Betting Guide – Ice Hockey
Get ready to step onto the ice and take part in ice hockey sports betting. Whether you’re an avid fan or a newcomer to the ice rink, betting adds excitement to watching the action. From the NHL to local Australian leagues, the following overview will give you all the information you need to place your first ice hockey sports betting bet.
Australian sports betting where you can bet on hockey games
Where to bet on ice hockey?
The audience for ice hockey is actually much larger than it might initially appear. The NHL gets most of the attention, in addition to the Winter Olympics, but there are also several major leagues in Europe. Whether you are a beginner in betting on ice hockey or an experienced bettor, it is always worth comparing the options available in the market.
BetSafe Sports Betting
You can find the best selection of popular ice hockey leagues and events at BetSafe Sports Betting . The NHL is represented as well as many domestic leagues from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. There is also no shortage of betting options for the World Cup and the Olympic Games. In addition to sports betting, Betsafe also offers its customers casino slots, live dealer tables, poker and great content in the form of youtube interviews and podcasts. There are of course also a wealth of promotions and offers, including a welcome offer for new players. Read our full Betsafe review below.
Paf Sports Betting
Paf also offers its customers a rich opportunity to bet on ice hockey. The list includes leagues such as the NHL, the Norwegian EHL, the Swedish SHL, the Danish Metal Ligaen and the German DEL Bundesliga. For a change, you can spend time playing casino slots or sit at a live dealer table. This is a service provider with a long history and a goal to promote sustainable gaming. If you want to know what Paf offers its customers for entertainment, read our review here.
Ice hockey in Australia
The history of ice hockey in the world begins in 1853, when the first ice hockey competitions were held in Canada. The Stanley Cup began to be competed for in North America in 1894, and has now become one of the most coveted traveling trophies in the world.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) was founded in 1908, and Australia became a member in 1935. The organization currently has 82 member states. The first European Ice Hockey Championships were held in 1910, and the sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1920. The first Ice Hockey World Championship took place in 1930.
Ice hockey was played in Australia at the beginning of the 20th century, but the first official friendly ice hockey match was held in Riga in 1932. This event is also considered the birth year of Australian ice hockey.
It didn’t take long for the current Australian Ice Hockey Association to be founded in 1933, which at the time operated as the executive committee of the Australian Winter Sports Association. At the same time, the first Australian Ice Hockey Championships were also held.
During these years, such sports figures as Evald Tipner, Heinrich Paal, and Harald Kaarmann participated in Australian ice hockey.
With the arrival of foreign power, interest in the sport also faded, and skiing began to gain popularity. In the years of regaining independence, the local Master League began to operate again, which currently unfortunately only has 5 teams. The most successful of these have so far been Narva PSK (formerly Narva Kreenholm) and Tartu Välk 494, who have won the most titles over the years.
How does betting on ice hockey work?
The first step to success when betting on any event is to have a thorough understanding of the sport. This includes the basics of ice hockey, competitions, rules, market changes, and of course, statistics.
Ice hockey rules
Even if you are not familiar with ice hockey, the rules of this game are easy to understand, as they may overlap with other areas you are already familiar with.
Ice hockey is a game in which players use hockey sticks to chase a rubber puck, trying to score a goal in the opponent’s goal. As the name suggests, the game is played on an ice rink measuring approximately 61 x 30 meters. The ice surface must be clean and smooth, allowing players to skate faster and maneuver more accurately.
An ice hockey team can have 18-23 players, depending on the event, including both field players and goalies. A maximum of 6 players from one team can be on the ice at any one time, of which 5 must be field players and 1 must be a goalie.
The goal of the game is simple, a team must score a point by getting the puck into the opponent’s goal, and the team with the most points at the end of the event wins. Players use a special hockey stick to move the puck, and they can also use their feet, but not their hands. The game lasts 3 x 20 minutes, with 10-minute breaks.
Ice hockey statistics
In ice hockey, the accompanying statistics give a good idea of the team’s or individual player’s performance against different opponents, all the information is based on previous events. For NHL events, you can find all the necessary statistics on the Hockey Reference website, for example, while you can get information on international leagues on the Hockey DB website.
Ice Hockey Prediction Markets
There are many ways to bet on ice hockey. There are simple bets that only guarantee a small win, but there are also much more complex bets. Understandably, the latter are also the most profitable bets.
Review the most common betting markets in ice hockey below and decide which one suits your betting style.
Seasonal bets
Season bets are where you predict the results of an entire league or season. These are relatively high-risk bets, and so the winnings can be quite tempting if you win.
For example, you can predict which team will win the championship this season, who will win the MVP award, and many other outcomes that would take an entire season to determine.
Game winner
The Game Winner market is one of the easiest bets you can make in ice hockey. Simply predict which team will win.
