Ice Hockey Betting Guide

Game Lines (Puckline)

Many punters will know this bet as something similar to an Asian handicap, where the favorite to win the match is given a -1.5 handicap and the underdog listed with a +1.5 handicap. This allows for a more even betting heat and also eliminates the possibility of a draw.

The favorite would need to win two goals or more to beat the ‘puckline’, while the underdog could lose the match by one goal but still ‘win’ the bet courtesy of the +1.5 added to their score.

Overtime is included in this bet, unlike a typical Asian handicap on a football match.

Total Betting (Over/Under)

This is a simple bet on the total number of goals scored by both teams combined during a match.

Usually, the line set by bookmakers is 5.5 goals and you simply need to decide if there will be more or less than 5.5 during the match.

This market also includes overtime, and as there is no chance of scoring half a goal, the result can only be over or under.

3-Way Game Lines

This is similar to the game line listed above but in a three-way format. The favorite will be listed with a -1 handicap and the underdog with a +1 handicap.

As you will have guessed, this also opens up the possibility of a tie – in the instance that the favorite only wins by one goal.

Odds for the draw in this market are usually very good because you are, in effect, predicting an exact winning margin of one goal.

3-Way Total Betting (Over/Under)

In this betting market oddsmakers set a goal line (usually 5 goals) and you can predict over 5 goals, under 5 goals, or exactly 5 goals. Once again, the odds for predicting exactly 5 goals are high.

Exotic and Futures Markets

Those are the most common secondary markets but bookmakers also offer a wide variety of exotic and futures markets for those who enjoy betting on ice hockey.

For instance, you can bet on the puckline and totals in the first period and most bookmakers also offer in-play betting for each period as the game goes on.

Other bets include the first team to score, the time of the first goal, the correct score, the winning margin, the team to score last, and markets such as ‘will the game go to a shootout?’

World Championships

The World Championships are an annual men’s tournament, considered the sport’s highest profile international competition. The tournament was first held as part of the 1920 Summer Olympics, and the most recent champions are Sweden who took the 2017 crown, beating Canada in the final.

Women’s World Championships

The premier international tournament in the women’s game, first held in 1990. Canada is the most successful nation to compete in the competition, amassing 10 world titles.

Champions Hockey League

This is an elite European league for the top club sides throughout the continent. It was initiated by 26 clubs, 6 leagues, and the IIHF in the 2014-15 season. It features the top teams from first-tier leagues throughout Europe.

IIHF Continental Cup

This is another tournament for European club sides established in 1997, superseding the European Cup. Participating teams are chosen by each countries’ respective ice hockey associations.

World Cup of Hockey

Inaugurated in 1996, the World Cup of Hockey is an international tournament, taking the place of the Canada Cup which ran from 1976 to 1991. The World Cup is organized by the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and is played under NHL rules rather than IIHF rules.

Spengler Cup

Known as the oldest ice hockey tournament in the world, the Spengler Cup is an annual invitational tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. It was first held in 1923 and is fairly unique in that both club sides and national sides have competed over the years.