There’s no doubt that ice hockey is one of the world’s most dynamic sports. It’s also a great sport for punters as there are scores of internationals and domestic games taking place all over the world, and plenty of opportunities to profit. So how should you go about it?
Know The Schedule
If you’re betting in a major ice hockey competition like the NHL, the most important thing to look at is the schedule. This is a gruelling, demanding sport which takes its toll on players and teams, so it is a good idea to look closely at the fixture list. Keep your eye open for those teams required to make long trips or play three games in the space of six days, as they will struggle to maintain their best form throughout that period.
With such a packed schedule, teams will inevitably prioritise some games over others, peaking for important divisional match-ups or against local rivals. Knowing which games a team will be up for and when they might be taking a less intense approach can be a good way to profit, and studying the schedule can help you to spot these opportunities in advance.
It’s all about the Goalie
The post important position in an ice-hockey team is the goal-tender. It is tempting to regard these players as interchangeable in terms of ability, but that would be a big mistake. If a team has to play their second or third reserve goal-tender, their results will usually suffer. Take the time to acquaint yourself with the abilities of all the goal-tenders in the league you are betting on, and keep up to date with starting line-up and injury information.
Remember value
Any sports punter knows that the key to profit is value. Find bets where the odds are bigger than they should be and you are on the road to success. Of course, working out the true odds is the tricky part and requires a lot of experience and knowledge.
One way to discipline yourself to look for value in your bets is to practice drawing up your own odds in whatever market you are studying. For example, if you think the New York Rangers have a 40 percent likelihood of winning against the Boston Bruins, you can convert the percentage into a price by dividing it into 100. In this case, you will end up with decimal odds of 2.5.
If the odds available on a Rangers win are bigger than that, well then you may have found your value bet. Drawing up your own prices in this way is a great method for training yourself in the art of turning knowledge into value.
Go for goals
Many ice hockey punters like to play in the dynamic and varied range of goals markets, which typically include Correct Score, Both Teams to Score and Total Goals.
Total Goals is a good, low-risk starting point, as the number of goals a team scores and concedes is usually consistent and can be uncovered with some simple research. The Both Teams To Score market is a good option if you’ve found a match in which you think one team won’t score, as that is a relatively rare outcome in ice hockey, while more experienced punters can study the volatile Correct Score market, which can provide some big prices.
The ice hockey goals markets offer opportunities for every level of betting experience, and are an ideal way to test your ice hockey knowledge and punting ability if you’re looking for an alternative to the traditional Match Winner market.