Hockey is known as a game that is all about teamwork and discipline. The players need to show a lot of skill and dedication, but the hard work is worth it when the fans go crazy each time their favourite team scores a goal on the ice rink. And those who genuinely love hockey often seek ways to benefit from their passion and knowledge.
That’s where hockey betting comes into play. If you’re deeply passionate about this sport, it is only natural that you may want to take your hobby a step further and start placing bets on the possible outcome of your beloved NHL games.
However, if you’ve never tried betting before or don’t have much experience with it, it may be better to hold your horses for just a while longer. Instead of running to your nearest bookie or visit UFA100 website, you should first learn about different ways to bet on hockey as well as the small nuisances like betting limits or NHL betting trends.
Here’s what you should know if you want to start betting on hockey and have a greater chance of boosting the current state of your bank account.
How Many People Bet on Hockey?
While hockey definitely isn’t the most popular sport in the world, and many people who aren’t as passionate about sports associate it mostly with countries like Canada, Finland, or Switzerland, it’s still the fourth-most popular sport by betting handle. The term “betting handle” refers to the total amount of money wagered over a certain time period and should not be confused with bet revenue.
It’s difficult to give any exact numbers, as not every sportsbook provides comprehensive reports on hockey betting totals. For instance, in the U.S., many places throw hockey in the same category with other sports that aren’t as profitable for the bookies as soccer or basketball.
Nevertheless, the number of people betting on hockey continues to increase, and it’s safe to say that more people bet on this sport now than ever before. More and more casinos offer their users to place bets on hockey, and the sport’s fanbase also grows slowly yet steadily.
What Are the Primary Bets on Hockey?
If you’re serious about trying to bet online on hockey and aim to win, first, you need to learn about some of the basic bets you can place if you visit an online gambling site.You will find online gambling attractive because of its accessibility. You can play online casinos on your iPhone or Android device and place bets whenever you want.
Here’s what you should know about some of the most popular bets:
Moneyline Bet
A Moneyline bet is arguably the most popular wager you can place on the NHL. If you decide to go with it, you will essentially be focusing on one particular team and predicting whether they will win a game or not.
Here, the bettors consider factors such as the strength of the teams that play against each other and calculate how likely they’re to win the game. This way, they can set moneyline bets for each team.
Puck Line
This bet is the hockey version of a popular NFL bet known as the point spread. In a point spread, the two teams are given a handicap of a specific amount of goals. Because the NHL is known for low-scoring games and close contests, you’re most likely to see a pluck line that’s set for 1.5 goals.
In such a case, the team that is more likely to win will have the puck line set at -1.5. When it comes to the underdog, the puck line will likely be +1.5. The team that is regarded as the puck line favorite has to win by at least two goals. Only then will it cover the puck line. However, if the team is an underdog, it needs to win the game outright or lose by no more than two goals.
These rules may seem complicated at first, but they can make betting on hockey truly exciting.
Over/Under
Also known as the “total”, over/under is yet another popular bet in the world of hockey. When betting over/under, you wager on the total score of a single hockey game. It’s up to oddsmakers to set the total number of goals they expect both teams to score. Then, gamblers can try to predict whether the game’s final outcome will turn out to be over or under the predicted total.
What Factors To Keep an Eye on When Betting on Hockey Games?
With so many different options to place your bets, you may be wondering about the best strategy that will help you increase your odds of winnings. While there’s no straightforward answer to this question, there are still a few things you can try.
For instance, you can pay attention to injuries. Hockey can be pretty brutal at times, and players often use a lot of force to make sure they take control of the puck. Therefore, injuries are a part of the game, and you can use them to your advantage. Keep track of the injured players and try to predict how their absence may change the game’s outcome.
You should also pay attention to referees. That’s because some of them allow players to get more physical while on the rink. This may allow a bigger and generally stronger team to crush the underdog completely. However, when a referee is known for despising physical play, the underdog that’s not as big or strong may have better odds of winning.
In Conclusion
As you can see, betting on hockey can be an exciting endeavor, even though it’s not the most popular sport in the world. If you already love this game and want to put your passion to good use, consider learning more about hockey betting.
While there’s still a lot to be told about different bets you can place as well as the strategies you can go with when wagering, this article should give you a good idea of what to expect. You can start with small bets and follow the advice above. This way, you will gain more experience and become a better bettor before moving on to bigger bets and more advanced techniques. Good luck!
