A tied scoreboard at 60:00 can turn a correct team pick into a losing ticket.
A bettor backs Boston, watches the Bruins win in overtime, and still sees the wager graded as a loss. That result feels contradictory until the market’s cutoff is clear.
A 3-way moneyline ends after regulation. Its choices are home win, draw, or away win, and “draw” simply means the score is tied after three periods—not that the NHL game finishes without a winner. For a home or away selection to cash, that team must lead when regulation expires. Any overtime or shootout result is irrelevant. The wager therefore predicts the 60-minute result, not the eventual winner.
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How the three outcomes are settled
A 3-way moneyline, also called a regulation moneyline, offers three possible selections instead of the usual two. Sportsbooks settle it using the official score at the end of 60 minutes—three completed periods—subject to their house rules for postponed or shortened games.
- Home win: The home team leads when regulation ends.
- Draw: The score is tied after the third period.
- Away win: The visiting team leads when regulation ends.
For example, if the score is 2–2 after 60 minutes, the draw selection wins. That result remains fixed even if the home team scores in overtime or the away team wins a shootout. Overtime and shootout action cannot change the wager’s outcome because those stages fall outside the selected market.
This distinction separates the 3-way market from a standard NHL moneyline, which generally includes overtime and shootouts. The broader guide to NHL betting markets explains how those options compare. Bettors considering BetUS can also review the BetUS Sportsbook 200% Bonus up to $2,000, including its eligibility and wagering terms.
How a 3-way moneyline is graded
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Check the chosen outcome
The ticket wins only if the selected home win, draw, or away win matches the result at the end of regulation.
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Use the score after three periods
The score when the third period ends determines settlement. Any overtime or shootout result is excluded.
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Keep standard moneylines separate
A two-way NHL moneyline commonly includes the eventual overtime or shootout winner. See the overtime rules for standard moneylines for that grading method.
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Ignore unrelated details
Winning margin, goal scorers, and how the goals were scored do not affect the wager unless they are part of a separate market.
Postponed, abandoned, or shortened games are settled under the sportsbook’s house rules. A bet may be voided, left pending, or graded after play resumes, depending on those terms. BetUS Sportsbook offers a 200% bonus up to $2,000 for eligible customers; bonus conditions and event-settlement rules should be checked before betting.
Regulation vs. standard NHL moneylines
A standard two-way NHL moneyline offers only home team or away team. The selected team wins the bet if it prevails in regulation, overtime, or a shootout. This is the familiar structure covered by moneyline betting fundamentals.
A 3-way moneyline splits regulation into three possible outcomes: home win, draw, or away win. Because the draw occupies part of the probability, prices on either team can be longer than their standard moneyline prices.
| Game result | Standard team moneyline | 3-way team moneyline |
|---|---|---|
| Team leads after 60 minutes | Win | Win |
| Tied after 60; team wins in overtime | Win | Loss |
| Tied after 60; team wins shootout | Win | Loss |
For example, a favorite might be -150 on the standard moneyline but -105 to win in regulation. The -105 price offers a better return, but it removes overtime and shootout protection. If the game reaches 60 minutes tied, the draw is the winning 3-way selection—even when the backed team scores moments later in overtime.
The choice is therefore a trade-off: shorter odds with more ways to win, or longer odds with a stricter deadline. Bettors comparing both markets can consider the BetUS Sportsbook 200% Bonus up to $2,000, subject to eligibility, deposit, and wagering terms.
Three outcomes, three payout examples
Suppose the fictional Northport Wolves host the Bay City Mariners with this 3-way line:
- Home (Wolves): -110
- Draw: +320
- Away (Mariners): +240
Each option applies only to the score at the end of 60 minutes. A $100 stake produces a different return depending on the selected price.
| Regulation score | Correct selection | How a $100 ticket is graded |
|---|---|---|
| Wolves 3, Mariners 1 | Home -110 | Win |
| Wolves 2, Mariners 2; Mariners win in overtime | Draw +320 | Win |
| Wolves 2, Mariners 4 | Away +240 | Win |
The middle example is the key distinction. Even though Bay City eventually wins the game, the 3-way market records a draw because the teams were tied after regulation. Home and Away selections both lose.
