Chris joined NorthStar Gaming from Covers.com where he was a publishing editor and wrote betting content. Before that, he was the sports editor at VICE Canada, worked for theScore and covered the Blue Jays for MLB.com. In addition to filling out the lineup card each day for the editorial team, Chris writes frequently himself, primarily on the NBA and MLB.
The World Series shifts to Los Angeles on Monday, where the Dodgers host the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3.
The pregame narrative: We have another big-name pitching matchup tonight between Tyler Glasnow and Max Scherzer, with a lead in the series at stake. The Blue Jays were quiet in Game 2 after an 11-run eruption in the series opener, but I like two of their bats to cash in on the prop market on Monday.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Dodgers predictions for Game 3 of the World Series, featuring picks on Daulton Varsho, Andres Gimenez and Will Smith.
This is a market I like to hunt in the postseason, as the lines get light against elite starting pitching.
Glasnow fits the bill and should be a tall order for Toronto. Like any pitcher, though, he’s not allergic to contact.
A big reason I like Varsho is that he faces no threat of being a late-inning replacement due to his valued defence. That means he should see four-plus trips to the plate.
Glasnow does have big swing and miss, but asking for one knock at this price is worth it, in my opinion.
And while the left-handed hitting Varsho does get retired on strikes plenty, his K rate is down more than 4% in the playoffs.
He can’t get a hit without putting the ball in play, so this is semi-encouraging to me despite dealing with such a small sample.
Los Angeles is also down a key lefty in the later innings with Alex Vesia out of the series.
Varsho is 7-6 vs. this line in the postseason, hitting .255 over his 13 games. For context, that’s a better average than he’s had in any season of his career.
Key stat: Varsho has recorded a hit in three of his last four games, striking out three times total.
If Gimenez gets on in the right situation, it could lead to him being on base ahead of George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.
Toronto’s offence has been lethal this postseason. So I’m expecting at least a bounce back of sorts after getting dominated by Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2.
And with Bichette battling back from a knee injury and Gimenez’s defence highly valued at short, he’s at virtually no risk of being replaced later in the game.
MLB prop bets
Smith 1+ RBI (+145): The all-star catcher occupies a prime middle-of-the-order spot. He has hit behind stars Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in both games to start this series.
He’s delivered with four RBI.
Smith is coming off the best full season of his career and has continued to thrive in the playoffs. He’s recorded a hit in eight of 10 playoff games.
Since Game 1 of the NLCS, Smith is batting .409/.480/.585 with three multi-hit games. Behind those high-OBP guys, he’s in a great position to drive in runs.
And as well as Game 3 starter Scherzer threw in the ALCS, this should be seen as a favourable matchup for the Dodgers’ offence.
Los Angeles is a -205 favourite to win as of early Monday afternoon.
Blue Jays vs. Dodgers predictions made at 11:48 a.m. on 10/27/2025.
The 2025 World Series begins on Friday at Rogers Centre, where the American League-champion Toronto Blue Jays host the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The pregame narrative: Toronto is back in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993, while the Dodgers are looking to become the first team in over 20 years to repeat as champs. It’s a star-studded showdown featuring Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Check out my Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks for Game 1 of the World Series, featuring prop predictions on George Springer and Blake Snell.
Fading Snell might seem foolish. The lefty has carved up all three opponents he’s faced this postseason.
MIL: 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K
PHI: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 9 K
CIN: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 9 K
His strong postseason run comes after a September in which he punched out double-digit batters twice and ended his year by allowing one run over his final three starts.
But the Blue Jays are a different breed.
Starting pitchers are 0-11 vs. this line against Toronto this postseason. No starting pitcher has even recorded five strikeouts vs. Toronto.
Springer over 1.5 hits/runs/RBI (+100): This pick isn’t about riding the wave of Springer’s epic Game 7 ALCS moment. But that does come into play, in a sense.
Springer is a big-time playoff performer (23 homers, .883 OPS in 78 games) with pop.
He’s a leadoff hitter slugging .609 with a .929 OPS this postseason, scoring 11 runs in 11 games and clearing this line eight times.
The designated hitter delivers when the stakes are highest, and his 2025 playoff success comes after a resurgent year at the plate.
Springer finished with a career-best 166 wRC+ and was at worst a top-three hitter in the sport in the second half.
No one is hitting Snell right now, but this price is too good to pass up.
Snell has done well in this head-to-head matchup, but Springer has seen the southpaw more than any Blue Jay. And I’m encouraged that he has only stuck out four times in 24 career plate appearances.
Toronto over 3.5 runs (+110): Toronto is 8-3 vs. this number in the playoffs.
Snell is a huge challenge and the Dodgers have loads of fresh arms available after him, having not played in a week.
Los Angeles has only allowed more than three runs in one of its last eight playoff games.
But I’m not turning down this plus-money price on a club hitting as well as the Blue Jays, who are at home and elite at putting the ball in play. It’s really as simple as that.
Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks made at 2:55 p.m. on 10/23/2025.
The 2025 World Series begins on Friday at Rogers Centre, where the American League-champion Toronto Blue Jays host the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The pregame narrative: Toronto is back in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993, while the Dodgers are looking to become the first team in over 20 years to repeat as champs. It’s a star-studded showdown featuring Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Check out my Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks for Game 1 of the World Series, featuring prop predictions on George Springer and Blake Snell.
