How to bet on the Flames: Props, totals and parlays
There are plenty of ways to bet on the Calgary Flames. Photo by Ellen Schmidt/AP.

The Calgary Flames aren't flashy, but they're a tough out on most nights.

Their blend of skill and grit makes them a team most opponents loathe playing against. Nothing is given when going up against this team, and their style is something bettors should certainly keep in mind when looking to put down on a Flames game.

How to bet on the Flames

There's no shortage of options when it comes to betting on the Flames. But there are a number of different factors you should focus on that may ultimately influence what you decide to bet on — whether that's the Flames moneyline or a Jonathan Huberdeau scoring prop.

Those factors include the opponent, location, trends, injuries and the odds.

We'll explore some of the most popular betting markets and offer advice on how to place the best wagers.

Moneyline

A moneyline (ML) bet is the most straightforward wager you can make on a hockey game. This type of bet involves picking the straight-up winner of a game.

You will win your moneyline bet if you correctly pick who comes out on top. The margin of victory or whether the contest ends in regulation, overtime or a shootout doesn't matter.

The favourite for the game will have a minus (-) symbol in front of its odds and the underdog will be denoted with a plus (+) symbol.

Calgary grades out as a middle-of-the-pack team which means its status as a favourite or underdog is tied largely to opponent and location. The Flames would be a favourite in a home game against the Nashville Predators. Calgary would also be favoured if it hosted the Anaheim Ducks.

The Flames would likely be listed as an underdog, however, in a road tilt versus the Colorado Avalanche.

Moneyline odds

The odds for each of those hypothetical games would look something like this:

Predators (+160) vs. Flames (-180)
Canucks (+170) vs. Flames (-200)
Flames (+205) vs. Avalanche (-240)

Those odds tell us a few things, including who the favourite and underdog is. It also tells us what our sportsbook believes each of those teams' chances of winning is in addition to how much you could profit on a successful bet.

OddsImplied probabilityWager amountTo win
-18064.29% $180$100
-20066.67%$200$100
+20532.79%$100$205

The Avalanche contest is the game that makes the most sense to place a moneyline wager on.

Although Calgary's chances of winning are deemed lowest in that example, a 32.79% implied win probability is still roughly a one-in-three chance. The ROI is strong, too, as it would require a $100 wager to profit $205.

A moneyline bet may also be in consideration for the Predators game, as the implied win probability is fairly high and staking $180 to win $100 isn't the worst. Though it is admittedly creeping into low-value territory.

We wouldn't recommend an ML bet in the Ducks game. Staking $200 to win $100 isn't a great bet to make. Therefore, in either of those contests, it may be a better opportunity to bet on the Flames puck line.

Puck line

In addition to making a moneyline bet, you'll also have the option of wagering on the puck line. Unlike the moneyline, a puck line wager involves betting against a point spread.

Puck lines are typically set at 1.5 and can sometimes be 2.5 or higher. They are also accompanied by odds which reflect the potential payout for a successful puck line wager.

Continuing with the examples from the moneyline section, the puck lines for Flames games would look something like this:

Predators +1.5 (-155) vs. Flames -1.5 (+135)
Ducks +1.5 (-140) vs. Flames -1.5 (+120)
Flames +1.5 (-140) vs. Avalanche -1.5 (+120)

The -1.5 next to the Flames in the first two examples means that Calgary is the favourite and would have 1.5 goals subtracted from its total. In order to cover the puck line, Calgary would have to win the game by two goals or more.

Against the Avalanche, on the other hand, the +1.5 next to Calgary's total represents its status as the underdog. Therefore, to cover the puck line in that game, the Flames could lose by a goal or win outright.

As a result, the payouts for a bet on Calgary in each instance would look like this:

OddsImplied win probabilityWager amountTo win
+13542.55%$100$135
+12045.45%$100$120
-14058.33%$140$100

It makes much more sense to back Calgary on the puck line rather than the moneyline in the Predators and Ducks games.

