How to bet on hockey

Learning how to bet on hockey can be a profitable and enjoyable experience provided you are aware of some very important factors. The list is long but the main ones are; travel, injury, history, and form. In this article we are going to discuss these factors for betting on hockey games in a very uncomplicated way so the novice bettor can get an overview of how to bet on hockey.

How to bet on hockey explained

In order to be a successful ice hockey handicapper and make a lot of money you need to be willing to do some work.That said; the first rule of thumb is, don’t bet on every game. On any given night there are dozens of games that you can bet on. Hockey is a popular sport in several countries and the betting offers may tempt you more than good is at first. Many novice bettors and even some amateur ones will bet on every game on the card. This is very poor money management, and a sure way to depart with hard earned cash. You want to be sure to pick your spots, bet only when you can find an edge. We simply can't say this often enough. It is the single most important thing when learning how to bet on hockey.

The importance of Injuries when betting on hockey

First, injuries are a big part of ice hockey. No matter if we are looking at the professional levels or even the junior levels, the schedule is grueling and injuries happen. Keep up on who is out, and who they have replacing the player. Make sure you know what both the inured player and the replacement player bring to the team. This factor alone can provide you with an edge on a winner as well maybe a total. Just be careful with assigning too much weight to a single injury. Remember, in a team sport the individual is secondary (yes we know; some are more secondary than others, but still).

Travels and hockey betting

The second important factor is travel. Betting on ice hockey is much different than betting on the NFL. Many sports bettors move to betting on hockey after the football season has ended. Did you know that many of the successful football bettors give their money back to the books during hockey season? The main reason is unpreparedness. As mentioned most ice hockey leagues have grueling schedules that involve long road trips away from home for 8, 10 even 14 days at a time. This takes a toll on the players, and can affect the outcome of the matches they are playing. If you look at the NHL for an example; teams from the west coast that are travelling east or vice versa tend to have a tough time in that first game. Teams playing three games in four nights on the road also do not fair well. These are important mental notes you need to be making if you want to make money betting on hockey.

Analyzing today looking at the past

When handicapping any sport you want to look at how the two teams have faired against each other in the past. Some teams just don’t play well against certain teams. Teams that have a history such as Montreal and Toronto, or the New York Islanders and New York Rangers tend to play each other a bit tougher than they would any opponent. You want to look at how each team has performed at home and on the road against their opponent. If possible you want to look at the last 10-15 matchups. More often than not you won't find the needle in the haystack, but once in a blue moon something useful pops up and money can be made.

You better check what form your pick is in

It is also a good idea to have a look at how each team has done in their own last 10-15 games. You are looking for trends that can be exploited. Try to see what form direction your pick and the opponent is heading (positive or negative). You usually don't want to bet against a team in great form in a tight league such as the NHL even if it is a west coast team traveling east and so on and so forth. Form gives confidence and confidence is tough to beat.

The next article on how to bet on hockey

In the next article on hockey betting we will focus more on what betting factors to look for in the rink. Ice hockey has some key situations and in-game duels you need to be fully aware of and prepared for. We will also look at some more general factors. Stay tuned!