NHL overtime betting rules depend on the market: full-game wagers usually include overtime and shootouts, while regulation-only wagers exclude them. SportsBettingRules’ hockey rules summary gives that inclusion as the general default unless stated otherwise; the terms attached to your selection determine settlement. Our NHL betting guide explains the wider choice of markets.
Does NHL betting include overtime and shootouts?
Usually, yes for a full-game wager, but the market’s time limit decides what counts. Two bets on the same team can settle differently because one covers the eventual winner and the other covers regulation only.
The useful distinction is between the result you watched and the result your ticket purchased. A team winning after regulation does not automatically make every bet on that team a winner.
| Market wording | What to establish before betting |
|---|---|
| Winner including overtime and shootouts | Whether the selection covers the eventual game winner |
| Regulation result or three-way result | Whether settlement stops after regulation, with a separate draw selection |
| Puck line | Which periods count toward the goal margin |
| Total goals | Whether overtime and the shootout settlement adjustment count |
| Player goals or points | Which individual statistics qualify, including any shootout exclusions |
Market labels can differ between betting platforms. SportsBettingRules describes overtime and shootouts as included unless stated otherwise; each selection’s terms define the exceptions.
A practical check takes three steps:
- Read the complete market name on the bet slip.
- Open the hockey rules and any rules specific to that market.
- Confirm both the settlement period and the treatment of shootouts.
Look for wording such as “including OT,” “including shootouts,” or “regulation only.” A price alone cannot tell you which result you are buying.
- Save the accepted ticket with its full market description.
- Check the rules for your platform and jurisdiction.
- Treat an unclear label as a reason to clarify settlement before placing the wager.
What happens to a regulation bet if the game goes to overtime?
A regulation-only bet is decided by the score at the end of regulation. An overtime result cannot change that earlier score.
Consider a hypothetical game tied 2–2 when regulation ends. Team A then wins in overtime. The following results follow from the stated market definitions:
| Selection | Settlement |
|---|---|
| Team A to win, including overtime | Wins |
| Team A to win in regulation, in a three-way market | Loses |
| Draw after regulation, in that three-way market | Wins |
| Team B to win in regulation, in that three-way market | Loses |
Illustrative settlement example, assuming a completed game and the market definitions shown.
The draw is an outcome you can select in a three-way market. It is not automatically a refund for bettors who backed either team. A separate draw-no-bet market can have different terms, so distinguish that wording from a regulation winner selection.
This also explains why a regulation price and a full-game price are not directly interchangeable. Backing a team to lead at the end of regulation asks for a different result from backing it to win eventually.
Both choices can suit a bettor’s view. Someone expecting a regulation win may prefer that specific market; someone wanting an overtime win to count may prefer the full-game selection. Neither choice guarantees better value without considering its price.
How do overtime and shootouts affect puck lines and totals?
For a market that includes overtime, an overtime goal changes the score used to settle the bet. For shootouts, check how the sportsbook converts the shootout outcome into a settlement score.
Suppose regulation finishes 3–3, and an overtime goal makes the final score 4–3. Under full-game settlement, the combined total is seven goals:
- Over 6.5 wins; under 6.5 loses.
- Over 7 and under 7 push under standard two-way whole-number total rules, returning the stake.
- The winning team’s −1.5 puck line loses because its winning margin is only one goal.
- The losing team’s +1.5 puck line wins because it lost by fewer than two goals.
A shootout needs a separate check. If your platform’s rules award one additional goal to the shootout winner for settlement, a game tied 3–3 before the shootout settles as 4–3. Under that rule, the full-game total is seven regardless of how many successful shootout attempts occurred.
Do not add every successful attempt to the game total. Use the shootout adjustment specified by the market. Likewise, a regulation-only total in this example uses the six goals scored before overtime, rather than the later settlement score.
Do player props and live bets follow the same overtime rules?
Player props and live wagers need their own market checks. A statement that the game winner includes shootouts does not, by itself, establish how an individual player’s goals or points are counted.
For player props, distinguish an overtime event from a shootout attempt. Confirm whether overtime statistics count, whether shootout attempts are excluded, and which official statistics the platform uses. A team-level shootout adjustment should not be treated as an individual player goal without an explicit rule supporting that treatment.
Live bets introduce another distinction: a full-game market and a remaining-game market can refer to different scoring periods.
- A full-game total may include goals already scored.
- A remaining-game total may start counting from the point specified in the market.
- A period market may end before overtime begins.
Before confirming a live selection, read its time scope alongside the displayed score. If a settlement looks wrong afterward, compare the accepted ticket with the market rules and the relevant result. Give customer support the bet reference and the exact wording in dispute; a final-score screenshot alone may not establish how that particular wager should settle.
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