The Stanley Cup is the oldest tournament in North American history. It has a great deal of prestige in not just the region but around the globe. Ice hockey fans from all over the globe tune in to watch the event, and while the sport isn’t the top option for bettors, it becomes a big commodity for bettors when it takes place. As a bettor, you’d want to learn about the event and hockey odds to ensure that you’re not missing out on any potential.
Whether you’re a hardcore hockey fan or entirely new to the sport and only interested in betting on the grand stage, here’s all you need to be aware of heading forward:
Stanley Cup Betting Explained
The NHL shares some of the most popular markets of the betting world while having some unique options of its own that bettors would want to focus on. Before you learn about your NHL lines, here’s what’s important:
League/Tournament Outrights
Rather than betting on each fixture, league, or tournament outright bets allow you to bet on the winner of the entire competition at once. The typical hockey season has numerous options for bettors. The Stanley Cup is by far the most prestigious competition in all of ice hockey, and a majority of hockey fans, even if they’re not from North America, will tune in to watch the game.
Even if people don’t have the time to sit through the series, they tend to avail the benefit of the outright bet as it allows them to make some passive profit. Others tend to use it along with other markets for additional profit. You’ll notice that the teams that are more likely to win the tournament have less profitable payouts as compared to others.
Match Result Bet (Within Regulation)
While match result bets are fairly straightforward in general, they’re a bit trickier when it comes to hockey. The main constraint here is that the team that you wager on needs to win the game within regulation time. Generally, the regulation period is 60 minutes. For events like the Stanley Cup and most forms of competitive hockey, there are no draws. Instead, the game goes into the Golden Goal rule for overtime if the game is drawing after 60 minutes.
The first to score wins. Essentially, you will lose the wager if the team that you picked manages to win, but after the three regulation, 20-minute time periods are over. If you think that two competitive teams are bound to take it to the last minute, it’s best to go with the OT option.
Match Result (Including OT)
This form of hockey betting market is the most similar to the typical outright match bet, as it relies on who ends up winning the game itself. It doesn’t matter whether the game is won in OT or during the regulation period. If you wager on the team that manages to win the game, you walk away with the payout and stake. This option is much safer, but generally, the payout for this market is much less significant.
Puck Line Handicaps
Ice hockey betting puck line is among the ice hockey’s exclusive markets, but sharps and professionals will realize that it’s a modified version of spread betting. Knowing this, understanding the fundamentals of this will become easier.Similar to spread betting, NHL spreads have the favorite and the underdogreceiving a point spread. In most handicaps, 1.5 is the setting for the puck line,so the underdog will have a+1.5 goal puck line handicap. If you decide to wager on them, the winning condition is that they must not lose by two or more goals for you to win.
The favorite will receive a -1.5-goal puck line handicap, and they need to win by more than 2 goals if they’re your preferred wager. Many people prefer this market as it allows them suitable profit without having to risk betting on underdogs when they have little chance of winning.
Over/Under
The Over/Under market operates in the same way as it generally does across other sports in hockey. The oddsmaker will list a certain number of goals, and you have to determine if the total number of goals scored in the match will exceed that number or be below it. Here, you count the sum of goals by each team in the game rather than focus on one.
If the two teams are fairly competitive and it’s a championship game, it’s more than likely that the number of goals might be on the higher side. If one or both team has an incentive to play defensively and benefit from not conceding, betting under might be wiser.
Correct Score
The correct score is one of the rare betting markets, but it’s found in ice hockey as well. As the name suggests, you have to guess what the final scoreline of the game will be. Even if the game ends in a draw, you can bet on that particular scoreline. On the oddsmaker site, you will list a host of options to choose from. For example, if you believe that the final score will be 4-3, then you should wager on that option.
Needless to say, this is a riskier market as scores can be hard to predict and require a fair amount of data for a bettor to confidently make such a decision. But it’s also a fairly profitable market to choose from and can lead to big payouts.
