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How to Bet on the National Hockey League

The National Hockey League (NHL) is every ice hockey fan’s favourite sporting league. This is because the best ice hockey players on the planet are signed to the ranks of the NHL. If you’re ready to start betting on ice hockey online, we’d recommend starting with the National Hockey League. Bet.co.za offers amazing ice hockey betting markets for sports fanatics to wager on, giving you more than a few chances to hit the jackpot and cash in big time. 

What is the National Hockey League?

The NHL is widely considered the most prestigious and most-watched ice hockey league in the world. National Hockey League teams hail from North America, with the majority of them being based in the United States and a few based in Canada. Teams like the Toronto Maple Leaves, Florida Panthers, and the Detroit Red Wings are regulars in the NHL.  

How does the National Hockey League work? 

The regular NHL season generally runs between early October and early April. Teams are split into four divisions (Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific) and usually play a total of 82 games which determine their league standings. The three teams placed highest in each NHL division, and two wildcard teams per conference will go head-to-head in a playoff elimination tournament to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup – the most prestigious trophy in all of ice hockey.

How much money is bet on the National Hockey League?

It is estimated that between $20-billion and $30-billion is bet on the National Hockey League each season.

What is the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

The Stanley Cup Playoffs occur once each NHL team has played 82 games and the league rankings have been finalised. Five teams from each division (top three plus two wildcards) go head-to-head in a knock-out competition until one team out of the 20 remains to raise the Stanley Cup trophy.

The History of the National Hockey League

The National Hockey League (NHL) was originally called the National Hockey Association and was founded in Canada in 1909. At first, the NHA was played between only 7 teams from Ontario and Quebec. The popularity of this format of ice hockey exploded, and within 8 years, in 1917, the National Hockey League (NHL) was formed as a successor to the NHA. In 1924 the NHL was expanded into the United States of America. 

Who are the Favourites to win the National Hockey League?

The odds for the 2023 season of the National Hockey League has the Boston Bruins as slight favourites to win. However, these odds will shift as each NHL season progresses.

National Hockey League Bets

Betting on the National Hockey League online is exciting because of the types of bets you can place before and during each ice hockey fixture. Below are some of the wagers sports fanatics can place on NHL fixtures.

NHL Money Line Betting

An NHL money line bet requires wagering on a hockey match based on a given price instead of a point spread. The team you place a bet on will need to win outright, regardless of what the final score is, for your Money Line wager to be successful.

NHL Spread Betting – NHL Puck Line Betting 

NHL puck line betting, or NHL spread betting, describes the spread betting option in a given National Hockey League fixture. The puck line is -1.5 goals for the favourite to win and +1.5 for the underdog to win. 

NHL Over/Under Betting – NHL Totals Betting

If you want to bet on the National Hockey League, you can also wager on the total goals that might be scored in a match. This will have to be over or under a specific number of goals set by oddsmakers. Totals are usually set between 5 and 6.5.

NHL Player Prop Bets

Props or “proposition bets” are bets NHL fans can place on specific outcomes in each ice hockey match. These props could include team props, like which team will score first, or player props like which player will score the most goals or which goalie will make the most saves. 

National Hockey League predictions?

It is predicted that the Boston Bruins will win the 2023 season of the National Hockey League and lift the Stanley Cup trophy at the end of the playoffs.

NHL Team Prop Bets

Team proposition bets are specific National Hockey League match or tournament outcomes that punters bet on pertaining to team outcomes. Instead of player props, team props include things like betting on a team to win or tie a game, betting on a team to score first, or betting on total goals scored by a team.

NHL Futures Betting

When betting on the National Hockey League, a futures bet describes a bet placed on a match or tournament outcome that hasn’t happened yet. For example, ice hockey betting fans can bet on who they think will lift the Stanley Cup at the beginning of the playoffs.

NHL Live Betting

In-play betting, or live betting, involves placing bets on national hockey league matches while they are taking place. These might be which player will score next or which team will make the next substitute.

How to Bet on the National Hockey League Online

There are a few pointers ice hockey fans can keep in mind when betting on the NHL, to increase their chances of finding high-value bets and winning their wagers. We’re unpacking six of these National Hockey League betting tips below.

Research

All successful NHL betting strategies begin and end with careful research. This includes researching the state of the league before and during the ice hockey season, but also to put research into why your bets may not have panned out and what you can do differently next time.

Stay on top of predictions and trends

Sports betting fanatics are constantly making their predictions about how they see a season or match-up going, and keeping on top of these could be a good way to win more National Hockey League bets. Watching trends in the world of ice hockey betting is also a great way to catch opportunities long before the majority of punters do.

Keep an eye on streaks and team analysis 

Streaks are great things in ice hockey, because teams will fight harder to defend their winning streaks – and fight harder to snap their losing streaks. The trick is to spot these trends first, and that takes keeping a close eye on both team performance and individual player form.

Watch player injuries and subs

Keep your finger on the pulse of teams and their injuries. These are definitely game-changing events that can also alter the outcome of entire seasons and playoffs. The easiest way to find out about player injuries and team subs first is to watch every National Hockey League game.

Make bets based on facts and research

When you bet on the National Hockey League, you’re spending your own money in hopes that your predictions will give you a return. It’s pretty important that, when you have real money on the line, you base your bets on facts and research – instead of how you feel about each team.

Leave emotion at the door

Emotions are often the enemies of winning National Hockey League wagers. When we bet on emotion alone, we’re risking not seeing clear indications that would otherwise show us that a specific bet is not a good one to place when looking at the raw facts.

How to Begin Betting on National Hockey League Online

Wondering how to begin betting on NHL online in South Africa? Bet.co.za is your first and last place to find online ice hockey betting fun! We are an online sports betting platform which offers the easiest way to make predictions on sporting fixtures and tournaments like the National Hockey League. So, are you ready to bet on the National Hockey League?

Bet.co.za is a sports entertainment website built and managed by fanatical sports fans, for sports fans, to take your National Hockey League excitement to another level completely. Predict the outcomes of the NHL – effortlessly from your computer or the palm of your hand.

Betcoza Online (RF) (Pty) Ltd trading as Bet.co.za, is licensed and regulated by the Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board. Business Registration Number: 2010/005430/07. Bookmaker Licence Number: 10145732-010.

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