Stake, profit, and payout
These terms are related but not interchangeable:
- Stake is the amount risked: $100 in each example.
- Profit is the amount won beyond the returned stake.
- Total payout combines the returned stake and profit.
For Home -110, the profit is $100 × (100 ÷ 110) = $90.91. The total payout is $190.91.
For Draw +320, the profit is $100 × 3.20 = $320. Adding the stake creates a $420 total payout.
For Away +240, the profit is $100 × 2.40 = $240, producing a $340 total payout. Any losing selection returns $0, so the $100 stake is lost.
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Why choose a 3-way moneyline?
Three-way pricing often offers a more attractive return on either team than a standard moneyline because the wager has less protection. It also creates a clean way to back a regulation tie—an outcome unavailable in the usual two-way market.
For bettors who prefer handicapping only the first 60 minutes, the format removes three-on-three overtime and shootout performance from the result. That can be appealing when a team’s regulation strength looks more reliable than its play after the third period.
The trade-off is unforgiving: a team can win 3–2 in overtime while its three-way moneyline still loses because regulation ended 2–2. A bigger price therefore reflects genuine extra risk, not an automatic bargain.
Before betting, compare NHL moneyline prices across sportsbooks, since small differences matter over repeated wagers. The BetUS Sportsbook 200% Bonus up to $2,000 is worth considering for eligible players, but line quality, rollover terms, and house rules should still drive the comparison.
Factors that shape regulation outcomes
Team regulation-win and tie rates provide a better starting point than overall win percentage. A club that regularly wins in overtime may look strong on the standard moneyline without being equally reliable over three periods.
Goaltending can narrow the gap between teams, while injuries—especially to a starting goalie, top center, or key defenseman—may shift the price. Home ice, travel, back-to-back games, and rest differences also matter, though none determines an outcome by itself.
Close-game tendencies deserve attention. Teams that play low-event hockey or protect conservative systems may reach the end of regulation tied more often. Still, an NHL tie is not directly comparable to a soccer draw: scoring patterns, empty-net situations, and market prices differ substantially.
A three-way wager covers one game’s regulation result. It should not be confused with moneylines within NHL playoff series odds, which settle on which team advances across multiple games.
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Mistakes that can change the result
Do overtime and shootouts count?
Not when the market is settled after regulation. A team that wins in overtime still records a tie for three-way betting purposes because the score was level after 60 minutes.
Does a tied regulation score mean the bet pushes?
Usually not. The tie or draw is a separate selection, so bets on either team lose when regulation ends level; only the tie selection wins.
Does “3-way” refer to a three-goal spread?
No. It describes the three available outcomes: home win, tie, or away win after regulation.
Are “60-minute line” and “regulation moneyline” always identical?
They commonly describe the same market, but labels can vary by sportsbook. The displayed settlement rules should confirm whether only regulation counts and how shortened or postponed games are handled.
Run a quick ticket check
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Confirm the cutoff
Look for “regulation,” “60 minutes,” or an explicit statement excluding overtime and shootouts.
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Verify the selection
Make sure the ticket shows the intended team or the tie—not a standard two-way moneyline.
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Compare the price
Check competing odds where permitted, since small price differences affect long-term returns.
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Review payout and stake
Confirm both the risk amount and potential return before submitting the wager.
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Read special settlement rules
Check the sportsbook’s treatment of interrupted, abandoned, or rescheduled games.
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A three-way NHL moneyline is ultimately a wager on the score at the 60-minute cutoff, not the final result after overtime or a shootout. Because the tie remains a losing possibility for either team selection, play is best kept optional and within a fixed betting budget rather than treated as a necessary wager.