Stanley Cup Betting Tips
Use these professional betting tips to your advantage:
Regular Season Stats Don’t Mean Everything
While most bettors will tell you that it’s important to have a big dataset to choose from so that you make informed decisions about upcoming games, it’s also important to know that this data can be deceiving. In reality, there can be a myriad of factors that lead to the teams in the regular season not having the best time. From extreme traveling conditions, players being out due to injury, or new teammates developing formation and chemistry with changes
When the competition is on, you’ll see teams amp up their performance and see some breakout stars on ice. You also need to assess the fact that your sample set is generally smaller because opposing conferencesrarely compete in the regular season.
The Coach Mentality
The biggest difference between the regular season and the Stanley Cup is that coaches tend to adjust more rigorously. Unlike the regular season, where they’ll play a fairly consistent squad, the best of 7 format of the Stanley Cup forces them to evaluate things more aggressively. As soon as they find a weakness in their team or the opponent’s that they can make the most of, they will change dramatically to ensure that they’re not on the receiving end.
Another aspect to consider is that the home team gets to assess the ice beforehand and play to their strength on it, which always helps out in various sports.
Utilize Every Betting Market Available
When you ask the average NHL bettor what they use for the betting market, they’ll generally talk about Moneyline or totals. Unfortunately, they will also generally comment on how these haven’t exactly been profitable for them. These are safer bets, and while not bad by any means, it’s necessary to look into other markets available to the user and see if they provide more value. Use everything from the basic options to NHL player props to your advantage.
The best online sports betting sites generally have more options for their users, including niche markets that bettors can use and make some good money off of.There’s more risk here involved as your wagers are based on more independent factors, but at the same time, you have more to gain from the wager you’re opting for. Many of these are listed on sports betting apps for iOS and Android.
Optfor Live Betting Markets
The post-season is an incredible time for bettors to experiment in live betting. Live betting or in-play betting allows bettors to bet on the various changing events across the game. For example, a market in the live betting category would be for the next goal scored and which team does it. Once the goal is scored, the market is refreshed with new odds and other details, and this continues till the end of the game. The great aspect of live betting markets is the continuing value that they provide to the user, allowing them to take the profitability of their bets to the next level.
Bet Wisely
Don’t fall for the pitfall of higher limits. That’s often a ploy by bookmakers to lure players in to lose more. The Stanley Cup is a big event, and the average hockey fan tends to get excited about things. The fact that the season is ending, and this might as well be your last chance to make a good chunk of change off of things also tempts people heavily. The reality is that the odds are often favored towards the house. By no means should you stop betting on the event, but it’s crucial to look into high-value games rather than how big the match itself is. The right sports betting odds are essential.
A major example of a pitfall is bettors playing too safe and ending up losing money in the over/under market by betting safely on under. Because of the heavy competition of the Stanley Cup pressure, teams tend to play aggressively, and at least 1 or 2 of these games will be high-scoring options. Considering they’re fighting for the grand prize, it’s no surprise. Make sure that you evaluate these aspects before spending more than you can afford to lose. Get your NHL picks and parlays from the right place.
Conclusion
Before you’re putting any money on the Stanley Cup, firstly, ensure that you’re using a reliable betting site that offers the best odds and value to their user. Rather than dumping all of your money aimlessly, do your research. The regular season stats or past info aren’t a perfect indicator, so you’ll have to do your due diligence by focusing on the games as they take place. Similarly, you should focus on live betting markets as they offer a great deal of value. The event is more dynamic, and the teams regularly adjust, so it will do you well to pay attention to the sport. Bettors planning to make considerable returns need to step out of their comfort zone and focus on as many markets as they can. Sign up for the best online gambling sites so you’re ready to get started.
Lastly, the pressure of the end of the season and Stanley Cup hype shouldn’t lead you to toss all your money on a few games. Focus on high-value bets rather than try to make a ton of money before the end of the season and call it a day. You can also avail 1xbet bonus and more to get a good start.
With the tournament set to take place in May, it’s time you start learning about all you can to make the most of the betting potential at hand. Many consider the Stanley Cup to be the biggest Ice Hockey event, even bigger than some of the IIHF events on sports betting sites. Ensure that you’re prepared for it beforehand by signing up for the world’s top betting sites online with the help of Betting Sites Ranking for your safe online betting.
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