Hockey sports betting: which leagues are up-for-grabs?
Believe me, I’ve been betting on hockey for the long-haul, and in that time, I’ve discovered that you Canucks can really take your pick when it comes to the many different league options to bet on.
The long and short of it is, hockey betting in Canada is big business. Which means that the best betting sites serve-up easy access to competitive odds on:
- National Hockey League (NHL)
- American Hockey League (AHL)
- Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
- Switzerland National League A (NLA)
- Swedish Hockey League (SHL)
- And more
For obvious reasons, hockey betting online is more fun if you can pin down sites that offer access to the biggest, broadest selections of markets around – and I want to help you with this.
That’s precisely why on this page, you’ll see banners for my favorite hockey betting websites in your region. All these are licensed, legit and a whole lot of fun – so eat your hearts out.
Hockey betting
pros and cons: things to note before you get started…
- Tons of betting sites out there
- Get excellent odds on top leagues
- Claim hockey-compatible bonuses
- Bet on other sports too
- Understanding betting options takes time
Actually
betting
on hockey: how to interpret hockey odds
Those of you new to iGaming might be surprised to hear that betting brands list their odds in three different formats, known as:
- American odds.
- Fractional odds.
- Decimal odds.
In Canada, American odds seem to rule the roost, so allow me to explain how these work using a pretty darn typical example.
Let’s say a betting brand gives you Stanley Cup odds of +165 on the Rangers and -195 on The Maple Leafs. Dang. Now, a “+” indicates how much is potentially on the table should you bet $100, while a “-“ tells you how much you’d have to put down to potentially land $100 yourself. Got it?
So, in my example, then, a $100 bet would have the capacity to land you $165 on the Rangers – who are the underdog in this scenario, while you’d have to be willing to part with $195 to potentially secure $100 on The Maple Leafs, who here, are favored to win.
Now, you’re gonna see wild variations in terms of the quality and competitiveness on offer at different ice hockey betting sites,odds-wise. But don’t worry. There’s a dead-easy way to determine which brands are serving-up the best odds around, and that’s simply to:
- Click through to their hockey odds pages before registering.
- Pop-open their competitors’ odds pages in a separate tab.
- Cross-reference back and forth to see who’s offering the best deal.
If that doesn’t clinch it for you, guess what? Lately I’ve encountered a whole crop of
CA betting sites with free registration
bonus offers that’ll basically offer you free hockey bets right off the bat. How’s that for starters?
You can usually claim these, by:
- Signing up with some basic details.
- Making a deposit above a qualifying amount.
- Entering a promo code – if one’s required.
- Playing through your free bets a set number of times.
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A bit more about
hockey betting: what kinds of bets can you put down?
Load-up any of the betting sites from my banners, and you’ll be greeted with a warm welcome in the form of a ton of different betting options on the best hockey markets. If you’re new to the game, here’s how some of the most popular bet types work:
Now to be honest, betting on hockey doesn’t really get much simpler than moneyline bets – making these particularly good for beginners.
With moneylines, you simply browse the “+” and “-“ odds on the table, and back your favorite team to win.
Never heard of Puck Line bets? Don’t fret – this is the same as what other betting markets call “point spread”. Basically, then, you’ll be betting on the points difference between two teams by the end of a game.
Now often, the “Puck Line” is 1.5 goals, with the underdog down at +1.5 and the favorite down at -1.5. Confused? Don’t be. This just means the favorite would need to lead by at least two goals, while the underdog can either come out on top, or lose by one goal.
If you’re thinking “I know all this already, where do the weirder bets come in?”, then allow me to introduce you to props. Put simply, these are extra-fun bets where you can back pretty much any potential game outcome you please, such as:
- Whether or not a particular player will score.
- How many points they’ll end on.
- Wins.
- Ties.
- Which player will score the most points.
Hockey betting sites: the best ones in your region revealed
Unless you’re about to get betting in Canada for the very first time, I’m sure you’ll be aware that in The Great White North, you guys can only put down bets with sites that are licensed (or sometimes even run) by your local regulator, right?
Well, all the betting brands you’ll see in the banners in this guide are. That’s right – I’ve seen to it that whether you’re reading this from Newfoundland and Labrador or deep in the Rockies of Alberta, every betting site displayed will be localized to your location.
You see, whether you’re mad into
NHL betting
or you’re more of an AHL aficionado, you need to bet by the book. By which I mean, it’s important to ensure any betting brands you’re eyeing-up, offer:
| Must-have feature | What to look for |
| A valid iGaming license in your province. | In most parts of Canada, it’s only legal to bet with providers that are provincially-licensed. So, scroll to the bottom of the betting site’s homepage and look out for a seal of approval from your local regulator, yeah? |
| SSL encryption. | SSL protects your data online – and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you why that’s so important. To spy whether a site offers proper encryption, simply run a quick keyword search on their privacy policy page. |
| Support for trusted online payment options. | Never in a million years would I advise bettors like yourselves to drop hockey deposits via little-known payment options. For obvious reasons, you ought only to ever bet with brands that support trusted providers, such as:
– VISA/MasterCard/Amex.
– PayPal.
– Skrill.
– Neteller.
– Apple Pay. |
As I said, though, all the brands you’ll see mentioned in the lists and banners on my site tick each of these all-important boxes – so please feel free to dive right on in.
Some strategies to try out when
betting on hockey
I’m sure by now you’re ready to hit the puck, but wait. How’s about trying out a new strategy or two? Well, here are some of my absolute favorites for betting on hockey:
Playing around with matched bets
Matched betting
is simple enough. Basically, you put down two bets, as follows:
- One that anticipates an outcome will occur.
- One that second-guesses that it won’t.
In essence, the idea is that you’re covered each way – and it’s a popular betting strategy among bettors who are claiming free bet bonuses. Check out my bonus betting guides if you need more details on why.
Monitoring averages
Now I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that over the course of an 82-game season, every team’s gonna go through its ups and downs.
A good approach is to watch your favorite league like a darn hawk, paying particular attention to:
- Last 10 listings.
- Streaks.
- Stats.
- Substitutes.
Here, good knowledge of the sport itself combined with a careful ability to second-guess where games might be going can be greatly influential when betting on hockey.
A top tip from me would be to try and seize any good “+” odds on teams at the bottom of the tables – particularly if you’ve an inkling they’ll come back strong later in the league..
Conclusion –
betting on hockey? Stay safe, and be sure to land the best odds available
So, hockey betting has the potential to be an absolute blast – but only if you wind up depositing with a trusted site that offers reputable payment options, the right local license and, of course, odds that are in-line with (or even better than) the market average.
My advice? Start out by browsing the sites listed in my banners right here, which have already been vetted for licenses and the like. From there, figure out who’s offering the best odds and bonuses in your province and, boom – sign-up and start playing. And if you need any extra tips anywhere along the way? I’ve a wealth of how-to guides here on my site to help you guys out.
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Hockey betting
FAQ
? How do I sign-up with a hockey betting site?
It’s simple enough, really. Locate the “sign-up” button, enter some basic information, put down your first deposit using a payment method you can trust, then select your bets. The hardest part is finding a solid and dependable bookmaker in the first place – though my expert guides can certainly help you with that…
?? Where can I get a good bonus for betting on hockey in Canada?
Near enough every half-decent betting site on the market offers a bonus to new registrants. But of course, not all bonuses are eligible for NHL, OHL or AHL bets. Find out which ones are right here.
????♂? Are betting sites with ice hockey odds legal in Canada?
Up in the Great White North, iGaming rules differ from province to province. In most regions, though, you can bet on hockey legally with brands that hold a license from your local regulator, such as these ones…
