Ice hockey is a very widely known betting sport in North America and throughout Europe and Russia. The National Hockey League (NHL) takes place every year from October to April.
The NHL is a tournament featuring thirty teams from the United States of America and Canada. The 82-game regular season seeing the sides compete before the Stanley Cup playoffs occurs from April to June.
-The NHL splits the thirty teams into two conferences: the East Conference and the West Conference. The conferences are then divided into two divisions, with the teams playing in a round-robin fashion for their position in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
At the close of the regular season, 16 teams scale up to the NHL playoffs. This is now an elimination competition, with the top three teams in each division securing an automatic qualification along with four wildcard spots.
Each match of the NHL and the other European League lasts for 60 minutes. This is divided into three 20-minute play periods, with a break between and overtime occurring if the scores are tied at full-time.
Table of content:
- What are the popular markets for NHL betting?
- What other markets for Ice Hockey betting are there?
- In-Play betting markets on Ice Hockey
- Can I watch Ice Hockey live-streaming?
- Ice Hockey Betting Strategies
- Home and Away Form
- Look For “Hidden Value” In The Odds
What are the popular markets for NHL betting?
Game Lines is how a good number of betting customers will bet on the NHL or other ice hockey divisions like the Swedish Hockey League or KHL.
So you may have Buffalo Sabres playing against the Arizona Coyotes. There’s going to be a Money Line, which is basically betting on the team you think the game will win, whether it’s going to happen in regular time, sudden death, or a shootout.
There is also a line in which the handicap is given to the perceived underdog of the two. So the Buffalo Sabres could be 1.67 (4/6) with a handicap of +1.5, while the Coyotes could be 2.50 (6/4) with a handicap of-1.5. Then you pick whether you think Buffalo will win, draw or lose by only one, OR the Coyotes will win by two or more goals.
There’s also a betting market dubbed Total Goals, where you bet on how many goals will be scored in the match. You’re not betting on a specific team here, but you’re just guessing whether there will be an Over or Under the Designated Goal Line.
Bookmakers such as Wazobet, Unibet, bet365, William Hill 888sport, and Paddy Power will show the full-time markets pertaining to the above. However, there is also the possibility to bet on the 1st and 3-way periods, taking into account the likelihood of a tie. However, most bettors prefer a 2-way market as it provides a better chance of winning.
What other markets for Ice Hockey betting are there?
You could bet on 1st Period, 2nd Period, and 3rd Period Lines, with the last two coming In-Play after the 1st period has lapsed. The Bookmaker will closely watch the 1st period before pricing the 2nd Period markets, and bettors will have to use their skills and discretion to select the winning bet for that part of the game.
The same applies to the 3rd period, where the match might be fine in the balance, or you might notice that there is a team playing big catch-up in a bid to even the scores.
You can bet on Time of 1st Score, Team Score First, Race to 3 Goals, Correct Score, Winning Margin, and Highest Score Period.
Both of these markets are usually open for leagues such as the NHL, with fans having many choices when it comes to a pre-game bet on ice hockey, although there is also a chance to enjoy in-game betting.
In-Play betting markets on Ice Hockey
The Game Lines are still the most common markets when the ice hockey game is played in-play. Until the match comes to a point where one side is almost guaranteed to win, the Money Line will still be open, and there’s a daily chance to cash out for a profit if you’re in a winning place.
The line often changes in line with what’s going on in the ice arena. As a result, the Buffalo Sabres can start with a +1.5 handicap, while the bookies may award them a +3.5 handicap if the Arizona Coyotes take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Next Team to Score is a famous Ice Hockey betting market and often sees bettors figuring out which side is most likely to strike in the next goal, although you can decide to bet on the total number of goals that will be fired throughout the game.
Can I watch Ice Hockey live-streaming?
Bookmakers like Wazobet, 888sport, Unibet, bet365, and William Hill feature quality live-streaming of leagues like KHL, ensuring that you can tune in and watch each match provided you have a paid account. It’s a perfect accompaniment to the In-Play betting markets, and we suggest that you take advantage of this free service.
Live streaming of ice hockey is available via a range of devices, including handheld devices, phones, laptops, and PCs. The picture quality is really good, and you don’t have to pay for a subscription to enjoy what’s going on.
Ice Hockey Betting Strategies
Although it’s a natural instinct to be reckless and bet on emotion, those bettors who have taken the time to devise betting strategies—in this case, NHL betting strategies—will continually perform better than those who bet on “hunch” or “gut feeling” alone.
As for any type of sports betting, getting a plan in place for your ice hockey betting can greatly improve your prospects with the bookmakers. A hockey betting system and strategy can be as basic or as complicated as you want to be, but the more study you invest into the sport, the more successful your ice hockey predictions are, and the more you get out of your betting.
Home and Away Form
Research the form of the teams in a competition, particularly how they play at home and on the road. Some teams would be better at home, and in ice hockey, fans are so close to the action that they can get so engrossed in the game that they can almost become the seventh player on the ice. A team with a great home form and a staunch support base can be incredibly difficult to play against.
Similarly, the losing home team will have fans on their backs to be particularly susceptible to strong teams on the road.
Look For “Hidden Value” In The Odds
When a sportsbook favors aside, it doesn’t generally mean that they’re always correct. Sportsbooks will usually pick the home team as their favorite in any team sport unless the visiting side does much better than they do in their conference or league. This principle also extends to ice hockey, although home teams are much less successful at home than most football teams.
There could be any number of variables that may add value to the selection of a visiting team. A closer look at the two team’s head-to-head rivalry over the past few seasons could expose some interesting details. How’s the home side’s form this season? How solid is the team on the road? Which team is at peak fitness, and which is suffering from injury depletion?
You’ll soon With a mix of your research, plus daily consultation with the opinions of Bettingexpert’s top ice hockey tipsters, plus facts provided by Betfair’s ice hockey strategy, you’ll soon learn to identify hidden value in odds, and then to stake on them as you deem fit.
