Ice hockey is a sport played by teams of players called skaters who use their hockey sticks to shoot a rubber puck and in a field called the rink. To score points, a skater has to shoot the puck into the other team’s net. The game is popular in the United States as well as Canada, Nordic countries, Russia and Central and Eastern Europe.
Just as the sport is popular, Ice hockey betting is popular as well. There a lot of matches that are played across the world all year round. These include international competitions, leagues, and cups. For the ice hockey enthusiasts who would want to start betting on the sport, it is important to have a good knowledge of how they can do it. If you would like to start betting on ice hockey, this article will guide you and give you details on what you should expect.
How Betting on Ice Hockey Works
Before you start betting on ice hockey, you should first understand how it works. A hockey game has 3 periods, and each period Is 20 minutes long. If there is a tie, a game goes to overtime. Each team starts a game with five skaters and one goaltender, but one team can get an advantage, if a player of the opposing team is sent to a penalty box for fouling. Each team is given as many substitutions as they wish.
There are different types of ice hockey betting which include;
Money Line
This is the type of ice hockey betting where bettors wager on the team that they think will win the match. The bettor wins the bet once the team wins.
Handicap
This type of betting occurs when one of the teams is more favored to win against the opponent. Bookies offer a handicap on the winning margin’s number of goals.
Total Goals
Just like with the other sports, a number of goals in a hockey game determines the winning and the losing team. Given this, the bettor can place a bet on the number of total goals that will be scored in the match. They can bet on whether they will be over or under a certain number given by bookies.
Total Goals (Overtime betting)
Bettors can bet on the total goals including the overtime goals. The odds are less for the overtime but in the end, the bettor wins for the full time including the overtime.
How to Place a Hockey Bet
Ice hockey betting is most common in places where it is played the most. Before you start betting, it is necessary to do statistical research if you want to take advantage of any bookie. There are many things you should consider to determine the strength of a certain team. Things such as the team form, whether they have additional edge on their home ground, presence of injuries as well as the team’s standing.
Just like with any other sport, in hockey you should always consider the home advantage of the teams. In the leagues like NHL, teams often have series of road games travelling from one place to another, which can heavily affect their performance.
Also, remember that the team that is likely to win will not always win although most people will bet on it. Bookies will move the odds for the match but this does not mean the team cannot win. For example, 2019 NHL champions St Louis Blues were the worst team in the league only six months prior to their first ever title.
Biggest Ice Hockey Tournaments
There are several ice hockey tournaments and competitions around the year. Some of the biggest include;
- Winter Olympics which are held every four years.
- World Championships which is an annual international championship.
- Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) which is a tournament between teams from Eastern Europe and Asia (Mostly, Russia).
- National Hockey League (NHL) which is the biggest league in the world based in the USA and Canada
- NCAA Ice Hockey Championship which is a tournament among student teams held in the USA.
Why you Should Try Ice Hockey Betting
The ice hockey betting is one of the most popular betting activities especially in places where it’s played a lot. One advantage is that there are a lot of matches throughout the season hence you will be able to bet throughout the year. Also, there are many ways to bet on ice hockey that give you a wide variety of possibilities.
Conclusion
Since you have learnt how to bet on ice hockey, you are ready to make your first move and place your first bet. However, always remember that there are risks involved in any form of gambling. You should try to start with a small bankroll in order to avoid losing big. Whether a professional or a beginner, you should exercise caution and use strategies that will help you maximize your winnings and minimize your losses.
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