Ice Hockey Betting Guide

Many athletes are in their off-season in winter, hanging up gloves and cleats for next spring training. But for those players who dominate the ice rink, the onset of cold weather is when things really heat up.

Ice hockey is a perennial favorite in northern countries, particularly in North America, where the National Hockey League (NHL) is almost as popular as any summer sports league, with hometown heroes and diehard fans. And it's as rife with betting lines as even the most enthusiastic gambler could hope, supporting many types and styles of wagers.

At the same time, the top-tier leagues in Switzerland, Finland, and Sweden, to name a few, offer tons of great wagering opportunities for each hockey fan and betting enthusiast.

Guide To Ice Hockey Betting

As with any sport, the punter needs to know some necessary details to bet on a hockey game or tournament successfully. Obviously, the rules of the game and how well the teams are performing this season are the first place to start. Standout players and notable injuries will also be crucial knowledge.

Aside from these basics, bettors need to know clearly what betting style they will engage in, as this will inform what kind of research they should do. For example, a right-wing who has been increasing his scoring average would be an exciting option to make a prop bet on a hat trick. Parlays can help bettors win if they are sure that Canucks will win and a particular player will end up in the penalty box (for example).

Details matter, and successful sports gamblers are very well-informed bettors, so choosing the right bookie is critical. Punters need to know that they are betting on the sportsbook that offers the best hockey betting odds because the player can leverage that knowledge for the best outcome. In a nutshell, wagering where the odds are highest means better winnings, leading experienced hockey bettors to line shop for the markets, offering them the best chance of winning big.

While some like to bet throughout the regular season, others wait for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the season's pinnacle. Betting markets are very crowded during these several weeks in May and June, and it's when following the teams closely all year really pays off.

How To Bet On Hockey

Generally, sports betting follows some common trends across different sports. The team's recent seasonal or training camp performance, player history, and whether the match will be a home or away game are valuable data for each bettor.

Different sportsbooks don't often vary on the varieties of bets, with more bookies offering primarily the same range of bet types. However, they usually differ concerning odds, which means that many sports bettors will do line shopping to find the odds most appealing to them for a given wager. Major betting events like the Stanley Cup Playoffs or stadium home openers will usually provide gamblers with a larger market than mid-season games.

Hockey betting also offers something for everyone, whether they prefer a "set it and forget it" style of future bets or love the live wagering thrill. Whatever sort of wager a punter is most likely to prefer, hockey betting online is the best way to meet their needs, as they can find the perfect sportsbook for them, wherever they are located.

Step-by-step guide

Punters need to follow the exact instructions to bet in this sport as in any other.

1. Firstly, bettors need to sign up with a preferred sportsbook that offers hockey bets, and providing required information such as address and contact information is often sufficient.

2. Punters then must choose the match they want to place a bet on, the type of bet, and the amount of money they wish to wager.

3. After finishing all those steps, all that's left to do is click 'Bet.'

Ice Hockey Betting Types And Formats

Placing different types of bets is a great way to add excitement to the game and get more out of it. Lucky for hockey fans, they have plenty of wagers to choose from, and in our hockey betting guide, we will explain some of them.

As in many other sports, hockey has some very typical bet types as the usual moneyline, over/under, parlays, and props make frequent appearances. In fact, the most popular bet is the moneyline, though the 60-minute line, which allows for the third possibility of a draw, is also very commonly offered.

Meanwhile, a spread bet is known as a 'puck line bet' in the rink. Totals bets are widely placed and are often complemented by the 'grand salami', meaning totals over all the games played on a given night — because this is a low-scoring game, these can be an exciting option for all bettors.

Puck line bets

Known in other sports as spread bets, puck line bets handicap the favorite while giving the underdog an advantage. Hockey games do not have high scores, so the 'spread' is always -1.5 - +1.5. To win betting on the stronger team, a punter must be ahead by at least two goals before adjusting the score.

A 3-way puck line bet is similar, but here the odds are adjusted to 2 in all directions because this allows for a draw. If the Detroit Red Wings (favorites at -1.5) beat the Bruins (underdogs at +1.5), the Wings need to score two goals more than the Bruins. For example, a 3-2 win for the Red Wings will result in a loss for the gambler who bet on them to win, as with an adjusted score, the Bruins come out on top.

Moneyline bets

The most popular way to bet on hockey match outcomes, the moneyline, is also the most straightforward. The bettor needs to make a simple prediction of who will win the game. Regardless of how many points are scored by either team, whether the match ends in a shootout, goes to overtime, or any other contributing factors, the only result that matters is the final score.

