Beginner-Friendly Same Game Parlay: Avalanche vs. Jets Picks for Tonight

If you have never built a same game parlay before, tonight’s Colorado Avalanche vs. Winnipeg Jets matchup is a great one to learn on. Both teams are off to hot starts, the Avalanche are heavy road favorites, and there is enough star power on the ice to build a same game parlay (SGP) that is both fun to root for and grounded in real stats. Puck drop is 7:30 PM ET at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.

A same game parlay just means combining multiple bets from the same game into one ticket — if every leg hits, you get paid at much bigger odds than betting each piece separately. The catch is that every leg has to win, so we’re keeping this one simple: four legs built around things that have actually been happening in both teams’ games so far this season. Always check the live NHL odds in your sportsbook app before locking anything in, since lines can shift closer to puck drop.

Leg 1: Avalanche to Win

Colorado comes in 2-0-0 and enters as a clear favorite here, priced at roughly -175 to -185 on the moneyline depending on the book. The Avalanche have outscored opponents considerably through their first two games, including a 6-1 win over St. Louis where Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Artturi Lehkonen all factored into the scoring. Winnipeg is 2-0-1, so this is not a bad team on the other side, but Colorado’s deeper top-six and power-play punch make them the safer side to build around.

For a beginner SGP, the moneyline is the easiest piece to understand: pick the team you think wins the game, no point spread required. Betting Colorado straight-up (rather than on the -1.5 puck line, which asks them to win by two or more) is the more conservative way to build this leg into your parlay.

Leg 2: Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 Shots on Goal

MacKinnon is coming off a three-assist, four-shot performance in Colorado’s season-opening win, and he is averaging six shots on goal per game so far this season. His typical shots line sits around 3.5, and he has gone over that number in every game so far. MacKinnon logs heavy minutes at even strength and on the power play, and he rarely plays a passive game — he shoots from distance, drives to the net, and racks up volume even on nights he doesn’t score.

Shots on goal props are one of the friendliest bet types for newer bettors because they reward usage and playing style rather than puck luck. A player doesn’t need to score to cash an over on shots — he just needs to keep firing, and MacKinnon does that as consistently as anyone in the league.

Leg 3: Artturi Lehkonen to Score a Goal

Lehkonen has found the back of the net in each of Colorado’s first two games and is being offered at plus-money (roughly +260) to score anytime tonight. He plays on Colorado’s top power-play unit and has been getting prime looks alongside MacKinnon and Makar, which is exactly the kind of usage that makes an “anytime goal scorer” bet worth including.

This is a good leg for beginners because anytime goal scorer bets are straightforward: you’re simply betting that a specific player scores at least one goal at any point in the game, first period or overtime included. Lehkonen’s recent scoring streak and prominent role on the power play make him a sensible scorer to target over a bigger name who might be more heavily game-planned against by Winnipeg’s penalty kill.

Leg 4: Under 6.5 Total Goals

The total for this game sits at 6.5, with the under priced around -110 to -115 depending on the sportsbook. Despite both offenses performing well early, this looks like a game where goaltending could keep the score closer to the middle than a track meet — Colorado’s Mackenzie Blackwood has a solid .912 save percentage through two starts, and Winnipeg’s goaltending tandem has been stingy enough to keep two of their first three games low-scoring. Total goals is simply a bet on whether the combined score of both teams finishes above or below the number set by the sportsbook, which makes it an easy concept to pair with player-specific legs.

The Full Parlay

Putting it together: Avalanche moneyline, MacKinnon over 3.5 shots on goal, Lehkonen to score anytime, and under 6.5 total goals. Each leg stands on its own — a road favorite with a strong recent track record, a high-volume shooter who rarely has a quiet night, a power-play regular riding a two-game goal streak, and a total that accounts for two capable goaltenders. For newer bettors, this is a good template for how to build an SGP: start with a game you believe in, add one or two player props tied to real usage and recent form, and finish with a total that fits the matchup. If you’re still shopping for a place to bet it, the DraftKings promo code is worth a look for new users. Check your sportsbook’s SGP builder for the combined odds before placing your ticket, since payouts vary slightly by book.