Best Ice Hockey Online Betting Strategies
Developing strategies when betting on ice hockey is a must! All of the successful bettors will tell you that it is down to analysing strategies along with good judgement that help them win big when betting on ice hockey. We will highlight a selection of ice hockey specific strategies in this article.
Understanding the Game of Ice Hockey
First and foremost, you should make sure you understand the rules of ice hockey and what scenarios can happen during a game. We will highlight a few scenarios below:
- Faceoffs – these are a major part of any ice hockey game. The majority of teams have players who specialise in faceoffs because teams want to win each one. If you win the faceoff, you will set your team up for more attacks and also help your defence if the faceoff is in your final third.
- Close Contests – when a team is losing by a single goal towards the end of the third period, a coach will likely pull their goaltender. This allows the team to have six players attacking on the ice, but they will have an empty net, allowing the opposition to have a better chance of scoring if they can gain possession of the puck.
- Powerplays – this occurs when a team has a player in the penalty box. A team that consists of players who regularly commit fouls will provide a huge advantage to their opposition. Keep an eye out for teams like this, because they will likely be playing with less men on the ice for a large chunk of the game.
Best Bookmakers - December 2024
Current Form and Head to Head
You must always look into the current form of each team in a match-up. This will highlight whether a team is in a slump or not and will find it difficult winning their upcoming game. If a team is playing at home, then you should look at the previous results they have had on home ice. Some teams are unstoppable at home and will brush anyone aside that comes into their building. The same can be said for the away team, so you must carry out the same research for them too. Looking at previous results will show if a team is on a current winning streak. If a team is constantly winning, then their players are playing freely with confidence and it will be hard to get one over on them.
Finally, you should look into the recent "Head to Head" meetings between the two teams. If the upcoming match-up favours one of the teams because they have consistently played well against the opposition, then they should have a good chance of recording a similar result. You must be careful though, as all teams in sports have that one bogey team! Your research will clearly identify the bogey team, so keep your eye out. All of the above will help you in determining the best bet to play in the moneyline and puck line markets.
Number of Goals Scored / Conceded
When looking at the recent results for both teams (as mentioned above), you should always take into account the number of goals scored and conceded for each one – especially in home and away games, depending on where they are playing in the upcoming game. If you notice that the recent games have been high scoring and both teams have been able to score, then there is a good chance the upcoming game will go over the goal total. Conversely, if the results show a lack of goals, then you may want to look at placing wagers on the under. Another extremely important metric to look into when betting on the total goals market, is the statistics for each goaltender. Two key factors are explained below:
- Save Percentage – how often the goalie is saving shots that he faces. If a goaltenders’ shot save percentage is low, then they are not performing well and are not stopping a large number of shots made by the opposition.
- Average Goals Allowed – how many goals are they conceding per game played. Although this is an important statistic to look out for, the figures can be misleading if there is an anomaly present in a recent game. Make sure you look at the previous 3 - 5 games the goalie has played to see if the amount of goals they concede is consistent.
Injury Reports
You should always look into a team’s injury report on game day. Here you will find out if one of their star players or goaltender is out of the upcoming game. If this is the case, then back-ups will be drafted in to play which could affect the whole team dynamic. For example, if a star forward is out with an injury, then the coach will have to adjust the line combinations for the whole team, which could have a knock-on effect for the whole team as the new lines will not have practiced together much on the ice.
Placing Your Wagers
Finding the right sportsbook to place your bets at is another important step in betting on ice hockey and winning. Make sure you look at our list of top online betting sites for Canadians, where we show you which ones will offer the best odds and all of the markets required when betting on ice hockey.
If you are unaware of any of the betting terminology or markets that have been mentioned above, we recommended that you refer to our guide to ice hockey betting for a rundown of everything beginners will need when betting on the coolest sport on ice.
Weekly Online Casino Offers,
right to your inbox
Don't be the last to know about the latest bonuses,
new casino launches or exclusive promotions. Join us today!