Top NHL GIFT & Anytime Goal Scorer Prop Bet Picks: Sunday (3/3)
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 nearly league-wide positive success rate with 93.75% of the league currently cashing at 50% or better this season. Even the Bruins have slowly crept up to 48% so we may soon have 31-of-32 teams cashing at 50% or better. I have been able to use this season’s GIFT numbers to pick winners with extreme accuracy.
Anytime Goal Scorer props are even easier. Pick a player to score and if they light the lamp at any point, you win!
We reached and surpassed 100 wins on the season last Sunday! Here’s to the next 100! Thank you and congratulations to all that have tailed me along the way!
As always: Tail me for cash, fade me for trash!
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.
Sunday’s Best GIFT & Anytime Goal Scorer Prop Bets
2023-24 Season: 101-31 (.765) | Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Arizona Coyotes at Washington Capitals
Arizona’s season GIFT rate of 61% (37-of-60) is 10th in the NHL. That number does dip to 54% when they are away from Mullett Arena but theyhave cashed the GIFT in four of their last five road games. The Yotes have cashed this prop in four of their last five and seven of their last ten games overall.
Washington has cashed this prop at a 55% clip (33-of-59) this season, tied for 22nd in the NHL. That number ticks up slightly to 56% when they are on their home ice of Capital One Arena and the Capitals have been hot when it comes to cashing GIFTS recently, including cashing in six straight home games. The Caps have cashed the GIFT in four of their last five and eight of their last ten games overall.
When these two teams last met on December 4 in Tempe, the GIFT cashed on a Logan Cooley goal at the 8:46 mark. That was back when the Caps were actually under .500 cashing GIFTs so expect this one to hit tonight.
Pick: Goal In First Ten (-145)
San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild
San Jose’s season GIFT rate of 54% (32-of-59) is already tied for 25th in the NHL. However, that number increases slightly to 56% when they are away from the SAP Center. The Sharks have performed better against the GIFT recently and have cashed this prop in three of their last five games and six of their last ten games overall.
Minnesota has cashed this prop at a 65% clip (40-of-61) this season, tied for 3rd best in the NHL. The Wild’s’ GIFT cash rate dips slightly to 63% when on their home ice at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild have cashed the GIFT in three of their last five games and six of their last ten games overall.
Kaapo Kahkonen has been confirmed in the crease for San Jose and his 3.68 GAA and 0.898 SV% won’t strike fear in opposing offenses. Filip Gustavsson is expected to start for Minnesota and his own 3.31 GAA and 0.893SV% also bode well for the GIFT to cash today.
Pick: Goal In First Ten (-166)
Vancouver Canucks at Anaheim Ducks
The Canucks’ season GIFT rate of 62% (39-of-62) is tied for 7th in the NHL. That number improves to 66% (5th in NHL) when they are away from Rogers Arena. The Canucks have cashed this prop in seven of their last nine road games dating back to January 15.
Anaheim has cashed this prop at a 58% clip (35-of-60) this season, tied for 14th in the NHL. Additionally, the Ducks’ GIFT cash rate jumps to 66% on the friendly home Honda Center ice, with the GIFT cashing in six of their last home games. The Ducks have cashed the GIFT in four of their last five games and seven of their last ten games overall.
Pick: Goal In First Ten (-150)
Parlay Odds: +351
Anytime Goal Scorer Picks
Kyle Connor (+150) – 6G in L6, 2G in L3 on road, 13 Points in L13 (scoring adjacent), 7 Points in L6 road games (scoring adjacent)
Brock Boeser (+150) – 2G vs. Anaheim this season, 4G in L3, 8 Points in L6 (scoring adjacent)
Frank Vatrano (+175) – 3G in L2, 7G in L8, 5G in L4 home games, 12 Points in L11 (scoring adjacent)
ATG Parlay Odds: +1387
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Sunday:
- NHL Prop Betting Cheat Sheet
- Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions
- Top NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions
- 2024 Cognizant Classic: PGA Best Weekend Picks
- 2024 Pennzoil 400: NASCAR at Las Vegas Odds, Picks & Predictions
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.