How to bet on Ice Hockey? Ice hockey betting guide 2025

Best bookmakers for hockey bets

There are many online bookmakers offering ice hockey betting odds, each claiming to be the best in the business. But which can you trust? Below, we list the legal and licensed online sportsbooks that offer a premier betting service.

Choose your favourite, and click the link to create an account. Each bookie featured offers a welcome bonus to new players. You can join several betting apps and collect the bonuses.

Types of hockey bets and markets

When searching for the best ice hockey betting sites, you must first narrow the field. Only join a sportsbook that loves ice hockey as much as you, and show it by offering a long list of markets. Here, I detail the most popular and useful types of hockey bets.

Match result

The simplest market to bet on and follow is the match result. Pick the team you expect to win an upcoming fixture and click their odds to add to your bet slip. Input a stake, and confirm. Your wager is now live.

If your pick outscores the opponent, you land the profit. Match result betting gives you a one-in-two chance of winning. Most bookies offer draw no bet.

Handicaps

When betting on handicaps, the bookmaker will give the favourite a points deficit and the underdog a points head start. You’d then bet on one team to cover the handicap or the other to stay within the cushion.

A handicap bet looks like this: Team A -2.5 goals vs Team B +2.5 goals.

Suppose you bet on Team A. You need them to beat Team B by three points or more to cover the handicap.

Total goals (Over/Under)

The first two markets ask you to pick a winner, but the totals are different. Here, you’re gambling on the number of goals scored in a match. Your bookmaker will set the line, and you have your stake on the game producing more or fewer goals from both teams combined.

A total goals bet in ice hockey may look like this: Over 5.5 goals / Under 5.5 goals.

If you bet on over, you can celebrate every goal scored as you edge closer to that magic number that’ll boost your balance.

Period bets

You can bet on a certain period of the game, rather than the result. How many goals will we see in the first period? Which team will net first? Period betting is ideal for those who enjoy gambling live. Watch the match on TV and react to the trends.

Correct score

Looking for a bet with great odds attached. The correct score market may catch your eye. Here, you’re predicting the final score, such as Team A 4-1 Team B. If your prediction is correct, you’ll secure a strong profit.

Goalscorers

In addition to betting on teams, you can also bet on individual players. Place your stake on a player to score the first goal of a match. You can also call the last goal scorer. Do you need a bit more of a safety net? Wager on a player to score at any stage of the play. Other options include the highest scorer in a fixture or a player to score two or more goals.

Canadian points

This bet is much simpler than the name suggests. The Canadian points market is similar to the goalscorers market, but includes assists. Pick a player and add your stake. If they score or provide an assist at any stage of the play, you’ll beat the bookies.

Futures

The clue is in the name here. You’re betting on an outcome in the future, sometimes weeks or months away. An example of a futures bet would be a team to win the Stanley Cup or a player to top score this season. Long-term bets often offer fantastic odds for patient players.

Analysing the stats and trends

Now that we’re up-to-speed on the most popular and useful markets, I’ll move on to helping you spot a good bet. To put it plainly, the more research you do, the more likely you are to land a winner and earn a profit.

It’s important to study the stats and trends before parting with your stake, but some stats are more useful than others. Here are my suggestions on what to look for when researching.

Importance and type of match

A hockey season is long, and some games are more important to teams than others. Understanding what a match means to both could help you find the winner. For example, the deciding game in a playoff matters more than a midweek fixture in the regular season.

Form

Research the short and long-term form. Check how a team has been playing this month, and then compare it to their results for the last eight weeks or longer. If both are strong, you have a good bet. Momentum is important to successful clubs.

Travel fatigue

It helps to understand the schedule, and you can go deeper by appreciating the travelling involved. If a team faces a marathon trip to visit the home of an opponent, crossing many states, fatigue will be a factor. Some hockey teams travel better than others, while some play their best hockey at home.

Goalie factor

Like in many team sports, including soccer, a good goalkeeper can be the difference between victory and defeat. Familiarise yourself with the goalkeepers and use that information to bet on the result, total goals, handicaps, and more.

Rink

Know the rink to bolster your chances of beating the bookies. Research the dimensions and the impact of the crowd. Small rinks often result in high-scoring games, while larger rinks may not suit the visiting team’s style of play.

Livesport: the home of the latest hockey stats

OK, so now we know the most popular and useful ice hockey betting markets. We’re also familiar with what to look for when researching a game. But where do you find that info?

Flashscore has everything you need in one place. Visit the Flashscore app or website, click on the ice hockey tab and select your favourite competitions and teams. You’ll find the latest and most reliable stats, results, and trends.

Here are just some of the benefits ice hockey fans will find at Flashscore:

Visit Flashscore before making your predictions to arm yourself with the data needed to pick a winner. The more informed you are, the more winners you’ll find.