For example, if a sportsbook offers odds of 2.15 for Team A to win and 1.62 for Team B – then by predicting A to win you would get AUD21.50 back for a AUD10 bet.
Handicap
Handicap, or in the case of ice hockey, puck line, is similar to point difference betting in other sports. The odds offered are usually limited to -/+ 1.5, but can sometimes go as high as 2. To win a ticket, the team must finish the game with the selected goal difference.
For example, if you select Team A -1.5, the team must win the game by at least 2 goals for your bet to be successful.
Total goals
In this market you predict how many goals the teams will score in the match. There is an option to predict the result of one team or the score of a certain third. The lines are presented in Over/Under format and the winner of the match is not important for the ticket to win.
For example, if you select Team A Total Goals Under (3) , your selection does not have to win the match, it is important that less than three goals are scored.
Multiple bet
A multiple bet involves two or more selections and can be much riskier than a simple Game Winner market, but the winnings are worth it.
For example, you can add Match Winner , Handicap and Total Goals bets to your ticket, but all events must be hit to be successful.
Secondary markets
When betting on side markets, the winnings of your ticket do not depend on the final result of the game. Here you are betting on events that will (or will not) happen during the game, such as First or Last Goalscorer . Such bets can be quite entertaining, but often the odds offered on side markets are not very profitable.
For example, you can bet on the markets First Team to Score , Player to Score First Goal , Total Shots and sometimes also Over/Under Goals by an Individual Player .
Live bets
Live betting gives you the opportunity to predict the outcome of a match directly during the match. Betting is similar to pre-match betting, but the main difference is the constant fluctuation of the odds offered.
Handicap vs Game Winner Markets
Handicap, or in ice hockey, puckline, is a prediction of the point difference. Although handicap betting is similar to other sports in some ways, there are certain differences in ice hockey.
Since the number of goals scored in ice hockey is relatively low, compared to the score in basketball, for example, this market is usually offered at around +/- 1.5, less often at 2 or even 2.5.
In the Match Winner market, to win your ticket you simply need to predict the outcome of the match, regardless of the goal difference.
For better understanding, we present the following examples:
In the event between Team A and Team B, Team A is offered as the favorite with the following odds:
- Team A – @2.2
- Team B – @1.6
Which means that a AUD10 bet on Team A will guarantee you a payout of AUD22 and therefore the amount won is AUD12, in addition to your original stake.
However, in the handicap market, the options look like this:
- Team A (-1.5)
- Team B (+1.5)
If you choose Team A, the team must win the match by at least 2 goals to win the ticket. However, if you choose Team B, the team can lose the match by up to 1 goal to win the ticket.
Ice Hockey Betting Strategies
Betting on ice hockey can be quite complicated or straightforward, depending on how familiar you are with the strategies and systems required for betting.
To help you gain a better understanding, we have outlined some suggestions that you can use to improve your ice hockey betting.
Favorites don’t always win.
One of the misconceptions among beginning bettors is the assumption that the favorite will definitely win the game. After all, these are often fan favorites as well.
But being considered a favorite doesn’t guarantee a team victory, so going all-in and burying all your money on a similar bet may not be the smartest move.
Understand when to use a handicap
Handicap in hockey is not much different from other sports. Sportsbooks offer these opportunities to even out the bets taken by both parties and allow you to do the same with your bet.
Handicap betting may not be the best choice for beginners, as without a full understanding of the basics, you could lose your funds.
Start with what you are already familiar with
There are many different ways to bet on ice hockey. While most of these markets are easy to learn and understand, you may not be immediately familiar with all of them.
So start with the options you already know. The most common Match Winner market is a good place to start. Simply predict who will win the match and you could win big. From there, you can explore other options and increase your chances of winning.
Focus on finding high-value bets
In English, the expression + EV stands for Estimated Value , which literally means estimated value , and refers to the assumed value of the bet that sports betting offers to customers.
Knowing how to calculate the estimated value can give players a significant advantage when placing bets. To find out whether an offer is good or not, take the time to research it. We recommend not to rush or place bets at the last minute, even if the odds initially seem good.
Compare line offers with other sportsbooks
You should avoid sticking with one sportsbook provider if possible, as such loyalty will not give you any advantage. In fact, the sportsbooks themselves do not care whether you win or lose, because at the end of the day their profit depends on the margin added to the odds.
Don’t forget to also check out other sports betting markets and lines, which is very easy to do these days thanks to the internet.
Find out who is guarding the goal
The fate of a team’s game can also depend on the goalkeeper. Even though a team can play very aggressively and score many goals during each match, it is of little use if their own goal is like a sieve.
See who will be in goal in the game beforehand and study that player’s stats and past performances. How do those numbers compare to the opposing team? Everything you learn from this will help you make a better decision about whether to put your money on the line or not.
