Over/under betting, also called totals, is a bet on the combined score, over or under a number the book sets, whoever wins. On 29 October 2026 the 12 Ontario books pricing NHL totals hung the same line on just one of four games, and margins spanned 2.9% to 10.0%.
You bet on how many goals, points or runs the two teams score between them. It is the third of the core markets on every Ontario board, beside the moneyline and the spread, and it has two features that are easy to miss: the same game can be bought at more than one number, and books charge very different amounts for it.
A total – also called an over/under or O/U – is a single number for the combined score of a game. You pick a side: the over wins if the two teams together score more than the number, the under wins if they score fewer. The winner, the margin and the order of the goals are irrelevant.
It works in every sport with a score. Goals in hockey and soccer, points in football and basketball, runs in baseball.
In hockey the standard total includes overtime and the shootout. NorthStar Bets and BetR
