Definition of First to 5 Shots on Goal

What does the term "first to 5 shots on goal" mean in the world of hockey betting? What is meant by the term "first to 5 shots on goal"?

With the "first to 5 shots on goal" line, you are simply betting on which team will be the first to register 5 shots on goal in any given game.

For instance, let's say that the Colorado Avalanche are playing the St. Louis Blues.

The Blues are favoured to win, so it stands to reason that they would be favoured to register the first 5 shots on goal in a game.

The "first 5 shots on goal" odds might look like this:

Colorado, +145
St. Louis Blues, -165

So, if you think that Colorado is going to get out to a strong start and register the first five shots of the game, you'd want to take them at +145.

This would give you a total profit of $145 on your wager if you ended up being right.

On the other hand, if you wanted to go with a "safer" bet, you'd want to take the Blues at -165.

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Keep in mind that home ice advantage is a real thing, especially at the start of games when the crowd is energizing the players from the home team, which is why the home teams will usually be favoured for this line.