The Sabres will play the Blue Jackets on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026. Your timezone's face off time is 3:08 pm EST. Check local listings or your nearest streaming app for coverage.
Learn more about NHL Betting with our handy tutorial and guide. We explain money line, total and puck line bets. Plus, a great discussion about exotic bets like NHL parlays and props.
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Table of Contents
- Matchup Stats
- Moneyline Mage
- Best Odds
- Interactive Odds Example
- Prop Bets
- Team Standings
- Futures Odds
- Team Pages
- Other Games Today
Key Matchup Stats
With the 2025-26 NHL regular season in full swing, let's turn the page to an exciting matchup between the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets. The puck hits the ice on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026. Each team's performance trends are starting to firm up. Keeping that in mind, have a look at stats below before you place a wager.
- SportsBetting3.com Power Rankings - The Buffalo Sabres currently have a 95.33 SportsBetting3.com power ranking with the Columbus Blue Jackets heading into this matchup with a 87.67 power ranking. The team with the higher power ranking is often the favorite.
- Away Buffalo Sabres - The Buffalo Sabres have a 9-9-2 record as an away team, ranking them 6th in the league for away team wins. On the flip side, the Buffalo Sabres now rank 5th for away team losses.
- Home Columbus Blue Jackets - The Columbus Blue Jackets start this game with a 8-7-3 record as a home team. That puts them 8th in the league for home team wins. However, they rank 5th for home team losses.
- Goals Scored - At this point in the 2025-26 NHL season, the Buffalo Sabres rank 10th (124) for goals scored. Their opponent, the Columbus Blue Jackets, currently rank 12th (118) in the league for goals scored.
- Goals Against - Teams that allow fewer goals tend to have better goalies and defensive capabilities. The Buffalo Sabres rank 14th (121) in the league for goals scored against them. Looking at the Columbus Blue Jackets, they've given up 131 goals this season, ranking them 8th in the league.
- Shootout Records - If the game is tied at the end of regulation and overtime, a shootout will be held to determine the winner. Keep this in mind: the Buffalo Sabres have a 3-0 shootout win-loss record, with the Columbus Blue Jackets owning a 4-1 shootout record.
- Team Records - The Buffalo Sabres have a 21-14-4 record and the Columbus Blue Jackets hold a 17-16-6 at this point in the 2025-26 NHL regular season.
Moneyline Mage
Spelling out the winners with humor since the middle ages.
Greetings, fellow hockey enthusiasts! The Buffalo Sabres...roll into Columbus to face the Blue Jackets in a crucial showdown...
The Sabres are sitting pretty with a 21-14-4 record...while the Blue Jackets are struggling at 17-16-6...It's a battle of percentages with Buffalo at 0.538...and Columbus lagging behind at 0.436...
Before the puck drops, review each team's stats and standing...Take a peek at the game and player prop bets below...If you're feeling lucky, consider placing a bet at BetRivers or BetMGM...
This matchup is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat...So grab your wands and get ready for some magical hockey action...And if you're new to betting on hockey, learn how at SportsBetting3.com...
May the best team emerge victorious in this clash of titans...And may the fans be treated to a spectacle unlike any other...Now, let's watch as these two teams battle it out on the ice...A showdown for the ages awaits!
Best Sabres at Blue Jackets Odds
| Underdog Columbus Blue Jackets | Favorite Buffalo Sabres |
|---|---|
| Over | Under |
|---|---|
| Underdog Buffalo Sabres | Favorite Columbus Blue Jackets |
|---|---|
Matchup Odds FAQs
The Buffalo Sabres are the -110 moneyline favorite at BetMGM and the Columbus Blue Jackets are the -110 moneyline underdog at BetMGM.
The best over line is 6.5 +100 goals at BetMGM, which means you risk $100 to win $100 betting the over. The best under line is 6.5 -120 goals at BetMGM, and that means you risk $120 to win $100 betting the under.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are -1.5 +200 puck line favorites at BetMGM, while the Buffalo Sabres are +1.5 -275 puck line underdogs at BetMGM.
