The Stanley Cup, the Olympics Ice Hickey Matches, and the IIHF World Championship together make up the ‘Triple Crown’ of the hockey world. Playing and winning the Triple Crown is the ultimate dream of all professional hockey players.
Among these championships, the International Ice Hockey Federation Championship is the second event right after the Olympics. Last year the winner was Canada, this year, they’ll be defending the title against 16 teams in Finland.
The International Hockey Federation was created in 1908, and the first games started in 1920. Since its inception, Canada has won the most games, a record of 51 medals. That’s the most any country has bagged. On the other hand, Sweden in 2006 became the first country in history to win Olympic gold as well as the world championship in the same season.
Each year the IIFH championship is met with great fanfare from dedicated fans to enthusiastic sports bettors. This year is the same; many novices and experienced punters flock to gambling sites to try their luck at winning big. If you’re one of them, you’re going to need this guide to help you pick the best teams, players, and odds.
IIHF World Championship Format
The format of the championship involves 16 teams which are divided into two groups and compete in the Preliminary Round played in the single round-robin. In each group, the teams that rank in the top 4 can move forward to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals are played in the cross-over fashion in which the first team of one group plays the fourth team of the second group. Similarly, the second-place team plays the third-place team of the other group.
Following the quarterfinals, the semifinals are played among the 4 best teams, which are decided on the basis of their rank in the group, points in the preliminary round, number of goals, and the seeding. Generally, the team that ranks at the top according to these conditions will play against the team that ranked the lowest this the middle two teams play each other. The venues and time slots are decided after the teams are finalized.
The two winning teams move forward to the gold medal game while the 2 remaining teams compete for the bronze medal. If the teams are tied, they’ll get an additional 5-minute period to change the outcome. If there’s no goal, the game will continue until one of the teams scores a goal.
Top Teams For The IIHF Championship
The team rankings for the IIHF Championship are determined based on the total points accumulated in the previous championship. Since Canada won the last championship, they have ranked at the top with 3235 points. Finland occupies the second spot with 3125 points, moving up a place since winning the bronze medal in 2021.
In third place, we have Russia with 3050 points. Russia has also moved down a place since losing the bronze to Finland last year. These three top teams show a lot of promise in terms of qualifying for the gold or bronze medal games. These teams are a safe bet for new punters if they’re up against lesser-ranking teams.
Some other teams to look out for are the USA, Germany, and Sweden, who rank at fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively. The USA has always been a strong contender and has 62 wins under its belt, and they also have a 7-year undefeated streak. In the case of Germany, they’ve won 23 games and have a winning streak of 6 games. That makes both of these teams tough opponents. Not only that, but they also have great odds on leading betting sites.
The last team is Sweden, they had ranked 3rd in the 2021 rankings and have 204 wins plus a spectacular winning streak of 17 games. Despite being placed lower, this team is made up of solid players who can take on any challenge. This team is also a favorite of punters for being reliable and having great wagers.
Top Players For The IIHF Championship
Since Canada has won the most games and is the top-ranking team, it’s obvious that most of the top players come from Canada. The number one ranking player for the championship is Owen Power. Despite playing the IIHF championship for the first time, Power has a good fan following and a great career in the National Hockey League in the US. He was one of the youngest players in the 2021 season and has performed exceptionally well the entire season against more experienced and established players.
Luca Auer is another top player to look out for. The Austrian player scored non-stop goals in the Red Bulls game, and his prospects for the 2022 IIHF championship. This unique gameplay and sharp reactions make him a favorite of fans and bettors alike. Following Auer is another Canadian, Connor Bedard. This 16-year-old has made an insanely great achievement for his age just by being on the roster among the top names in the hockey world. He’s being hailed as a star player among predictors, even as a 15-year-old. Connor made 14 points alone in the U18 Worlds games.
Sebastian Cossa is another great player from Canada. He was one of the best starters in the World Hockey League and has won a number of awards in the past three years. If he starts for Canada, he’ll be a tough opponent to face and would surely aid his team in winning the match.
IIHF World Championship Betting Lines
In ice hockey, there are commonly three betting lines that are preferred by bookmakers and punters. Recently, live betting has taken over the online gambling scene as well.
