Top NHL GIFT & Anytime Goal Scorer Prop Bet Picks: Thursday (12/5)
Betting the GIFT (Goal In First Ten) is simple. Pick whether or not a game will have a goal scored in the first 10 minutes of play (00:00-09:59). It's that easy and all you have to do is root for anyone to score and you win. It is one area of hockey betting that has a high success rate league-wide with 81.25% of the league currently cashing at 50% or better this season. By the end of the season, that number should be upwards of 90% meaning there is plenty of money left to be made from GIFTs this season.
Anytime Goal Scorer props are even easier. Pick a player to score and if they light the lamp at any point, you win!
For additional prop bets check out our brand new daily NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet. Additionally, I will post my favorite bets in the BettingPros Discord, which is free to join and filled with info from some of the sharpest analysts in the field, including myself.
Thursday’s Best GIFT & Anytime Goal Scorer Prop Bets
2024 Record: 49-58-1 | GIFT Record: 23-14 | ATG Record: 26-45-1 | Last: 3-1 | Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
San Jose Sharks at Tampa Bay Lightning
The Sharks will send out Mackenzie Blackwood to guard the crease. The 27-year-old is 6-8-3, carrying a 2.94 GAA and a .909 Save% this season. The Sea Dogs are 17-11 cashing the GIFT this season, with eight GIFT cashes away from SAP Center at San Jose. The GIFT is 3-2 in Son Jose’s last five games and 7-3 in their last 10.
On the opposite end of the rink, Tampa Bay will roll out Andrei Vasilevskiy to tend the twine. The 30-year-old is 8-8-1, carrying a 2.93 GAA and a .913 Save% this season. The Bolts are 15-8 cashing the GIFT this season, with nine cashes in 12 games (.750) on the friendly Amalie Arena ice. The GIFT has cashed in six straight Tampa Bay games and seven of their last 10.
These teams’ combined 32-19 record (.627) cashing the GIFT this season along with a combined 17-10 record (.630) in these home/road conditions so the lamp should light early in Tampa tonight.
Pick: Goal In First Ten (-154)
Colorado Avalanche at Carolina Hurricanes
The Avalanche will send out Alexander Georgiev to guard the net. The 28-year-old is 7-7-0, carrying a 3.54 GAA and an .867 Save% this season. The Avs are 18-8 cashing the GIFT this season, with seven GIFT cashes in 12 games away from Ball Arena. The GIFT is 4-1 in Colorado’s last five games and 7-3 in their last 10.
On the opposite end of the rink, Carolina will roll out Pyotr Kochetkov to mind things for the home team. The 25-year-old is 10-3-0, carrying a 2.55 GAA and a .900 Save% this season. The Canes are 18-7 cashing the GIFT this season, with a 9-3 GIFT rate on the friendly Lenovo Center ice. The GIFT is 4-1 in Carolina’s last five games and 9-1 in their last 10.
Given these teams’ combined 36-15 (.706) record cashing the GIFT this season, including a 16-8 record (.667) in these home/road conditions, this prop should have no problem hitting.
Pick: Goal In First Ten (-160)
GIFT Parlay Odds: +168
Anytime Goal Scorer Picks
Sam Reinhart (+120) – 11G in L15, 5G in L6 on road, 10-of-18 G (.556) on road, 2G vs. PHI in ’23, 18G (Leads NHL)
Leon Draisaitl (+130) – 8G in L11, 4G in L4 at home, G vs. CBJ in ’23, 17G (2nd in NHL)
ATG Parlay Odds: +406
Luke Monaldo is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @MoKnowsSports and Discord @alydar1227 AKA The GIFTing Crooner. For more from Luke, check out his archive.