Fading Snell might seem foolish. The lefty has carved up all three opponents he’s faced this postseason.
MIL: 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K
PHI: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 9 K
CIN: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 9 K
His strong postseason run comes after a September in which he punched out double-digit batters twice and ended his year by allowing one run over his final three starts.
But the Blue Jays are a different breed.
Starting pitchers are 0-11 vs. this line against Toronto this postseason. No starting pitcher has even recorded five strikeouts vs. Toronto.
Springer over 1.5 total bases (+143): This pick isn’t about riding the wave of Springer’s epic Game 7 ALCS moment. But that does come into play, in a sense.
Springer is a big-time playoff performer (23 homers, .883 OPS in 78 games) with pop.
He’s a leadoff hitter slugging .609 with a .929 OPS this postseason, clearing this line eight times in 11 games.
The designated hitter delivers when the stakes are highest, and his 2025 playoff success comes after a resurgent year at the plate.
Springer finished with a career-best 166 wRC+ and was at worst a top-three hitter in the sport in the second half.
No one is hitting Snell right now, but this price is too good to pass up.
Snell has done well in this head-to-head matchup, but Springer has seen the southpaw more than any Blue Jay. And I’m encouraged that he has only stuck out four times in 24 career plate appearances.
Toronto over 3.5 runs (+120): Toronto is 8-3 vs. this number in the playoffs.
Snell is a huge challenge and the Dodgers have loads of fresh arms available after him, having not played in a week.
Los Angeles has only allowed more than three runs in one of its last eight playoff games.
But I’m not turning down this plus-money price on a club hitting as well as the Blue Jays, who are at home and elite at putting the ball in play. It’s really as simple as that.
Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks made at 2:55 p.m. on 10/23/2025.
The baseball betting market is huge in Ontario, which is home to Canada’s lone MLB team. In the slower summer months, knowing how to bet on MLB opens up greater wagering opportunities.
From game outcomes and totals, to futures and player props, there are many MLB betting markets to try.
For those new to betting or in need of a refresher, this how to bet on MLB guide will run you through the markets that baseball-loving bettors like to wager on.
-> New to Baseball? Sign up here at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
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How to bet on MLB
Moneyline
Moneyline wagers are popular across all major North American sports and baseball is no exception. It’s also among the most straightforward ways to bet.
A moneyline bet consists of placing a wager on the team that you think will win a particular game. One example of a moneyline bet is picking the Blue Jays to beat the Yankees straight up.
Each team will come with its own set of odds based on its probability of winning that specific contest. The odds will ultimately determine the potential payout. The favoured team will have a minus (-) sign before its odds, while the underdog will have a plus (+) sign.
Of course, team success plays a major role in determining which team is assigned as the favourite. Other factors include which team is home and the health of the roster. Missing key players will have an impact on the odds.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bet account to explore live odds and daily MLB markets
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bet account to explore live odds and daily MLB markets
One of baseball’s unique elements is that starting pitchers greatly affect what the odds are set at and, as a result, which team will be the favourite or underdog. Matchups that are even will carry identical odds (typically -110 on both sides).
Let’s go back to that hypothetical Blue Jays and Yankees matchup. Here are a few examples of what the moneyline odds (in brackets) could look like depending on the starting pitching matchup.
Starters
Favourite
Underdog
Gerrit Cole vs. Jose Berrios
Yankees (-190)
Blue Jays (+165)
Luis Gil vs. Kevin Gausman
Blue Jays (-155)
Yankees (+140)
Cam Schlittler vs. Trey Yesavage
Yankees (-115)
Blue Jays (+120)
-> Want to see current MLB moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
-> Want to see current MLB moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
Evidently, a starting pitcher alone can severely swing the line.
A very good team with its ace on the mound playing a bottom-feeder will see even more lopsided lines. The Dodgers, for instance, were -300 favourites a number of times last season.
The following shows what your return would be depending on the odds:
-110 odds: You would have to wager $110 to win $100 -300 odds: You would have to wager $300 to win $100 +165 odds: You would have to wager $100 to win $165
Note: You will also see the moneyline referred to as ML for short.
Run line betting
The run line is like the puck line in hockey. Each sport has a version of the point spread, which is popular in football and basketball betting.
The run line provides bettors with an opportunity to pick a certain team to win, but also allows them to back a loser and attach a small spread to this bet type.
Typical run lines are set at 1.5, which is a much smaller spread than most NFL/NBA games because baseball has less scoring. Placing a wager on a team at -1.5 means it has to win by two runs or more for your bet to cash.
Taking a team at +1.5 means that it could either win or lose by one run and you would still cash your bet.
Why the run line?
The run line is popular because sometimes a moneyline bet doesn’t make a lot of sense. Let’s go back to that Yankees and Blue Jays example and focus on the Cole and Berrios matchup.
-> Want to try betting the Runline or any alternative lines? Join NorthStar Betsand explore live, moving lines.
-> Want to try betting the Runline or any alternative lines? Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines.
The Yankees often have a good chance to win with Cole, but there isn’t much value backing them to win at -190. If you like the New York to beat Toronto, you might also like New York to win by multiple runs. And in that scenario, your odds will be considerably more lucrative.
In that scenario, you could get the Yankees -1.5 at something like +110 odds instead of -190 on the moneyline.
