A Beginner's Guide to Ice Hockey Betting Online
Ice hockey has long been regarded as a sport for the North American audience, but the fascination with the sport and incentives that come with ice hockey betting has seen the sport expand massively over the past few years. The game isn’t as straightforward as football or tennis, but once you understand the rules and the best teams, then betting on ice hockey can be an incredibly lucrative choice.
Ice Hockey Betting Markets
There are a lot of similarities when ice hockey betting compared to sports such as football and rugby. However, there are also a broad amount of bet types that bettors must understand before placing their first bet. Here are some of the main options that you can choose to wager on.
2-Way Match Betting
The most common way to bet on ice hockey is the 2-way betting. This removes the option of the tie away from the result and bettors just pick whether the home or away team will win. The odds aren’t as lucrative as the match betting. However, the game ends in a draw and enters overtime, then the bet is void, and your stake is returned.
Match Betting
Unlike the previous ice hockey bet type, this one allows you to bet on the tie. The odds are improved, and the bet is settled at the end of regulation time. There is also an additional bet for the match result, including overtime.
Over/Under Goals
Wagerers can also lay a stake on the total amount of goals scored in a particular fixture. Here the bookmaker would set a total; typically 3.5, and the bettor would either lay a stake on the number of total goals in the match being higher or lower. If you select over 3.5 goals, then there must be at least four goals for your bet to be a winner.
Correct Score
This bet is pretty self-explanatory. Bettors can place a stake on the number of goals that both sides will get. The research is crucial in this bet, as you don’t want to be guessing blind. All options will be available on this bet, and the payout is settled when the game is concluded. For example, if you bet that the Toronto Maple Leafs will beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1, then the bet will be a winning one if that is the exact scoreline after regulation time.
Other Ice Hockey Betting Types
Double Chance
On this bet, you will have more of a chance of winning as you would cover two possible results. For instance, you can have the home win and draw. That means as long as the away side doesn’t win then the bet is a winner.
Winning Margin
Another ice hockey bet that is unique is the winning margin. Here you can place a stake on the team that will win, and by how many goals they will win by.
Team To Score First
It is extremely rare that an ice hockey match will end 0-0. This means that there is a bet for the team that will score first. The bet is settled once the first goal has been scored.
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What is Handicap Betting?
One of the bet types which make ice hockey sportsbooks unique is the Puck Line Handicaps. Much like with football, there will typically be a team that is considered the heavy favorite, but in ice hockey betting you can add a handicap to the favored team. This means that the favorite side in a fixture between the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers could start with a -1.5 handicap. That would simply mean that the team you have selected to win will need to win by at least two goals.
What Is An Accumulator?
The best way to maximise your returns when betting on ice hockey is through accumulators. Here, you can add multiple single selections into one longer bet. The more selections that you add; the more money that you stand to win. However, if one selection fails to win, then the entire accumulator loses. Bettors could instead opt to place more money on a Lucky 15 or Yankee and have the insurance of winning money even though one selection may let them down.
NHL Betting
The biggest ice hockey competition in the world is the NHL. Here, the best sides from North America go head to head in regional conferences before going through gruelling seven-game series in their respective regions in a bid to reach the Stanley Cup. The betting types for the competition are competitive, as gamblers can bet on the individual matches throughout the season as well as the ultimate Stanley Cup winner.
Betters can also lay a stake on the team that will win the respective divisions. Furthermore, there are also markets for the points tallies that each team in the NHL will get. These are over/under bets and wagerers can put money on whether they will score more or fewer points than the benchmark set by the ice hockey sportsbook.
Other Notable Competitions
CHL
Another competition that is popular for betting in North America is the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). This junior competition has three leagues - Ontario, Quebec and Western. The betting options for these include the outright winners of the Memorial Cup. This post-season competition features the winners from the West, Ontario and Quebec divisions, as well as the host side.
Along with this, bettors can also bet on each individual game in the way that they would in the NHL. The second-tiered competition is becoming increasingly popular, and punters are quickly turning to the CHL for their ice hockey betting.
SHL and KHL
Other high level domestic competitions outside of North America are the Swedish Hockey League and the Kontinental Hockey League . The betting types are similar to the NHL.
World Championships
Unlike in most sports, the ice hockey World Championships is held every year. The bet for the outright winner is the most competitive.
Winter Olympics
The pinnacle competition on the global calendar is the Winter Olympics. The gold medal betting the main type, with bettors also able to bet on who will pick up the bronze medal too.
Ice Hockey - General Betting Advice
Understand the Rules
Ice hockey isn’t as simple as other sports, which means wagerers should take extra time to understand the sport before betting.
Form
Read the form book for extra advice on which side to bet on. This includes looking at recent meetings between the sides which could offer extra assistance.
Welcome Offer
Online ice hockey betting is soaring in this modern age, and that means that there is an abundance of welcome offers to take advantage of to maximise your returns.
Next Steps- Play For Real Money
When you truly understand all the different ice hockey betting markets open to you, it's time to begin betting. Once your knowledge on the sport and betting markets increase, you can raise the stakes.
