet on game prop bets for players as well as player props that focus on season-long statistics. As the names suggest, one form is simply the performance during a single game; the other is for the season’s totality.
Some of the most popular bets for NHL player props include:
- Anytime goalscorer: Just like it sounds. You are betting on a specific player scoring a goal at any point during a game.
- Player assists: This is an over/under bet that focuses on a single-player and his assists for a game. There is also a season-long option for this at many sports books.
- Total points: Points are collected via both goals and assists. This totals bet will give you a number, and you need to determine if the player will have over or under that amount. You can also wager on this opportunity for a year-long basis.
- First and last goalscorer: This one is a bit trickier because you’re trying to determine which player is going to score the first or last goal of a game.
- Power play points: Power plays are a big deal in hockey, and everyone gets amped up when their team goes on one with an advantage. You are given an over/under opportunity for this prop.
- Shots on goal: This is another totals bet that focuses on how many times a particular player will take a shot on goal, with an over/under decision to be made by you. You can often find season-long opportunities in this genre as well.
- Goalie saves or shutouts: Goalies are their own beast in the NHL, and you can bet on them specifically. Some prop bets are focused on how many saves the goalie has in a game or during a season, as well as if a goalie will have a shutout in a game or not.
Best season-long NHL player props
California sportsbooks will make both single-game and season-long NHL player prop bets available. The former is focused on just the results from a single head-to-head game between two teams. The latter is for betting on how a player performs throughout the entire season.
While it’s a personal choice as to which prop bets are best for you, many bettors find the season-long variety a bit easier to research than single-game opportunities.
Oddsmakers at California online sportsbooks will have the very best NHL players locked down with odds that don’t carry a ton of value. But there’s a reason for that: the best players tend to repeat performances from season to season.
While there is more value in lesser known players, there is a bit more security when betting on the league’s top performers.
You’ll find season-long props that include:
- Total player points
- Total player goals
- Total player assists
- Total goalie shutouts
- Total goalie saves
You’ll find the offerings are different from sportsbook to sportsbook, so make sure you compare them when placing your bets. Find betting opportunities that best fit your betting strategy as well as give you the best betting odds for the highest potential return on your money.
Where to find NHL player props in a sportsbook app
Every online sportsbook presents itself and its wagering markets a little differently. Thankfully, nearly all sports betting apps have similar setups when it comes to finding betting opportunities like NHL player props.
We’ll use DraftKings for our examples today. When you first go to the DraftKings California sportsbook website, you’ll find a list of links to the left on your screen. One of those options is for A-Z sports.
Scroll down to the hockey section, and click on it. You’ll then see a list of leagues and events you can select to investigate your opportunities.
When you click on the league of your choice—the NHL in this example—you are then transferred to the sport-specific page with the puck line, total and moneyline odds listed.
Then, click on the tab that reads “Player Props” above the odds on the NHL main page. Once you click on that tab, the player props (and their current odds) are displayed for you to consider.
Click on the odds you are interested in and they will appear on your bet slip automatically. There, you can put the amount you are staking on the bet, and you will see your potential payout listed. Once you’ve finalized your decision, you can submit your bet slip.
How to read odds for NHL player prop bets
The odds in California sportsbooks will be listed with positive and negative numbers. Positive numbers show us how much we stand to win if we wager $100, while negative numbers will show us how much we have to bet in order to win $100.
Negative numbers also tell us that the oddsmakers at our sportsbook believe that choice is the likely outcome. That’s why the positive numbers are more attractive and have better payouts; they are less likely to happen according to the research and data collected by the oddsmakers.
There are player props that have just two choices, such as total points. Here is an example of what that might look like if you’re focused in Los Angeles Kings odds:
How many total goals will Anze Kopitar score?
- Over 0.5 +125
- Under 0.5 -160
We can see here that the oddsmakers don’t have a lot of faith in Kopitar to score a goal for this particular game. If he does and you’ve wagered $100 on that outcome, you would get a payout in the amount of $225. That’s your original bet returned to you and the $125 profit.
Other player props have more than one choice, and you can choose just one or bet on more if you like.
An example of such a betting opportunity for an NHL player prop would look like this:
Goalscorer: Timo Meier
- First goalscorer: +1300
- Last goalscorer: +1300
- Any time goalscorer: +210
You can wager on just one of these or all of them if you like. If you were to bet on Meier scoring the final goal of the game, and you bet $50, your payout $700, which is your bet plus $650 in winnings. He’s just one of the San Jose Sharks odds you can receive for player props.
House rules for NHL player props
Every sportsbook has a set of “house rules” that govern decisions for various situations that might arise. While many of these rules are the same from sportsbook to sportsbook, there are some variations.
You can find these rules by simply searching “house rules” and the name of your sportsbook in most search engines, or you can read them when they are first presented as a part of the terms and conditions at sign-up. You can even find them by browsing the sportsbook’s website.
Here are some common rules for NHL player props:
- All prop bets are settled based on official NHL data and statistics.
- If a player is ruled out prior to a game, props for that athlete will be pulled off the board, and bets will be voided and refunded.
- Injuries and playing time will not be considered in the settlement of wagers.
Make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules for any bet you place in order to avoid unfortunate situations.
How to use fantasy stats to pick NHL player props
As you’re likely aware, there are loads of websites dedicated to the statistics and performances of professional athletes, and the National Hockey League is no exception.
You can use these sites to better understand your prop bets or to find value in the betting opportunities in your sportsbook. Below, we take a look at some factors to consider before choosing your player prop bets.
- Playing time: Some players just see the ice more than others, and some have an uptick or a decline in that time based on their recent performances and their relationship with their coach. You can find all of this information at sites focused on the NHL and fantasy sports. If you see a player’s ice time declining, that should impact your betting decisions. The same goes for players who are on the ice more than average.
- Player production trends: NHL players, like any athletes, can get on hot and cold streaks. You should always take the time to review how a player has been performing in recent games and base your bets around that. Keep in mind, however, that just because a player has been seeing lots of time on the ice and performing well doesn’t mean they’ll continue to do so. Research players well to discover how streaky they are in general.
- Injury reports: Player prop bets obviously depend on a player actually playing. Thus, you should monitor injury status, expected return timelines, and how that will influence lineups and backups. For example, if a second-string goalie ends up being named a starter for a game and they come in with very little NHL experience, it’s not always a bad idea to consider betting against them. Alternatively, an injury to a key player could get some of the lesser-known guys more playing time, increasing their chances of scoring. Those props are usually full of decent value, and you might find lines that are plenty attractive.