The run line gives bettors an opportunity to potentially get a favourite at plus-money odds or at least not pay as much juice (i.e., the cut the sportsbook takes on your bet). Alternatively, you can back an underdog on the run line and cash your bet without needing that team to win.
There are alternate run lines, too. So you could select the handicap to be 2.5 or even 3.5. You can find good value here if you expect a blowout to occur.
How to bet on MLB totals
One of the most popular bet types for baseball bettors is wagering on the total runs scored in a game. You will also see totals referred to as the over/under or O/U. All three terms mean the same thing.
Betting on the total is also straightforward. Sportsbooks, like NorthStar Bets, will put out a number of runs that the two teams have to combine to go over or under, and a bettor can wager on either option.
The majority of games typically see an over/under total of 7.5 to 10.5, with exceptions both ways.
You can bet on alternative totals as well. Going back to the Yankees versus Jays example, you might see a total of 8.5 (you would have the option to select either the over or under, with odds set around -110 to -120 for either play), but you would also have the option to choose another total.
Here’s an example of what the odds could look like for different totals if the standard O/U was set at 8.5:
7.5 total: over -165, under +145 8.5 total: over -120, under -105 9.5 total: over +130, under -155
You can also wager on team totals and place a bet on how many runs you think each individual team will score in a game. The most common team total O/Us are 4.5 or 5.5.
Player props involve betting on individual outcomes in a game. There are many options to choose from for MLB games and we will run through the most common types offered for each contest.
The starting pitcher prop market has the majority of options presented as an over/under bet type. You can wager on whether a pitcher will exceed or fall short of a certain amount of strikeouts and bet the O/U on it.
Let’s say Berrios’ strikeout total is O/U 6.5, you would have the option to choose whether he would go over or under that number. The odds would look something like this: over -135, under +115.
The same goes for how many outs a pitcher will record, how many hits they will allow, and how many earned runs surrendered. The total and odds that are set will depend greatly on the quality of the pitcher.
For position players, betting the O/U on how many total bases they will record in a game is one of the most popular props that bettors wager on. The O/U on the total bases prop is commonly set at 1.5.
-> Check out the latest player props each day at NorthStar Bets – from home run hitters to strikeouts and more.
-> Check out the latest player props each day at NorthStar Bets – from home run hitters to strikeouts and more.
Home run props are also popular and allow you to bet on whether certain players will go deep in a particular contest.
There are also prop markets for hits, RBI, runs scored and stolen bases.
There are also markets for team and game props, such as over/unders on the number of hits or homers in a game.
How to bet on MLB futures
The futures market involves betting on outcomes that will happen at a later time. This is a great way to bet if you’re willing to play the long game and find good value.
Picking the team you think will win the World Series is tough, even once the postseason starts, let alone today. But you can find tremendous value by placing a bet on a World Series winner in the offseason. This would be an example of a futures bet.
The Dodgers, the 2024 World Series winners, were around +300 to win the Fall Classic before the season began. If you placed a $100 bet on them to win when they were +300, you would have earned a solid return on investment.
There are futures markets for season-long awards as well, like the MVP, CY Young and Rookie of the Year.
If you’d bet Shohei Ohtani to win the AL MVP during his historic 2021 season, you would have been laughing after he was the unanimous choice.
The two-way phenom could be had for +2,000/+3,000 in spring training at various operators before becoming the frontrunner in the second half and seeing his odds completely go the other way and hit -2,500 at one point.
Parlays
A parlay consists of making multiple bets on a single ticket and wagering once. Every bet on that parlay must win in order for a bettor to cash their ticket.
An example of an MLB parlay looks like this:
Blue Jays ML (-120) Red Sox ML (+140) A’s vs. White Sox over 8.5 runs (-110) Ohtani over 1.5 total bases (-125)
Combined odds = +1,410. If you correctly predicted all four outcomes, you would win $1,410 (a total payout of $1,510) on a $100 bet.
Keep in mind: The more bets you add to the betslip decreases your likelihood of winning. Parlays are attractive to some because the payouts are bigger than a single-game wager.
You also have the option to make a same-game parlay bet where you could combine a moneyline, over/under, player prop, and so on. So you could make a bet where you predict the Blue Jays to win, score over 5.5 runs and for Vladdy to hit a home run.
Live betting is popular and provides users with options to bet on games as they play out in real time. Many of the same pre-game markets, such as the moneyline and over/under, remain available once a game is underway.
Say you took the Blue Jays at -120 odds on the moneyline to beat the Yankees before the game started and they quickly fell behind 2-0, then their odds would change.
The Blue Jays might now be +175 underdogs to win and you would have the option, during the game, to place a wager on them at that price.
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-> Experience live MLB betting as it happens – sign up with NorthStar Bets and get in on every pitch
Odds constantly change throughout the game, especially after any runs are scored. For example, those +175 odds might not be available for long if the Blue Jays get two runners on base and then hit a three-run homer to take the lead.
Markets can also close throughout the game for various reasons, so timing on when to strike is key.
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-> Ready to put your MLB knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
The NBA is one of the most popular sports to wager on in Ontario, which is the largest betting market in Canada and home to the Toronto Raptors.
There are many ways to bet on the NBA at NorthStar Bets, which has markets ranging from point spreads to player props, as well as same-game parlays and futures.
-> New to NBA wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
-> New to NBA wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
For those new to betting or in need of a refresher, this how to bet on the NBA guide will run you through the biggest markets that basketball-loving bettors like to wager on.