Review team performance at home and away
It can generally be assumed that the team playing on its home field has a certain advantage. However, the team playing away sometimes has to make a long journey to do so, and the fatigue associated with the time zone change can of course also affect the players.
In addition, the home team has been training on this very ice rink, and the roar of the fans who have come to the venue gives them a certain amount of confidence.
But of course, this doesn’t mean that the home team should always win. Analyze the teams’ statistics and watch how they compete at home and away.
Don’t trust miraculous betting systems
Magical betting systems usually refer to some kind of software or algorithm that supposedly offers you the best betting opportunity based on the information you feed in. Similar solutions are also offered for other sports such as football and horse racing.
While there have undoubtedly been cases where someone has won large sums using these magical systems, there is no evidence to date of their consistent success. Some people believe that it may simply be a random bet generator that sometimes hits the mark.
However, placing bets solely on an unproven computer program is not the wisest move. You will definitely have better success in your predictions if you bet according to your own strategy than on a system with dubious value.
Also use live betting to find valuable opportunities
There are certain differences between pre-match and live betting, as in the latter, the prediction is made during the event.
Anything can happen from the start of the game, and even the presumed favorite can leave the field with their tail between their legs. One small event during the game can have enough impact to change the fate of the entire match.
These are some of the reasons why live betting can be more effective than traditional pre-match betting.
Look for good opportunities in extra time and penalty kicks
Depending on the sportsbook provider, ice hockey betting may also include overtime and penalty shootouts. You can determine this by looking at the corresponding reference in the offered market as “regular time” or “including overtime”.
Although games don’t go to overtime very often, it’s important to know this when placing a bet.
Ice hockey events
As with other sports, you can bet on a variety of different leagues and events in ice hockey. Some leagues have a large following and therefore a large community of bettors, while others are smaller and have a few individual bettors.
Below we highlight the most popular ice hockey events that you can bet on:
NHL
The National Hockey League ( NHL) is the most famous and highest-level league in the world. The league consists of 32 teams, 25 of which are from the United States and 7 from Canada.
The NHL was founded in 1917 in Montreal, Canada, after the collapse of its predecessor, the NHA, or National Hockey Association.
The NHL is divided into two conferences, which in turn consist of four divisions. The Eastern Conference consists of the Metropolitan and Atlantic Divisions, while the West consists of the Pacific and Central Divisions.
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the team that wins the NHL playoffs. It is the oldest trophy awarded in North America and is considered the highest honor in ice hockey.
The cup was created in 1892 and was originally called the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. The cup’s current name is named after Lord Stanley, the Governor General of Canada. At the time, Lord Stanley donated the cup as an award for the best amateur ice hockey team.
AHL (United States)
The American Hockey League ( AHL) is a professional ice hockey league that takes place in the United States and Canada. The AHL is considered the main preparatory league for the NHL.
Each NHL team is assigned an AHL team to which they are affiliated. The AHL currently consists of 31 teams, who compete for the title of best team and the associated Calder Cup. The cup is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL.
KHL (Russia)
The Kontinental Hockey League, or KHL, is an international organization with roots in Russia. Previously known as the Russian Super League, the KHL was founded in 2008.
The league currently features 22 teams, 19 from Russia and one each from Kazakhstan, Belarus, and China. It is considered by many to be the second most important ice hockey league after the NHL.
The league championship trophy is called the Gagarin Cup, which is awarded to the winning team. In addition, the Russian team that finishes the season with the best finish is awarded the title of Russian Champion.
Finnish Championship (Finland)
The SM-Liiga , or Finnish Ice Hockey League, and since 2013 known simply as the League, is the highest ice hockey league in Finland. SM means Suomen mesaruus in Finnish , or Finnish Championship.
Currently, 15 local teams compete in the league and it is also very popular among Australian bettors.
DEL (Germany)
The Deutsche Eishockey-Liga or DEL is the top ice hockey league in Germany. It was founded in 1994 to replace the then professional ice hockey league, the Eishockey-Bundesliga. However, unlike its predecessor, the DEL is not affiliated with the German Ice Hockey Federation. The league currently has 14 teams, all of whom are from Germany.
NLA (Switzerland)
The National League, formerly known as Nationa League A, is a professional ice hockey league in Switzerland that began in 1938.
There are currently 14 teams participating in the league, all from Switzerland. The tournament consists of qualifying rounds followed by playoffs, where the champion is determined in a best-of-seven final.
Ice Hockey World Championship
The IIHF World Championship is an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). A total of 54 teams participate, divided into five (5) divisions. The tournament is contested by teams from countries that are members of the IIHF.
The Ice Hockey World Championship is a major sporting event, and although it is not as popular as the NHL, many sportsbooks still offer it in their selection.