NHL Odds Example
|
Game |
 BetMGMBet |
|---|---|
Sabres
Blue Jackets
1/03/26 3:08pm EST | -110-110 |
- Columbus Blue Jackets bettors risk $100 to win $90.91 at -110 odds. The implied probability for Columbus Blue Jackets is 52.38%.
- Buffalo Sabres bettors risk $100 to win $90.91 at -110 odds. The implied probability for Buffalo Sabres is 52.38%.
Buffalo Sabres at Columbus Blue Jackets Prop Bets
| BetMGM Bet |
|
|---|---|
Sabres
Blue Jackets
Both Teams Score 2+ Goals
1/03/26 3:08pm EST | Yes -200No +145Bet |
Sabres
Total Goals
BUF at CBJ 1/03/26 3:08pm EST | 3 o -1253 u -110Bet |
Blue Jackets
Total Goals
BUF at CBJ 1/03/26 3:08pm EST | 3 o -1253 u -110Bet |
Adam Fantilli
To Score 3 Goals
BUF at CBJ 1/03/26 3:08pm EST | Yes +6600Bet |
| BetMGM | |
Kirill Marchenko
To Score 3 Goals
BUF at CBJ 1/03/26 3:08pm EST | Yes +8000Bet |
Tage Thompson
To Score 3 Goals
BUF at CBJ 1/03/26 3:08pm EST | Yes +6600Bet |
Team Standings
| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | wPct | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Diff | Home | Away | SO | L10 | Strk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Sabres | 57 | 32 | 19 | 6 | 0.561 | 70 | 29 | 195 | 176 | +19.0 | 17-8-3 | 15-11-3 | 3-0 | 6-3-1 | L1 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 56 | 29 | 20 | 7 | 0.518 | 65 | 24 | 179 | 177 | +2.0 | 15-8-4 | 14-12-3 | 5-1 | 9-1-0 | W7 |
Buffalo Sabres & Columbus Blue Jackets Futures Odds
Latest Stanley Cup odds, if available, for each team. Review odds for other teams and learn how Stanley Cup betting works. See past Championship results and learn how to bet NHL teasers, props and parlays.
Buffalo Sabres Stanley Cup Odds|
Team | BetMGM |
|---|---|
| Sabres | +4000 Bet |
|
Team | BetMGM |
|---|---|
| Blue Jackets | +8000 Bet |
Buffalo Sabres & Columbus Blue Jackets Team Pages
Review each team's season point total odds, futures odds, betting bonuses and other valuable information on our exclusive team betting odds pages. Team betting odds and stats update throughout the season:
How to Bet on the Game
Time needed: 4 minutes.
How to Bet on the Buffalo Sabres vs Columbus Blue Jackets NHL Game
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Open a new sports betting account before game time.
Review our list of sports betting sites. Open a new account before the game starts on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 at 3:08 pm EST, making sure to enter all your personal details correctly. Don't forget to add your bonus code.
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Visit the sportsbook’s cashier, banking, or deposit page.
Navigate to the sportsbook's deposit page. Use your Visa card or MasterCard, or deposit with a bank transfer, or other methods like Paypal.
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Tap to the sportsbook's NHL page, look for the Buffalo Sabres vs Columbus Blue Jackets Game.
Navigate to the sportsbook's NHL page. Next, look for live or upcoming matchups. Select the Buffalo Sabres vs Columbus Blue Jackets Game.
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Choose your bet and place a wager.
Choose your bet and then use the funds you deposited to place a wager. The sportsbook will pay your winnings or deduct a losing wager from your account balance after the game.
Other January 3, 2026 NHL Games
- Pittsburgh Penguins vs Detroit Red Wings
- Utah Mammoth vs New Jersey Devils
- Philadelphia Flyers vs Edmonton Oilers
- Tampa Bay Lightning vs San Jose Sharks
- Montreal Canadiens vs St. Louis Blues
- Chicago Blackhawks vs Washington Capitals
- Winnipeg Jets vs Ottawa Senators
- Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Islanders
- Nashville Predators vs Calgary Flames
- Colorado Avalanche vs Carolina Hurricanes
- Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings
- Boston Bruins vs Vancouver Canucks