Hockey is one of the most popular sports among people living in Canada and the United States. The winter sport is known for its fast pace, high intensity, and goal-scoring. If you’re looking to enter the betting world, then hockey is a great place to do so. The following will teach you how to benefit from hockey odds and how to place winning bets for when your favourite team plays.
How to Win On The Ice
Obviously, the first thing you need to do if you want to win on the ice is to play by the rules. If you want to place a bet on hockey, then you should look for odds that are governed by the sport’s governing body, such as the NHL or the NCAA. The following are general guidelines that apply to all NHL odds:
- The odds will be determined by the teams’ pre-game odds set by the bookmaker.
- Each team will try to score a goal, though the match won’t be decided by the goal-score.
- There will be five coaches per team, with one captain leading the team.
- Power-play and penalty-kicks are usually available as bets, but both teams will have the same number of shots on goal.
- The game will go into three periods, with a three-minute break in between.
- A game will consist of two 15-minute halves, with a two-minute break in between.
- There will be three referees, with two linesmen per team.
Familiarise Yourself With The Basics
As a beginner in hockey betting, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the basics. Know what you’re getting into and what is required of you. Familiarise yourself with the betting sites that offer odds on hockey and choose one that is user-friendly. The following are some of the things that you should learn before placing any bets:
- The score
- Time of game
- Goaltenders’ stats
- Penalty counts
- Power-play and short-handed situations
- Team totals
- Over/under
- Half time and full time
- Three-point plays
- Who will score first goal
Hockey Stats Can Be Tricky To Track
One of the biggest challenges for a hockey bettor is keeping track of all the stats. You’ll need to keep an eye on your favourite teams’ online profiles or look up their physical statistics in the sports almanac. Following is a list of the stats that you should know in order to place winning bets on hockey:
- Goals
- Assists
- Plus-minus
- Penalty-kicks
- Shots
- Shooting %
- Power Play POI (Points Of Interest)
- Team’s wins
- Over/under
- Games played
- Goaltender’s stats
- Age
- Awards (including All-Star selections)
- Trades
- Last season’s stats
NHL Odds Are Typically Very Low
You won’t find odds that are very high for any hockey game. Instead, you’ll usually find low odds that favour the home team. The following are a few examples of famous lines from NHL odds that you might come across:
- The New York Rangers are 5/2 against at Bookmaker to win the Stanley Cup.
- The Vancouver Canucks are 4/1 against at Bookmaker to win the Stanley Cup.
- The Nashville Predators are 7/2 against at Bookmaker to win the Stanley Cup.
- The Calgary Flames are 6/1 against at Bookmaker to win the Stanley Cup.
- The Vegas Golden Knights are 7/2 against at Bookmaker to win the Stanley Cup.
In general, you won’t find many opportunities to win big on the ice. The main exception is in the NHL playoffs, where the home team is often required to have a low odds in order to make it to the finals. The following are some tips on how to take advantage of these low odds:
- Look for match-ups in the playoffs where the under is favoured.
- Try and bet on hockey games when there’s a large spread between the teams’ odds.
- Don’t expect to win big unless your team makes it to the finals.
Hockey Is A Popular Sports Betting Topic
There’s a lot of interest in hockey as a sports betting topic. The winter sport is well-known for its fast pace, high intensity, and goal-scoring. Most people have either played the game themselves or have someone in their family who has. Hockey is one of the most popular sports in North America, and there’s a lot of interest in the game worldwide. If you’re looking to enter the betting world, then there’s plenty of opportunity to do so.