Ice hockey is a team sport originated in 19th century in Canada, and since then it’s popularity has risen dramatically. Nowadays it’s one of the most popular types of sports in many countries, including Canada, Norway, Finland, Belarus, the United States and many others. The main hockey leagues are NHL (Canada and the United States) and KHL, which consists of teams from China, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Latvia, Slovakia.
Things We Should Consider Before Making Bets on Hockey
Before starting to put money on this type of sport, one should learn the basics of the game. As in any other team sport, here the main goal is to beat the other team by scoring a higher number of points. It stands to mention that unlike football there is no concept of a tie, which means that a match is played until a winner is determined in overtime or by shootout.
Each team is represented by six players on ice, including one goalkeeper and five skaters that compete to score in the match. Hockey is a contact game, which means that it is very active and fast-paced and due to the high number of physical encounters it can result in some players being injured and benched, for this exact reason most of the teams have a great number of substitutions, up to 20. It means that you need to constantly check who is going to play in a match you want to lay your wager on, since team composition influences the odds and the result of the game drastically.
A hockey match usually lasts 60 minutes, divided into three periods of 20 minutes each. If the score is tied at the end of the main period, overtime is played, the duration of which may vary depending on the league, usually 5 minutes in the regular season and until the winning goal in the playoffs. If the winner is not determined in overtime, a shootout is played.
Ice Hockey Betting Odds: How to Read and Why Do They Change?
Along with exploring ice hockey betting markets, every wager on this sport relates to reading the odds. Thanks to odds, you can understand the potential favorite (as well as the underdog) and how much you can get in case the prediction is correct.
In the case of ice hockey betting, odds provide you with information about the sum you need to risk to win $100. If you see a minus sign (-), it means that this team is a favorite. A plus sign (+) next to the odds value means that the particular team is an underdog.
Here is an example of a match within the NHL between DAL Stars and NY Rangers:
- DAL Stars (-205);
- NY Rangers (+170).
Thus, if you pick DAL Stars, then you must bet $205 in order to win $100. If you select an underdog (NY Rangers), you need to bet $170 to get a $100 cash prize.
Ice Hockey Betting Lines and Markets
Our bookmaker offers multiple ice hockey betting markets to meet the needs and interests of our wide audience. You can select among regular as well as advanced bet types depending on your experience in wagering on ice hockey, understanding of teams, and more. Check out the most popular bet types with brief descriptions in the sections below and make a well-informed decision.
Moneyline
If you pick this bet, you need to predict the winner of a particular match. In most cases, bettors simply explore the current NHL odds and make a decision. For example, in a match between Dallas Stars (+200) and St. Louis Blues (-90), the last one is a favorite that will probably win the game.
Spreads (Puck Line)
This is one of the most popular variations of a Point Spread wager. In this case, the bookmaker set a specific number of goals as a handicap between teams. As a rule, NHL games are characterized by a low number of points and routinely closed competitions. As a result, the most widespread Puck Line value is 1.5. Here is an example:
- San Jose Sharks (-1.5);
- Arizona Coyotes (+1.5).
In this case, the favorite (San Jose Sharks) must win the game by a margin of 2+ goals to cover the puck line. Compared to other ice hockey betting markets, Puck Line Spreads mostly feature 1.5.
Over/Under
Within this wager type, you predict that the overall number of goals scored will exceed or not a value that is predetermined by a betting site. As a rule, Over/Under totals are set within the 5-6.5 range. Here is an example:
- Buffalo Sabres (5.5 Over);
- Washington Capitals (5.5 Under).
Bettors simply need to choose one of 2 outcomes. Grand Salami is another type of ice hockey betting related to O/U. This bet combines every game in the NHL standings for that day into one wager (similar to the Single Game Total). However, it considers each game and goal scored (or not scored) that directly affects the cashing of your stake.
Player's Individual Results
Compared to standard ice hockey betting markets, this outcome requires a perfect understanding of a particular team, interaction between players, strategy, etc. Here, you need to bet on the performance and/or statistics of an individual player.
This wager has many variations from standard (total number of goals) to advanced (number of goals scored by a particular player). Also, you can predict whether, for example, Jonathan Huberdeau will score the first goal in a match against the Ottawa Senators.
