As if the NFL, college football and the approaching MLB playoffs weren’t enough, the NHL is here now too. Many sharps are placing bets not just on the first games of the year, but on teams’ over/under win or point totals.

Whether you’re betting on wins or points depends on the sport, but the principles are the same. Let me show you a sports betting 101 example using the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Here are some tips to follow.

Compare last season’s total to this season’s projected total. The Sabres had 91 points last year and their over/under is set at 90.5. That means, in theory, that this year’s total is tough to predict. Compare that to the Canucks, who had 100 points last year but have an over/under of 95.5 points this year. That’s clearly a great over bet.

Review what the team gained and lost in the offseason. The Sabres didn’t lose anyone too significant in the offseason but they gained absolutely nothing. That means that, at best, they can match last year’s 91-point total. That makes it pretty risky to bet over 90.5 points.

Review what the team’s direct competition gained and lost in the offseason. The Boston Bruins are ahead of the pack in the Northeast, so Buffalo’s greatest competition consists of fellow mediocre squads Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. Bad news for the Sabres; few teams improved as much as those three in the offseason. We don’t have to list all the names they acquired. The point is that Buffalo’s direct threats improved significantly and thus should steal plenty of points away from them.

In the end, those three factors should tell you to pick Buffalo UNDER 90.5 this season. Apply that principle to any sport and you should end the season with some winnings!