How to bet on the NBA
You can pick teams to win straight up (wagering on the moneyline) or back them to win by a certain amount of points (spread betting). These are bets you can place before a game starts or after the opening tip-off in live betting markets.
For those more interested in predicting individual outputs, you can place bets on how many points, assists, or rebounds a player will record in a game. That’s when you wager on player props.
Let’s dive into some of these markets with an explainer on how to bet on NBA moneylines.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets account to explore live odds and daily NBA markets.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets accountto explore live odds and daily NBA markets.
Moneyline
Betting on the moneyline is more common in lower-scoring sports like hockey and baseball, but this is still a popular form of NBA betting as well.
A moneyline bet is as simple as it gets: you pick who you think will be the straight-up winner of a game. Each team is assigned different odds that can vary considerably since the likelihood of winning will differ greatly in a matchup between a last-place team versus a division leader.
A team that is favoured will have a minus (-) sign before its odds, while the underdog will have a plus (+) sign.
A favourite on the moneyline can see odds that reach -1,000 or even higher. A team’s implied odds, or probability of winning, would be 90 percent at -1,000 odds, meaning you would have to wager a significant amount to even return a small profit.
-> Want to see current NBA moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
-> Want to see current NBA moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
As a result, you would get large plus-money odds on the underdog (say +450) in this matchup. Odds of +450 would mean the team’s probability of winning would be less than 20 percent.
Here’s a look at how much you could win depending on certain odds:
Odds
Implied win probability
Wager amount
Win
-1,000
90.91%
$100
$10
-110
52.38%
$100
$90.91
+120
45.45%
$100
$120
+450
18.18%
$100
$450
There are other ways to pick winners as well, which will we check out in our next section and look at how to bet on NBA point spreads.
How to bet on NBA point spreads
Betting on the point spread is one of the most popular forms of NBA betting and requires a team to win or lose by a certain amount of points. A team that is favoured will have a minus (-) sign before the number that it must win by, while the underdog will have a plus (+) sign.
If the Raptors were playing the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road, they would surely be underdogs, so you would see a spread line that looks something like this: Raptors +10.5; Thunder -10.5. That means if you bet the Raptors +10.5, they would need to either win outright or lose by 10 points or fewer for you to cash your bet.
Alternatively, you would lose your bet if Boston won by nine points or more.
Most spreads are set at -110 odds for both teams. So under this scenario, both the Celtics -8.5 and Raptors +8.5 would have odds of -110. You can also bet on alternative spreads that come with different odds, which we will explain below.
-> Ready to try spread betting?Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily.
-> Ready to try spread betting? Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily.
Alternative spreads
Alternative spreads involve placing a wager on a number that’s different from the standard/main -110 line. For instance: Say the Raptors are 7.5-point favourites (-110) over the Wizards but you don’t like that number, you’d have the option to bet them at a different spread, be it higher or lower.
So you could bet the Raptors to cover a 5.5-point spread or -4.5, and so on, and pay more juice (give a larger cut to the sportsbook) instead of getting them at -7.5. You would see a smaller return because your odds (say -150) of winning would be higher for this bet type.
On the flip side, if you are confident in a blowout Raptors victory, you might elect to tack on more points for them to cover above the 7.5-point spread and get plus-money odds as a result. This would increase your profit if that ticket was successful.
If you liked Toronto to win by double-digits, you could bet the Raptors to win by 10-plus points (covering a 9.5-point spread) and get them at +140 odds, for instance.
How to bet on NBA totals
Along with spreads, betting on the total amount of points scored in a game is a really popular choice for basketball bettors. You will also see totals referred to as the over/under or O/U. All three terms are interchangeable.
Each game will come with a betting option where you can choose whether the two teams will combine to score more or fewer points than a certain number that is set. The over/under on the points total will typically be somewhere between 200 and 230 points.
Totals will vary from game to game depending on how good a team is offensively or defensively and who is available to play that game. If a star like LeBron James missed a game, that would have an impact on the total, spread and moneyline.
Like spreads, standard O/U odds are -110 for both sides.
If the total was set at 207.5 in that hypothetical game between the Raptors and Cavaliers, you would have the option to bet on whether the teams eclipse that number or fall short.
A combined total of 208 or more would cash the over, while a combined score of 207 or less would mean the under wins.
Alternative totals
Like spreads, you can bet alternative totals as well. You will have the option to bet on different numbers than the 207.5 O/U in the above example, but the odds would of course change. If you chose to bet on an alternative total of say 209.5 points, the odds would alter to something like -135 for the under and +120 for the over.
You could also bet on a lower total, and in this instance pay more juice for the over (the more likely outcome) and have a chance to net a higher payout on the under because your probability of winning would decrease.
Additionally, there are options to bet on team-specific totals as well.
You could, for instance, place a bet on the over/under of how many points you think just the Raptors would score in that game. You could also place a wager on the total, as well as moneyline and spread, for a specific quarter or half, which is known as a derivative bet.
Props
Player props involve betting on individual outcomes. These proposition bets provide users with a robust market option to choose from in addition to the outcome of a game.
You can place a bet on how many points you think Scottie Barnes will score in a game (over or under 20.5, for example), how many assists Immanuel Quickley will get, or whether or not you think RJ Barrett. will drill more than 2.5 three-pointers in a game.