60 Minute Line
This type does not include overtime, so there may be only 3 types of outcomes:
- Visitors win;
- Tie;
- Home win.
Many bettors use this ice hockey betting option to get a better price compared to a two-way moneyline. Remember that if a game goes into overtime, your wager loses.
Parlays
If you want to wager a single sum on multiple bets, then this option is what you need. However, you must make correct predictions about all bets included to get a cash prize. This makes Parlays much riskier. However, they can bring higher payouts. For example, if you bet on 3 underdogs with ice hockey odds of +160, each would bring you (1,6 x 1,6 x 1,6) 4,096.
Futures and Tournament Winner
If you pick this bet type, you predict the results of a future event. In online ice hockey betting, Futures often relate to whether the team will make the playoffs, win the division, and so on.
You can also bet on the winner of the tournament. For example, you may pick one team from the list of those who compare for the Stanley Cup, Spengler Cup, Memorial Cup, etc. At first glance it may seem that this is the easiest outcome among the ice hockey betting markets, but this is not quite true. In this case, you need to place your bet before the championship starts and it is impossible to change your bet during it.
Live Betting
If you want to place hockey bets today, then live wagering is what you need. Thus, you can wager on events that are currently taking place. This approach is much riskier but offers higher odds (and potentially higher cash prizes). We offer a handy live broadcast option and comprehensive statistics on every ice hockey match to help you make the most informed decision.
How to Bet on Ice Hockey with GG.Bet
To start betting on ice hockey, you should consider the following steps:
- Select whether you want to use a pre-match or live.
- Use filters to pick a particular match.
- Explore odds and check info from the “Statistics” section.
- Choose your favorite and select the bet type.
- Specify the bet sum and click to confirm the action.
Also, you may bet on more than 1 event by creating a System or Combining wager.
Ice Hockey Betting Tips
To make successful ice hockey betting predictions, you should consider the following tips:
- Comparing opponents. Always check the strengths and weaknesses of teams, including defensive capabilities, recent performance, head-to-head matchups, and more.
- Referees. Referees may directly impact the game dynamics and force teams to change strategies. They can do it, for example, via calling penalties.
- Injuries and substitutions in rosters. Always explore recent injuries, especially of key players. Roster changes may also impact the game outcome, especially if it is a newcomer who has not yet had time to adapt to the team.
- Analyzing odds. Even if you wager on live events, it is better to take time and explore the odds. Picking the best odds for your chosen market may boost potential returns in the long run.
Do not neglect to use our dedicated section with statistics to make the best decision ever.
Ice Hockey Leagues and Major Events
We offer a wide selection of leagues to choose from. You can also pick among 30 events (on average) daily. Among them are both international and local games you can wager on using pre-match and live NHL betting approaches.
NHL Betting
If you are looking for a sportsbook with the highest NHL betting odds, then GG.Bet is what you need. NHL is a Canadian hockey league that comes with a season of 82 games, followed by playoffs. We offer you to bet on all 16 games NHL teams play over a span of 17 weeks. Explore the competitive odds on games with the participation of such top teams as the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and New York Rangers.
KHL Betting
KHL is a Kontinental Hockey League established in 2008. It includes teams from Kazakhstan, China, and several other countries. KHL consists of 2 stages: the season (about 56 games) and the playoffs (top 8 teams). Our bookmaker offers all those games for pre-match and live betting with the best odds available in the market.
Bet on SHL, DEL, ELH and Liiga
If you decide to bet on ice hockey online, you may pick games within SHL (Swedish Hockey League), which is considered the largest European league with 14 teams. Also, you may bet on events within the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). It is the second most popular league after SHL, with such powerful players as Leon Draisaitl and Tim Stutzle.
Czech Extraliga (ELH) is also on our line. It also consists of 14 teams, including legends such as Dynamo Pardubice, Kometa Brno, and Sparta Praha. Finally, you can place an ice hockey bet on a game within Finnish Liiga. It features 15 teams that compete for the main prize, Kanada-Malja (similar to Canada Bowl).
Are You Ready? Sign Up with GG.Bet and Have Some Fun
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