NHL’s parity impairs safe bets

Perhaps the best example of parity in sports can be found in the NHL standings listed in order of records against the spread.

After 10 weeks of the 2007-08 season, 23 of the league’s 30 teams have won at least 13 times against the spread and 23 have lost at least 13 times against the spread.

That’s betting balance at its best, and it’s what has made wagering on hockey so risky this season.

Just check out the Central Division.

The Detroit Red Wings own the league’s best record at 22-6-2 and had a 13-point lead over second-place St. Louis heading into Tuesday night’s games.

But third-place Columbus, which trails Detroit by 14 points, and last-place Chicago, 16 points behind the Red Wings, have the best records against the spread in the division at 18-12 and 17-12, respectively. Detroit is 14-16 against the spread.

One factor behind the balance has been a more competitive league schedule, with every team having already spent a month playing against division rivals. Facing the same teams over and over led to fewer blowout games.

The NHL also has cut down home-ice advantage in many games involving teams playing on back-to-back nights.

For example, last week the Buffalo Sabres were outscored by a combined 12-3 in consecutive losses to the Ducks and Kings. Two days later, Buffalo won, 7-1, at San Jose, with the Sharks having played at Phoenix the night before.

In previous seasons, San Jose probably would have been rested and waiting for the Sabres instead of the other way around.

Last hockey add: The NHL’s best team against the spread? Boston, with a 22-7 record. Even though the Bruins are only 16-10-3, they are the only team in the league to cover the line more than 18 times and the only team that has failed to cover fewer than 11 times.

Pro football

While the NHL provides a great example of betting parity, the NFL is just the opposite with this week’s schedule of games.

Of the 16 matchups, six feature games with double-digit point spreads, highlighted by the New England Patriots, who opened on some boards as high as 27-point home favorites over the New York Jets.

Joining the Patriots as heavy favorites are the San Diego Chargers (against Detroit), Minnesota Vikings (Chicago), Dallas Cowboys (Philadelphia), Indianapolis Colts (Oakland) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Atlanta).

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lonnie.white@latimes.com