Photo by Chris Young/CP.
You can also bet on a player’s combined point/rebound/assist total. This market can be attractive if you aren’t sold on betting on one specific category.
In this example, you might see Barnes’ PRA prop listed at 34.5, meaning he would have to accumulate a total of 35 combined points, rebounds, and assists for you to cash your bet if you selected the over.
There are also markets for team props and game props, such as which team will have the highest-scoring quarter.
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting triple-doubles to points and more
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting triple-doubles to points and more
Futures betting
The futures market involves betting on outcomes that will happen at a later time. This is a great chance to find value ahead of the season or early on before certain teams and players start pulling away as favourites and the odds change.
For instance, you could have gotten the Thunder at around +675 odds to win the NBA Finals ahead of last season, a number that was much lower by the time the playoffs started. That meant there was considerably less value to be found at that point compared to the preseason.
An OKC Finals futures ticket at +675 odds means that you would have netted $650 on a $100 wager.
Other common futures markets include betting on season-long awards such as the MVP or the Defensive Player of the Year, the NBA champion, division winners, and the over/under on a team’s win total.
The futures market is open throughout the season, so you can place these types of bets at any time but the odds are constantly changing based on performance and injury.
Parlays
A parlay consists of attaching two or more bets to a single ticket but only wagering once. You need every outcome (known as legs) of your parlay to win in order to cash your ticket.
The more bets you attach to a single ticket decreases your likelihood of winning but parlays are attractive to some because the payouts are bigger than a single-game wager.
An example of a parlay bet looks like this:
Legs
Odds
Raptors +7.5
-110
Wizards -6.5
-110
Celtics/Nuggets over 215.5 points
-110
That comes out to +596 odds. Again, you would need all three outcomes of that bet to be correct in order to win. A $100 wager would payout $695.79.
If you made $100 bets on each game as single-event wagers instead, you could profit $90.91 for each one or $272.73 total compared to $596 if they were parlayed.
You can also make a same-game parlay bet where you could combine a moneyline, over/under, player prop from a specific matchup. Like any parlay, these types of bets come with more risk because the probability of winning decreases the more bets you tack on the ticket.
In-game betting is growing in popularity and gives bettors an option to react to the results of a contest as it plays out in real-time.
Live betting can offer great value if, say, a big favourite falls behind early and its moneyline odds go from -120 to +120. If you believe the team will come back, you will net a higher return by betting on them mid-game than you would have before the contest started.
-> Experience live NBA betting as it happens – sign up with NorthStar Bets and get in on every drive
-> Experience live NBA betting as it happens – sign up with NorthStar Bets and get in on every drive
Keep in mind: For heavy favourites, it will typically take quite a bit of time or a massive deficit before they turn into an underdog. That said, it would at least present an opportunity to back them to cover a smaller spread.
The odds are constantly changing throughout the game, so a big run or even a basket will alter the lines during play.
Many markets are available for in-game betting, including the moneyline, point spread and total.
-> Ready to put your NBA knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
-> Ready to put your NBA knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
Hockey is Canada’s favourite sport. Unsurprisingly, the NHL betting market in Canada — home to seven of the league’s 32 teams — is quite popular.
There are many ways to bet on the NHL at NorthStar Bets, which we’ll cover in the sections below.
-> New to NHL wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
-> New to NHL wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
For those new to betting or in need of a refresher, this how to bet on the NHL guide will run you through the markets that hockey-loving bettors like to wager on.
How to bet on the NHL
If you’re looking to pick the winner of a game, you can bet on a team to win on the moneyline or puck line. Not interested in choosing a winner or loser? Then betting on game totals and player props might be your speed.
Don’t fret if you missed putting in your bets before the game starts, either. Live betting is a popular way to wager on the NHL.
You can also bet on down-the-road events, such as the Stanley Cup champion or Hart Trophy winner. Those are known as futures markets. Let’s take a look at all of these market types, starting with how to bet on NHL moneylines.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets account to explore live odds and daily NHL markets.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets accountto explore live odds and daily NHL markets.
Moneyline
A moneyline wager is a favourite among NHL bettors and one of the simplest ways to make a bet. When wagering on the moneyline (listed as ML for short), you’re predicting which team will win the game straight up. That’s it.
Each team is assigned a different set of odds based on its win probability. That will ultimately determine the potential payout. A team that is favoured has a minus (-) sign before its odds, while the underdog has a plus (+) sign.
Odds will vary considerably between matchups based on the level of success among teams. A top squad like the Edmonton Oilers, for example, will be favoured in most of its games. In that case, you’ll see a minus sign before Edmonton’s odds.
-> Want to see current NHL moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
-> Want to see current NHL moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
If the Oilers closed as -150 favourites, it means their implied win probability is 60.0%.
Additional factors, such as home-ice advantage and key injuries, can shift the odds further. Sometimes a moneyline favourite holds odds of -300 or -400.
At -400, the favoured team’s implied win probability is 80.0%, requiring a larger wager to return even a small profit.
This chart demonstrates your potential return on investment depending on the odds and how much you wagered:
Odds
Implied win probability
Wager amount
Win
-110
52.4%
$110
$100
-400
80.0%
$400
$100
+160
38.5%
$100
$160
Puck line
Think of the puck line like the point spread. In higher-scoring sports like basketball and football, the spread is one of the most popular betting choices. It helps level the playing field in a sense, giving bettors an option to wager on a big underdog to either win outright or lose within a certain margin.