If the Panthers beat the Lightning 2-1, and the bet was on the Panthers to win, the bettor wins. The punter would win whether the final was 1-0, 2-0, or even 5-4. The bet will pay as long as the Panthers come out on top.

Total bets

While the moneyline is a simple decision between two possible teams, the total bet allows the hockey fan to predict whether the game will be high or low scoring. The bookmaker sets the limit, and the punter wagers on these teams' ability to score above or below that limit.

The critical thing to remember with total bets is that the number reflects the sum of goals scored by both sides. So if the Calgary Flames are playing the Edmonton Oilers and the total bet is 4, an 'over' wager will be on whether the game will end with one beating the other 3-2. Meanwhile, an "under" wager would include an outcome of 0-0, 2-1, 3-1, or a draw of less than two on either side.

How To Make Hockey In-Game Bets

Happily, for its millions of fans, this sport offers live betting. Placing live hockey bets means wagering while the game is occurring, which is quite a thrilling experience for fans.

Bettors can find many live wagering options available for this sport in different sportsbooks. However, placing live bets takes skills and strategy, and it takes a while to grasp and takes lots of patience and attentiveness since the odds can often change. For someone observant of the game's flow, changing odds can help them place winning bets.

Unibet is a well-known sportsbook that offers in-game betting for hockey on different events and leagues, and the customers can even live stream the games on their betting app. Other sportsbooks offering live betting for this sport are LiveBet and BetNow sportsbooks. Some less-known bookies, such as BetPhoenix sportsbook, offer live betting for this sport too.

Finding The Best Ice Hockey Betting Apps

Any bettor looking for a good sportsbook needs to keep a few things in mind: which matches are covered, payment and withdrawal methods, bet types, and of course, odds offered. The list expands even further when looking for an online hockey betting app to include security concerns.

A good sportsbook operator holds a trustworthy license from a reputable agency and above-adequate security measures. These can include end-to-end encryption and 2-step verification.

When comparing sportsbook apps for hockey betting online, an early step should be ensuring that the operator in question offers the wagering markets for their favorite events and leagues. For example, any bookie who doesn't cover the Stanley Cup Playoffs should be disqualified from their search, but fans may prefer even more in-depth coverage, such as conference match-ups and division finals.

Good sportsbooks offer several payment methods and a range of withdrawal methods. Though the majority now process payments in cryptocurrency, the ideal is a sportsbook that provides this alongside fiat currency. Users are advised to search for alternative options if a sportsbook app does not provide any payment methods the bettor would prefer. Easy payments are one of the most vital factors regarding overall usability.

The best way to find a favorite sportsbook app is to simply try them! Placing small bets on a range of sportsbooks will allow bettors to decide which gave them the best experience. For example, pretty much all betting apps in Canada offer a vast selection of wagering options for every possible hockey league around the world.

Hockey Online Betting Offers

Online sportsbooks often offer generous welcome bonuses for new users. These gifts can be risk-free bets, site credit, or cash! Nor are the bonuses limited: they are redeemable for any sport, including hockey. They are usually subject to a rollover requirement, meaning the amount needs to be wagered a minimum of times before it can be withdrawn. Still, each bookie has different restrictions and conditions on their offers.

These platforms don't offer bonuses only for new customers but for loyal users, too. Aside from welcome bonuses, there are usually reload bonuses, meaning bettors receive additional credit or bets when they supply their account to meet a specific amount. Other sportsbooks frequently offer matching bonuses, meaning that whatever amount is deposited to an account is matched (often by 100% up to a particular limit) .

This variety is helpful as it means that once a player has enjoyed their welcome bonus, they can still make bets using other offers and rewards, meaning their stake is higher and their return will be as well. During hockey season, some bookmakers have promotions encouraging bettors to wager on particular matches.

Most common mistakes when betting on ice hockey

Many bettors begin placing wagers on big events, tournaments, and matches. Doing this is OK, as the odds are often very sharp with most bookies, and both teams have had the entire season to hone their team play and show what they can do. There is a lot of data for punters to make decisions.

Other bettors like to start early and small on season openers which is also fine unless the player doesn't know much about hockey, in which case they may find themselves in over their heads.

Practice, learning the rules, and studying the teams will be the best way for gamblers to arm themselves. Another common mistake is trusting apps that don't meet adequate safety requirements.