It’s undeniable that ice hockey has become a popular sport, with fans beyond the fields’ stands. Now, there are many ice hockey enthusiasts who back their favorite teams on UK sportsbooks.
In this all-inclusive guide on how to bet on ice hockey, we explain all you need to know about betting on this sports game. We’ll go through everything, starting with its gameplay and how ice hockey scoring works. We’ve also touched on the ice hockey events at UK sports betting sites and included tips for betting on this game.
It’s only right that we begin this guide on how to bet on ice hockey, by taking a closer look at the basics of this sport. Let’s start with how ice hockey is played.
Ice Hockey Gameplay Explained
A hockey game usually involves six players (including goalies) from two opposing teams.
The game starts with a faceoff in the center circle of the rink. The faceoff involves the referee dropping the puck between two ice hockey players from opposing teams. Then, the two players battle for possession of the puck, moving it in their team’s direction.
As the game proceeds, the main goal of the players on both teams is to push the puck to the opposing team’s net to score. The team with the highest score at the end of a match wins. However, if both teams tie then the match goes into overtime. Now, it’s important to note that an ice hockey match has three periods, of twenty minutes each.
How Ice Hockey Scoring Works
When it comes to ice hockey scoring, there are two types of scores; goals and points.
Goals
As you already know, a goal is awarded to a team when they score a puck into the opposing team’s net. A goal is only recorded when the puck crosses the goal line, that is, between the goalposts and under the crossbar.
Points
Points, on the other hand, are awarded to individual players based on their contributions to scoring goals for the team. These points are then recorded throughout the season and are used to finalize individual players and the team’s positions in the season.
Now, there are two types of contributions/assists that award players these points. They include:
Primary assist:
This is when a player makes a pass that directly leads to a team’s goal.
Secondary assist:
This is when a player passes the puck to the other player who makes the primary assist, which directly leads to a team’s goal.
Ice Hockey Events at UK Sportsbooks
Let’s now take a look at some of the ice hockey events you’ll find on UK sports betting sites.
The National Hockey League:
This is probably the most popular ice hockey event in UK sportsbooks. As you may know, this is an ice hockey league, featuring 32 teams (25 from US and 7 from Canada)
Euro Hockey Challenge:
This is a competition involving 12 European ice hockey teams, and is held annually in April
Ice hockey World Championship:
This is an annual international men’s ice hockey tournament consisting of various across Europe and America
Champions Hockey League:
Launched by the International Hockey Federation and several other organizations, this is a first-level ice hockey tournament that takes place annually, featuring some of the top European ice hockey teams
Euro Hockey Tour:
This is a men’s ice hockey tournament that takes place annually, involving teams from European countries like Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland, to name a few.
Pros and Cons of Ice Hockey Gambling on UK Sports Betting Sites
Pros and Cons
A wide range of ice hockey tournaments to wager on
An extensive range of sports betting markets
Bonus offers for ice hockey betting
Some sportsbooks less markets for Hockey
Tips on How to Bet on Ice Hockey
Here are some of the tips for betting on this sport.
🏒 How Ice Hockey is Played
A critical tip on how to bet on hockey is to first get to know its gameplay. Understanding how ice hockey is played enables you to make more informed decisions, especially in regards to your choice of bet types.
📰 Keep Up with the Latest News
This is another important tip not just for ice hockey gambling, but also a critical tip on
how to bet on basketball.
When you’re placing bets on a particular tournament or league, like the NHL, always find out if there are any players who’ve been injured, if any teams have substituted their goalies, and other news. Doing so will enable you to make the necessary adjustments in regards to your bet type choices.
🏷️ Bet on a Legitimate Sportsbook
This is a vital tip not just for ice hockey betting, but it’s also a great tip on
how to bet on snooker. Sadly, there are sports betting sites online that aren’t licensed. If you don’t know it yet, betting on an unlicensed sportsbook isn’t safe. These sites haven’t met the necessary standards that make them secure.
Before you join a particular UK sportsbook, first confirm that it’s licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. To do so, just check if the sports betting site has displayed its licensing details on its website. If you don’t know how to do it, you can choose from our recommended betting sites listed on our banners.
📈 Go for a Sportsbook with a Wide Range of Betting Options
We also recommend selecting a sportsbook with an extensive range of sports betting markets, including ice hockey. That being said, here are some of the ice hockey bet options available at UK betting sites:
Moneyline bets:
Moneyline wagers predict which team will win. When it comes to moneyline bets, always keep up with the latest news on the relevant ice hockey teams, as this will significantly influence your choice of this particular bet.
Puck line bet:
This is essentially the point spread version of ice hockey. With this bet, you’ll be predicting that the favorite team will win by a certain number of goals, while the underdog team will lose by a particular number of goals, or win the game. Here’s an example: if you place a -1.5 favorite puck line wager, you’ll be predicting that the favorite team will win by two or more goals. On the other hand, if you place a +1.5 underdog pick line bet, you’ll be predicting that the underdog team will lose by less than two goals, or win the game.
Prop bets:
This bet predicts specific outcomes of a particular hockey game. For example, betting on the first team to score.
🎁 Take Advantage of the Bonus Offers
Another great tip, not just for betting on ice hockey, but also a useful tip on
how to bet on cricket, is to make the most of bonuses offered on UK sportsbooks. These rewards enable you to essentially place free bets on ice hockey and other sports games. That being said, here are some of the bonus offers available on UK sports betting sites.
Welcome deposit bonus
This bonus is available to new gamblers joining a UK sportsbook. A majority of UK sports betting sites offer a deposit bonus, which is essentially a percentage of your deposit back as a bonus
Website promotions
Most UK sportsbooks also offer promos that bettors can take part in for a chance to win rewards like free bets
Exclusive high-roller offers
These are bonus offers that are exclusive to members of a UK sports betting site’s VIP loyalty program. These rewards include reload offers, cashback bonuses, weekly and monthly bonuses, just to name a few
How to Bet on Ice Hockey: Final Thoughts
That’s all for this guide on how to bet on ice hockey. Hopefully, we’ve taken you through everything there is to know about ice hockey betting.
Before we conclude, we would like to mention one more tip: pay attention to your bankroll when gambling on sports games, including ice hockey. Set a budget on how much funding you’ll use per bet. Also, don’t chase losses as you’ll risk more money than you can afford. If you are still looking for a great site to bet on Hockey, try one of our recommended sites. Just click on our banners to sign up.
How to Bet on Ice Hockey- FAQs
While there isn’t a specific strategy that’ll 100% enable you to win your ice hockey bets, there are tips such as, betting on sportsbooks with a wide range of betting markets, that’ll boost your chances of winning.
There are many top-tier UK sportsbooks that offer ice hockey betting. Be sure to check out our website banners for recommended sportsbooks.
There isn’t a particular ice hockey bet we can consider to be the easiest as there’s a lot to consider when it comes to every bet option. However, there are some bets like the moneyline bet that are more straightforward.