Against Nashville, a $100 bet on the puck line wins $135 and has a respectable 42.55% implied win probability. Similarly, against Anaheim, a $100 wager nets $120 and has a 45.45% implied win probability.

Wagering on the puck line against Colorado isn't a bad bet — a $140 stake wins $100. Opposed to the other games, however, the contest against Colorado presents a decent opportunity to wager on either the puck line or moneyline.

The decision on which one to select would ultimately come down to your risk tolerance.

How to bet on Flames totals

Aside from betting on the final result of a game, you can also wager on the number of goals scored in a game.

Game total lines are typically set at 5.5 or 6.5 goals, giving you the option to wager on whether the two teams will combine to go over or under the total.

Elias Lindholm and the Flames are a threat to put up lots of goals every game. Photo by Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press.

Therefore, in a game against the Predators where the line is 6.5, a successful bet to the over requires the two sides to combine for six goals or more. A winning under wager needs both squads to team up for five goals or fewer.

Totals can also be presented as an over/under and O/U. All refer to the same market.

Additionally, betting on team totals is another option. Team totals are usually set at 2.5 or 3.5 goals and work similarly to game totals.

Instead of a combined total between two teams, you'll wager on an individual team's output.

For example, if Calgary's team total is 2.5 goals and you believe it will score three or more goals, you'd take the over. You'd bet on the Flames under if you felt they would score two goals or fewer.

Totals are a great option for betting on a game, especially if you're unsure of how the final will shake out.

How to bet on Flames props

Props, like totals, are another betting option that doesn't deal with the outcome of the game. Prop bets can include wagering on which team will score the third goal of the game or whether the team that scores first will win.

Prop bets also centre around player performances, which is what we'll focus on in this section.

A player prop can involve betting on whether a player will record a goal or assist, as well as the number of shots they'll take in a contest.

For instance, if you believe Huberdeau will record an assist in the next Flames game, you could place a wager on his assist prop.

Huberdeau's assist prop would look similar to this:

Huberdeau 0.5 assists: Over (-110), Under (-110).

Regardless of whether you bet on his over or under, a $110 wager wins $100 in this example. When looking to bet on Huberdeau's assist prop, keep in mind both the odds and the opponent.

For any bet, the odds are important and there are some games that will provide a better opportunity to wager on a player prop.

Opponent goals allowed per game and scoring chances allowed per game are two key stats to monitor prior to placing your bet. The more goals and scoring chances an opponent allows likely means there will be more opportunities for Huberdeau to tally a helper.

Parlays and more

You can also wager on multiple events on one ticket, which is known as a parlay. A parlay could consist of a Flames puck line bet, in addition to picking two other NHL teams to win a game.

But you could also build a Flames-only version called a same-game parlay.

The issue with parlays is they significantly decrease your chances of winning with each event added, as just one loss on the ticket will result in the entire bet losing.

You get heightened odds for the increased risk you take on, leading to potential larger payouts. But it's important to know that your chance of winning is largely lowered.

In an upcoming Oilers and Flames game, for instance, you may believe that Calgary will cover the puck line, that the contest will go over its game total and that Huberdeau will record an assist.

If you were to bet these three events individually, the odds would look something like this:

Flames puck line (+135)
Oilers/Flames over 6.5 goals (-110)
Huberdeau over 0.5 assists (-120)

The odds would look much different if you turned that into an SGP.

Flames puck line, Oilers/Flames over 5.5 goals, Huberdeau over 0.5 assists (+722).

The parlay would return a significantly larger payout than if you bet on each event individually. That's due to the increased risk of having multiple events on it. Remember that if one leg loses, the whole ticket does as well.

But if you were to bet all three individually, the outcome of one event has no bearing on the result of another.

There are more ways to get in on Flames action through live betting and the futures market, where you can pick the Flames to win the Cup or Huberdeau to win the Hart Trophy.

NorthStar Bets editorial Insiders have no influence, direct or otherwise, over the setting of odds advertised on our platforms.