Sports Betting News, Reviews & More

Learn about the GIFT (Goal In First Ten) in hockey betting.

Key Points

– The GIFT in hockey betting is similar to the YRFI bet in MLB.

– Scoring changes over the past few seasons have led to adjusted odds for the GIFT in hockey betting.

What a wonderful thing it would be if you could place a bet on a hockey game and have the good fortune to win each and every time! Betting on hockey can provide a GIFT, but just like any other type of wager, it does not ensure that the bettor will win every time.

It’s a sports betting myth to think that bettors lose all the time. As part of a well-rounded hockey betting strategy, you should investigate the GIFT, if you haven't already. The GIFT, which stands for Goals in the First Ten, is a popular betting option that can be found at a variety of reputable online sportsbooks. 

People who bet on sports often wager on whether or not a goal will be scored in the first ten minutes of play. Both teams have an equal chance of scoring that goal.

The NGFT, which stands for "No Goal First Ten," is a wager that takes the opposite side of the GIFT bet. It is offered by some sportsbooks. The  NGFT bet simply places money on the outcome that neither team will score in the first ten minutes of play. It is a wager that is comparable to the NRFI (No Runs First Inning) wager that is offered by MLB.

RELATED: NHL 2022 STANLEY CUP FUTURES UPDATE

The Price of the GIFT

During the 2016–17 NHL season, a goal was scored in the first ten minutes of play in approximately 58 percent of all games. That would equate to a price of -138 for the GIFT wager. 

Bettors should also be aware that additional juice is involved when betting the GIFT. Finding value in NHL betting odds in this case also requires knowledge of the combined offensive and defensive prowess of the two teams involved. 

In most situations, the game total and the GIFT odds go hand in hand. If more goals are expected to be scored throughout the course of the game, then it stands to reason that the chances of a goal being scored within the first ten minutes of play will also increase.

GIFT Examples

To avoid making common sports betting mistakes, here are two examples from the previous NHL season.

• Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers
• Total: 7
• GIFT: -210

Both Florida and Edmonton were very skilled on the offensive side of the ice. While the Panthers led the NHL in goals scored per game, the Oilers had two players who finished the season as the league's leading point scorers.

This game's total was set a little higher than usual at 7. As a direct consequence of this, the odds of there being a goal in the first ten minutes have increased to -210. Again, more goals are expected to be scored overall, which makes it more likely that one will be scored within the first ten minutes of the game.

• Vegas Golden Knights vs. New York Islanders
• Total: 5.5
• GIFT: -130

During the previous season in the NHL, the Islanders and Knights were two of the best defensive teams in the NHL. Both teams were in the top five in the league in terms of the number of goals they allowed per game against them. 

As a result, the total was set at 5.5. Because fewer goals are expected, the likelihood of scoring within the first ten minutes of the game is lower. The odds associated with GIFT then are set at -130.

ICYMI: COLLEGE BASKETBALL BETTING STRATEGY - CONFERENCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE

These Are The GIFT Rules

At most sportsbooks, the GIFT is typically counted from 00:00 until 9:59 minutes have passed in the first period. If a goal is scored at exactly the 10:00 mark of the first period, then the bet is considered to be a loser.

At a variety of top sportsbooks, the GIFT bet may be located in a variety of different places. Some will include a GIFT entry in the section titled "Periods." In some sportsbooks, the GIFT wager is listed under a category like Popular Bets, for example. 

You can even place a wager in some books on a goal being scored within the first five minutes of the game (GIFF). If you are looking for a wide variety of bets, make sure you have an online wagering portal that covers all the bases. 

Taking a Chance on the GIFT in Hockey Betting

During the current NHL season, an average of 3.16 goals per game are being scored by each team. In the previous season, the average was 3.14 per team. Therefore, the average number of goals in the typical NHL game is roughly 6.3.

It has been a very long time since scores have been this high.The 1995–1996 season was the last time that teams had an average of at least 3.14 goals per game. 

Last season, only 17% of NHL games saw zero goals scored in the first period. Over the past 15 NHL seasons, 19 percent of games are tied 0-0 at the end of the first period. 

That means in 81 percent of all NHL games a goal is scored in the first period. The odds for the GIFT in hockey betting have been changed as a direct result of the higher scoring totals seen in the previous two seasons.

To this point in the 2022–23 NHL season, the teams with the best records in terms of GIFT bets are Vancouver (23–8), Calgary (24-9), Buffalo (23–9), and Ottawa (23–9). 

At least seventy-one percent of the time, these teams and/or their opponents managed to get on the scoreboard within the first ten minutes of a game. It is interesting to note that the GIFT in hockey betting has been successful in Vancouver’s first 31 games of the season.