On the moneyline, a lopsided matchup features a favourite with minimal value against a long shot underdog. But on the puck line, both sides will have more reasonable odds to cash.
From the sportsbook’s perspective, puck line markets encourage action on both sides because the odds are more aligned.
In sports like hockey and baseball, which feature less scoring, large point spreads don’t exist because the typical margin of victory is small. But you can bet on a modest spread in hockey — called the puck line — with the handicap generally set at 1.5.
The puck line is popular because sometimes a moneyline bet doesn’t make a lot of sense.
For example: If the Florida Panthers are hosting the San Jose Sharks and you’re confident in a Florida blowout, you’d get better odds and a greater return if you bet Panthers -1.5 (to win by two or more goals) rather than betting Panthers ML.
The Panthers would be large favourites and there wouldn’t be much value on a moneyline play.
Puck lines allow bettors to potentially get a favourite at plus-money odds. Alternatively, they allow bettors to back an underdog without needing that team to win. But remember, when backing a puck line favourite, the team has to win by at least two goals for your bet to cash.
The +1.5 underdog, on the other hand, can lose and still cash your bet. They just can’t lose by more than one goal.
Also, like point spreads, there are alternative puck lines. So you could select the handicap to be 2.5 or even 3.5. You can find good value here if you expect a favourite to blow out a last-place team, for instance.
-> Ready to try puck line betting?Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily.
-> Ready to try puck line betting? Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily.
How to bet on NHL totals
Along with the moneyline, wagering on the total amount of goals scored in a game is among the most popular hockey betting markets. You will see totals referred to as the over/under or O/U. All three terms are interchangeable.
Betting on the total is also straightforward. You will be given a number of goals that the two teams have to combine to go over or under and you can wager on either option. The total for most NHL games is set between 5.5 and 6.5.
You can bet on alternative totals as well. For instance, you will have the option to place a bet on a 4.5 or 3.5 total and while you’d be playing it safe and your probability of winning would increase if you bet the over (compared to say a 5.5 standard O/U total), the odds would alter as well and your potential payout would decrease substantially.
Or it would increase substantially if you bet the under on an alternative total and cashed the bet.
Here’s an example of what the odds could look like for different totals:
Total
Over
Under
5.5
+110
-130
4.5
-260
+205
3.5
-450
+350
You can also bet on team-specific totals as well and place a bet on how many goals you think the Leafs will score in a contest, for instance.
Player props involve betting on individual outcomes in a game. You can place a bet on how many goals you think Auston Matthews will score in a contest, how many shots Quinn Hughes will put on net, or how many power-play points Connor McDavid will record.
Goal props are presented in a few different ways. You can bet on whether a player will score the first goal of the game, the last goal of the game or score at any time during the contest. Expecting a star like Matthews to have a big game? You can also bet on him to score two goals or even a hat trick.
You can also place bets on assist and point totals for a particular game. While the player prop market is more robust in other sports, there are still plenty of options for bettors to choose from in addition to the game-specific outcomes.
There are markets for game props, too. These include over/unders on total shots on net for the contest, total faceoffs, and the highest-scoring period.
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals, shots on goal and much more
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals, shots on goal and much more
Futures betting
The futures market involves betting on outcomes that will happen … in the future. While it’s not as robust as the daily markets that bettors can choose from, this is a great way to bet if you’re willing to play the long game. Good value can be found here.
When all 32 teams theoretically have a chance to win the Stanley Cup ahead of the season, the odds are going to look a lot different than what they would once the playoff field is set. The same goes for season-long awards. Teams and players will separate themselves as contenders and favourites as the season goes on, ultimately shortening their odds.
For instance, the Toronto Maple Leafs could be had for around +1,400 to win the Cup ahead of the 2024-25 season. But their odds shortened to +1,000 at the start of the postseason.
Let’s say the Maple Leafs had gone on to win the Cup, which we know they didn’t, a bettor who placed a $100 wager when Toronto was at +1,400 would have won $400 more than the person who bet on the club at +1,000.
Other common futures markets that bettors can wager on are the Hart Trophy, the O/U on a team’s win total, the Calder Trophy, the Vezina Trophy, division winners and more.
The futures market is open throughout the season, so you can place these types of bets at any time but the odds are constantly changing based on performance and injury.
Parlays
A parlay consists of making two or more bets on a single ticket and wagering once. Every bet on the parlay, known as legs, must be correct in order for you to win your ticket. Even if you get everything on the parlay right except for one play, you will lose the bet.
The more bets you attach to a single ticket decreases your likelihood of winning but parlays are attractive to some because the payouts are bigger than a single-game wager.
An example of an NHL parlay looks like this:
Legs
Odds
Jets +1.5
-115
Sidney Crosby to score
+115
Hurricanes moneyline
-140
The combined odds of this parlay are +587. If you predicted all three of those outcomes correctly, you would win $587 (a total payout of $687) on a $100 bet.
You can build a parlay like the above example, where you mix markets and matchups, but you can also make a same-game parlay bet. Here, you could combine a moneyline, over/under, player prop, and so on, from one specific contest.
An example of this would be betting on the Jets to win, Mark Scheifele to score, and Winnipeg to record more than 3.5 goals. Again, like any parlay, these types of bets are riskier for the bettor because the probability of winning decreases the more bets you tack on to the ticket.