Moneyline
The Moneyline is the most popular form of betting on hockey games. New punters prefer it because it doesn’t involve a lot of technical knowledge, and it’s easy to make a winning wager on the money line. The bets are placed based on the prize money rather than any strategy or gameplay. Bettors get 2 options, and they have to pick one based on their understanding of the game. The team that’s being wagered on has to win the game outright in order for the punters to win the prize. Among the two teams, one is favorite, and the other is the underdog.
The favorites have a higher chance of winning, while the underdogs have higher prize money. Novice bettors should preferably bet on the favorites, as they win about 90 percent of the time unless there’s an unforeseeable issue that gives the advantage to the underdogs
Over/Under
In simple terms, over and under is based on how more or less a team will score compared to the given points. This betting line is a bit more challenging and interesting because it requires punters to understand the standing and the capabilities of the team they’re favoring. The betting line works by predicting how much higher the favorite team will score in comparison to the given points. If you predict that correctly the wager is yours, and you don’t lose.
On the other hand, you can also predict if the underdogs will score lower compared to a given number of points. If you predict that correctly you’ll win. Generally, the price is higher for the underdogs.
Points Spread
This betting line is also called ‘the spread’ or ‘the line.’ It’s quite similar to the over/under the betting line. The difference is that instead of betting how much lower or higher the team will score, you need to bet on the exact score instead of the points. If the winning team scores that high, you win, and if the underdogs score that low, you’ll win that too. But this betting line is a lot trickier than the over and under one because the wagers are higher, and the scores aren’t fixed.
Unlike points which the bookmaker can fix, the scores depend on the team’s performance, the players, and if there are any injuries or any other unforeseeable issues. This betting line is mostly preferred by seasoned gamblers who can predict the performance of the team based on their performance in the season.
Live Betting
Live betting isn’t exactly a betting line. Instead, it’s a form of wager that relies on the latest development in the game. Lots of betting sites offer streaming and in-game betting that is highly technical and complex. You would need to keep the player’s performance in mind, the previous points in mind, and any changes that might affect the outcome. This form of betting is, however quite interesting and fun. As long as you can minimize your losses, you should participate in this form of betting.
IIHF World Championship Betting Tips
Some general betting tips that could help you score big or get some understanding of the game to start placing bets.
How Does The Betting Work?
To bet on the IIHF championship, you first need to find the betting sites that work for you. Meaning you’ll need to make sure that the website is allowed to operate in your country and that they have their proper licenses. Next, you need to figure out how you’ll wager on the games, which betting line you’d take, and how much you will wager. If you’re looking for live betting, you’ll need to specifically look for websites that offer live betting and streaming.
Once you’ve figured that out, you’ll need to decide when you’ll bet. For example, are you going to start betting at the beginning of the season, or will you wait until the first qualifying round is over? For new punters, it’s better to wait until the season starts making a bit more sense to start betting. You’ll also need to figure out the payment options you have or whether the chosen site offers payouts in your region.
Always Maintain A Log Of Your Winnings
The biggest mistakes novice bettors make is not keeping a log of their winnings and losses. If you don’t know how much you’ve lost, you’ll end up in debt. Those are also the very first signs of gambling addiction. Punters are too eager to make bets and win that they completely forget how much money they’re wasting. That’s why before you start betting, you should make a document and record all of your wins and losses. Once you reach a limit, you should immediately stop playing and leave with whatever winning you’ve made.
Bet With Small Amounts Of Money
While you might think betting it all is the best way to win big, seasoned bettors would tell you otherwise. The best strategy is to wager small amounts of money and stop when you’ve lost too much. With using less money, you’re less likely to go into any form of debt. You can easily enjoy recreational wagering without breaking the bank. Once you get some experience, you can gradually start betting big.
Avoid Getting Scammed
The internet is full of scams, and the world of online betting isn’t any different. Before you jump in and start betting on an online casino, it’s better to do some research. First of all, the site you’re giving money to should have their proper license and other registrations. Also, make sure that the site is operated in your country. Next, you need to read reviews about them. That’s the best way to find out if the site is authentic or just another scam. If there are too many overly positive reviews, then it’s safe to stay away from that site. You’ll also need to consider the banking options like bank account transfer, credit/debit card payment, or more recently, cryptocurrency.
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