Are you a hockey bettor? Then you surely know that besides the odds on the match winner, there are hundreds of other opportunities to choose from. Take a look at our overview and learn more about betting on ice hockey.
Betting on Hockey
Ice hockey is especially popular among European, American, and Canadian bettors (source: Pixabay.com)
Ice hockey is one of the most popular sports among European bettors. It also enjoys significant popularity across the ocean, thanks to the NHL. The biggest stakes are usually placed on this overseas league. Among Czech bettors, the popularity of hockey bets peaks especially during major international tournaments such as the World Championship or the Olympic Games. To help you better understand hockey betting, we have prepared this article with general information on hockey betting.
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How to bet on hockey?
Understanding the principles of the game is the first important step towards starting to bet on hockey regularly and subsequently improving at it. Just like in other team sports, the main goal of the game is to achieve a higher score than the opponent. A typical hockey team enters a game with about twenty players on the roster, who rotate on the ice in offensive and defensive formations (usually 3 forwards + 2 defensemen). A goalie backs up the five players on the field. Ice hockey is very physically demanding because it is played at high speed and intensity and is full of hard contact. Logically, hockey has an unlimited number of substitutions available, and individual players rotate very quickly (after a few dozen seconds). Thanks to unlimited substitutions, coaches can immediately react to an unfavorable situation, e.g., by changing formations and special lines (power play or penalty kill formations) or pulling the goalie, who is replaced by one field player. Unlike football, ice hockey is played until one team wins. If the regular playing time (3 periods of 20 minutes of clean time) ends in a tie, overtime follows, and if it is still undecided, a shootout takes place. This is, of course, reflected in the betting opportunities offered.
Basic types of hockey bets
Money Line (Match winner until a decision)
Given that a hockey game is always played until one team wins and a draw is not as uncommon (as in basketball, for example), many bettors find it most sensible to bet on the Match winner until a decision. Especially in NHL betting, due to the greater parity of the teams and the unpredictability of the league, betting until a decision is much more common than the classic 1 – X – 2 market (result at the end of regular time). This is associated with the culture of American sports, which are played to a decision, and bettors logically choose only between two options.
Total number of goals (OVER/UNDER)
One of the most popular hockey markets is, of course, betting on goals in the form of OVER/UNDER. You simply bet on whether more or fewer goals will be scored than the set line. In the case of this market, be careful if you are betting on regular time or the final score including overtime. Many bookmakers offer these opportunities separately, so keep that in mind. Besides the total number of goals in the game, you can also bet on the teams or even the number of goals in individual periods. Many companies also offer odds on the exact number of goals or specific goal ranges, etc. There are really many betting options.
Asian handicap
Handicap betting is not as common in hockey as in other American sports (basketball, American football, baseball), but it traditionally holds its place among bettors. When betting on the Asian handicap, one team gets an advantage and the other a disadvantage in the form of a virtual lead. The bookmaker sets the handicap lines, and the bettor can choose from the set lines. The virtual lead in the form of a handicap is added/subtracted from the actual score, and your bet is then evaluated. When betting on hockey handicaps, keep in mind that a team trailing by one or two goals a few minutes before the end of the game often resorts to playing without a goalie.
Side markets
Scorers and players’ points
Betting on individual players’ goals or points is among the interesting markets where good value can be found. Do you, for example, know about changes in a team’s lineup before the bookmaker? These markets are ideal for you! There is, of course, a difference when a player starts in the first offensive line and the first power play unit or when he plays only in the fourth line. There are therefore large odds differences among players. You need to consider all collected information when choosing a suitable bet.
Statistical bets
Statistical bets are in! And why not, when they can potentially offer high value? In statistical bets, such as shots on goal, you can often notice significant odds differences among various bookmakers. It’s up to you to identify the poorly set odds and take advantage of them. In addition to the total number of shots on goal, you often find odds on the number of shots by individual teams or even individual players. Other common statistical bets include markets on the number of two-minute penalties or number of goals in power play, etc.
Differences between leagues
Like every sport, each league has its own specifics. Some leagues are generally more offensive than others, some are more tactically bound, while others favor young players, leading to wild shootouts. The more you delve into hockey competitions, the more you will notice individual nuances. Main differences can be observed even without detailed knowledge. For example, it is generally known that the NHL is played on a smaller rink and with greater intensity, so there are more shots on goal and more goals scored in a game than in advanced European leagues. On the other hand, an NHL team plays many more games during the season than a European team, and coaches have to take this into account, especially on demanding road trips. This can result in seemingly shocking results, which, however, may not be so surprising to a knowledgeable insider. Many differences can also be observed within European leagues. For example, in the Finnish top league, an average of around 5 goals per game is long-term, and goalies have high save percentages, while in less advanced leagues with greater team quality disparities (e.g., Polish or Austrian league), an average of over 6 goals per game is scored!
What else to consider
Goalies play a key role in ice hockey. Their importance increases even more in the playoffs. To win the Stanley Cup, you need not only luck and four above-average lines but also a top goalie in great form. To win the Olympics or World Championship, you again need a top goalie in great form. Recall the hockey tournament of the century in Nagano, where the Czech national team went with a mix of NHL and European players, which was not supposed to be a match for the star teams of Canada and the USA. However, the Czechs had Hašek, who gave a phenomenal performance with an average of 0.97 goals against per game and a 96.1% save percentage, making him the undisputed best goalie of the tournament [for comparison, the numbers of the second and third goalies in the ranking: 2. Roy (Canada) – 1.46 GAA and 93.5% SV; 3. Štalenkov (Russia) – 1.65 GAA and 93.1% SV]. Of course, pay attention to all players. Did the team’s first two offensive lines fall apart due to injuries? Check if the bookmaker has taken this into account in the odds, and if not, take advantage of it. Don’t underestimate the home advantage or the travel demands. In the NHL, clubs fly thousands of kilometers just within one road trip, let alone throughout the season. Sometimes teams have to play two games in two days, and players might run out of steam. With a change of environment, motivation also changes. At home, clubs are generally stronger than on long road trips. These are all factors to consider.
Do you want to be successful in hockey betting? Bet on valuable odds
Finally, we must mention that no matter how big a hockey fan you are and how perfectly you understand all possible statistics, it is only a prerequisite for being profitable. Your success will depend on whether you can bet on odds with positive expected value. This is the alpha and omega of success. Therefore, we recommend starting with our article Value betting – betting on odds with positive expected value.
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Frequently asked questions
Michael Cermak
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