In-game betting provides users with options to bet on games as they play out in real time. Among the markets you can bet on are the moneyline, over/under and puck line.
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-> Experience live NHL betting as it happens – sign up with NorthStar Bets and get in on every drive
Live betting can offer great value if a big favourite falls behind early and becomes an underdog on the ML as a result. Under that scenario, you would net a higher return by betting on them mid-game than you would have before the contest started if they went on to win.
The odds constantly change throughout a game. This is especially true after goals are scored.
Markets will sometimes close during a power play or late in the game, but this is another way you can bet after the puck drops.
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-> Ready to put your NHL knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
Game 5 of the ALCS between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners is set for 6:08 p.m. ET on Friday at T-Mobile Park.
The pregame narrative: The winner will take a 3-2 series lead before the ALCS concludes in Toronto. Neither team has won at home yet, with blowouts in each of the last three games.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks for Oct. 17, featuring predictions on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kevin Gausman, Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks
Best bet: Guerrero over 1.5 total bases (+100)
It’s hard to ignore a plus-money price on Guerrero.
The Blue Jays star has been on another level during Toronto’s eight playoff games after posting a top-15 mark in wRC+ in the regular season.
.455/.500/.970
5 homers
11 RBI
9 runs scored
He has cleared this line in five of eight games and struck out only once in 38 plate appearances.
Guerrero and the Blue Jays will see Bryce Miller, who, along with Seattle’s bullpen, held the first baseman hitless in Game 1.
That said, two of the top six balls in Game 1 with the highest exit velocity were struck by Guerrero at 107-plus mph, and both off Miller.
Guerrero is consistently putting the ball in play and making loud contact.
Key stat: Guerrero leads all postseason hitters with a 290 wRC+.
Blue Jays best bets
Gausman over 15.5 outs (-130): Toronto’s No. 1 starter gets the Mariners for the second time this series.
Gausman was yanked after 76 pitches in Game 1 but delivered a strong performance:
5.2 IP
3 H, 2 R
1 BB, 5 K
It marked the second time this postseason he worked 5.2 innings, making him 2-0 vs. this line.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider is unlikely to give Gausman a ton of rope after a brilliant Game 4 performance from Max Scherzer and an offensive eruption that helped save the bullpen from any high-leverage innings.
There’s also an off day baked in before Game 6.
That said, Gausman has generally been throwing the ball exceptionally well for months, and he’s by no means an auto-yank once the top of the order comes around for the third time.
Gausman was 12-3 vs. this line over his final 15 starts of the season.
He pitched to a 2.97 ERA (3.01 FIP) over that stretch with a well-above average 25.7 K%.
MLB prop picks
Clement 1+ RBI (+250): Clement has been a hitting machine, batting .452 this postseason with multi-hit games in five contests.
He moved up in the order to sixth last night. Assuming he’s there again, I love this price.
Clement is a free swinger (he hasn’t walked this postseason but only struck out twice), so his chances of putting the ball in play are high.
Toronto has done a terrific job getting on base, meaning there’s a good shot for Clement (six postseason RBI) to hit with runners on.
Outside of the first two ALCS contests, the Blue Jays have scored five-plus runs in every postseason game.
Varsho 1+ hit (-143): Varsho has a lot of swing and miss in his game and is more of a thumper than a great hitter. But he’s batting .281 this postseason with a hit in half of his contests.
His defence is great, so he’s at little risk of a substitution, meaning we’re probably looking at four-plus plate appearances.
For those thinking about matchups later: While Varsho does struggle to hit left-handed pitching, Seattle’s top southpaw Gabe Speier threw 32 pitches over 1.1 high-stress innings last night.
Speier was the one who walked Varsho in an eight-pitch battle.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks made at 11:35 a.m. on 10/17/2025.
Game 5 of the ALCS between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners is set for 6:08 p.m. ET on Friday at T-Mobile Park.
The pregame narrative: The winner will take a 3-2 series lead before the ALCS concludes in Toronto. Neither team has won at home yet, with blowouts in each of the last three games.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks for Oct. 17, featuring predictions on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kevin Gausman, Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks
Best bet: Guerrero over 1.5 total bases (+104)
It’s hard to ignore a plus-money price on Guerrero.
The Blue Jays star has been on another level during Toronto’s eight playoff games after posting a top-15 mark in wRC+ in the regular season.
.455/.500/.970
5 homers
11 RBI
9 runs scored
He has cleared this line in five of eight games and struck out only once in 38 plate appearances.
Guerrero and the Blue Jays will see Bryce Miller, who, along with Seattle’s bullpen, held the first baseman hitless in Game 1.
That said, two of the top six balls in Game 1 with the highest exit velocity were struck by Guerrero at 107-plus mph, and both off Miller.
Guerrero is consistently putting the ball in play and making loud contact.
Key stat: Guerrero leads all postseason hitters with a 290 wRC+.
Gausman over 15.5 outs (-117): Toronto’s No. 1 starter gets the Mariners for the second time this series.
Gausman was yanked after 76 pitches in Game 1 but delivered a strong performance:
5.2 IP
3 H, 2 R
1 BB, 5 K
It marked the second time this postseason he worked 5.2 innings, making him 2-0 vs. this line.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider is unlikely to give Gausman a ton of rope after a brilliant Game 4 performance from Max Scherzer and an offensive eruption that helped save the bullpen from any high-leverage innings.
There’s also an off day baked in before Game 6.
That said, Gausman has generally been throwing the ball exceptionally well for months, and he’s by no means an auto-yank once the top of the order comes around for the third time.
Gausman was 12-3 vs. this line over his final 15 starts of the season.
He pitched to a 2.97 ERA (3.01 FIP) over that stretch with a well-above average 25.7 K%.
MLB prop picks
Clement 1+ RBI (+255): Clement has been a hitting machine, batting .452 this postseason with multi-hit games in five contests.
He moved up in the order to sixth last night. Assuming he’s there again, I love this price.
Clement is a free swinger (he hasn’t walked this postseason but only struck out twice), so his chances of putting the ball in play are high.
Toronto has done a terrific job getting on base, meaning there’s a good shot for Clement (six postseason RBI) to hit with runners on.
Outside of the first two ALCS contests, the Blue Jays have scored five-plus runs in every postseason game.
Varsho 1+ hit (-141): Varsho has a lot of swing and miss in his game and is more of a thumper than a great hitter. But he’s batting .281 this postseason with a hit in half of his contests.
His defence is great, so he’s at little risk of a substitution, meaning we’re probably looking at four-plus plate appearances.
For those thinking about matchups later: While Varsho does struggle to hit left-handed pitching, Seattle’s top southpaw Gabe Speier threw 32 pitches over 1.1 high-stress innings last night.
Speier was the one who walked Varsho in an eight-pitch battle.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks made at 11:35 a.m. on 10/17/2025.
Thursday’s postseason doubleheader features Game 4 of the ALCS between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays.
The pregame narrative: Toronto’s bats erupted for 13 runs on 18 hits last night to make this a 2-1 series. I expect the bats to be a factor again tonight and am targeting two big Game 3 performers: George Springer and Daulton Varsho.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks for the Oct. 16 playoff game at T-Mobile Park, featuring a prop prediction on starter Luis Castillo.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks
Best bet: Castillo under 15.5 outs (-154)
I wanted the under on Castillo’s 4.5 K line but this is a better price, and the reasoning has overlap.
Game 3 starter George Kirby came in hot with monster strikeout numbers and got torched. I successfully faded him on 4.5 Ks, making starting pitchers 0-7 vs. that line against Toronto this postseason.
Castillo had a good September, but he missed bats at the worst rate of his career and was ordinary against the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS.
The Blue Jays were the hardest team in MLB to retire on strikes. That hasn’t changed in the playoffs.
Seattle pitchers have 16 Ks through three games (Jays pitchers have 35). But why all this talk about Ks when the pick is an outs prop?
Well, I expect the Jays to do what they do better than any team tonight — put the ball in play. If the contact remotely resembles last night, we’re looking at a really short outing here.
Castillo’s hard-hit rate, per Baseball Savant, was easily the highest of his career.
Not surprisingly, so was his expected slugging mark. And he had a below-average K rate for the first time ever.
Even if Toronto cools, this has turned into a fairly big postseason line that I believe is worthy of an under play.
Toronto needs this more than Seattle, but I expect the Mariners to be aggressive in a game with huge swing potential.
The Mariners primarily used mop-up guys after Kirby last night, so their high-leverage arms are in a good spot after having Monday off.
Key stat: Cam Schlittler and Bryce Miller are the only starters to go more than 5.0 innings vs. Toronto this postseason.
Thursday’s postseason doubleheader features Game 4 of the ALCS between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays.
The pregame narrative: Toronto’s bats erupted for 13 runs on 18 hits last night to make this a 2-1 series. I expect the bats to be a factor again tonight and am targeting two big Game 3 performers: George Springer and Daulton Varsho.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks for the Oct. 16 playoff game at T-Mobile Park, featuring a prop prediction on starter Luis Castillo.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks
Best bet: Castillo under 15.5 outs (-152)
I wanted the under on Castillo’s 4.5 K line but this is a better price, and the reasoning has overlap.
Game 3 starter George Kirby came in hot with monster strikeout numbers and got torched. I successfully faded him on 4.5 Ks, making starting pitchers 0-7 vs. that line against Toronto this postseason.
Castillo had a good September, but he missed bats at the worst rate of his career and was ordinary against the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS.
The Blue Jays were the hardest team in MLB to retire on strikes. That hasn’t changed in the playoffs.
Seattle pitchers have 16 Ks through three games (Jays pitchers have 35). But why all this talk about Ks when the pick is an outs prop?
Well, I expect the Jays to do what they do better than any team tonight — put the ball in play. If the contact remotely resembles last night, we’re looking at a really short outing here.
Castillo’s hard-hit rate, per Baseball Savant, was easily the highest of his career.
Not surprisingly, so was his expected slugging mark. And he had a below-average K rate for the first time ever.
Even if Toronto cools, this has turned into a fairly big postseason line that I believe is worthy of an under play.
Toronto needs this more than Seattle, but I expect the Mariners to be aggressive in a game with huge swing potential.
The Mariners primarily used mop-up guys after Kirby last night, so their high-leverage arms are in a good spot after having Monday off.
Key stat: Cam Schlittler and Bryce Miller are the only starters to go more than 5.0 innings vs. Toronto this postseason.
