Summer doesn’t last very long in Canada, but it seems like forever when you’re waiting for hockey to start up again. Well, the wait is finally over; Canadian NHL betting on preseason games is happening right now at Bodog Sportsbook, and the regular season begins early October with the NHL Global Series in Prague, Czech Republic.
This is a very important year for the seven Canadian-based teams in the league. The Edmonton Oilers are this season’s favourites after coming achingly close to Stanley Cup glory last June. The Toronto Maple Leafs are also in the mix, as they look to get over the hump that has blocked them time and time again in the postseason. In the middle of the pack are the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators—all excellent options for value-minded hockey bettors. As for the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens, they’ll continue to rebuild and develop their young rosters.
One thing we’re all looking forward to is the chance to bet on big-time hockey again. Here are five important insights to keep in mind before you dive into NHL betting; it may give you the betting edge as you prepare to embark on the new season.
Try to Time the Market
Browse our sportsbook, and you’ll quickly see that odds are always in flux. Sportsbooks want to balance the action between both sides in a bet, and that leads to tweaking the lines based on incoming action. The biggest fluctuations are always with the most popular teams, and in hockey, that means any of the Original Six teams, such as the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maples Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, among others. When these franchises hit the ice, you can be certain the gamelines will change from when they’re first posted to when the puck drops.
Use this to your advantage. If you want to bet on these teams, try to get in early, before the betting public has a chance to get their money in. Or, if you’re betting on a team that’s facing a big-franchise opponent, you could wait until closer to puck drop to see if the gamelines move in the right direction for you. It won’t always work out perfectly, but when it does, it’s very satisfying.
Look for Mid-Tier Contenders
The safest bets are with the favourites, but that means you pay a premium. The underdogs, meanwhile, offer superior payouts, but they come with great risk. So, to get the best value, you should look at the mid-tier teams, or more specifically, the teams that are strong but have smaller markets. Think about teams like the Dallas Stars and the Carolina Hurricanes as prime examples.
Some of these teams will outperform expectations in any given season, and putting money on them can be a good idea. You can bet on single games, or in the futures market. If you do get it right, you’ll get a solid payout and eternal bragging rights.
Look to Single Games for Upsets
It’s pretty hard for a long shot to overcome the odds and win the Stanley Cup, but it’s not hard to pull off an upset for a single game in the regular season. The season is full of random upsets in individual games that nobody expects going into them. See if you can predict a few of these and get paid if you’re right. Every record-setting win streak has to end at some point—the tricky part is guessing which team will step up to stop it.
Early Season Betting is More Variable
The start of a new season is always the toughest segment to predict. Last season’s success may not carry over to the new one, and likewise, some underdogs may start hot. If you enjoy the extra challenge (and payouts) that go with early season betting, get in there before the games start. It’s a wild ride and can be quite lucrative if your instincts prove true. As the season wears on and new line combinations get more established, the rate of upsets goes down.
Lean on Top Goalies and Defensive Cores for ‘Under’ Betting
The moneyline is the most popular way to bet on NHL games in our sportsbook, but the totals are an excellent option for combination bets, or even straight bets, if you like the extra value they offer. Being able to pinpoint which teams have the top goalies and strongest defensive units will help with totals betting. The ‘under’ typically has a bit more value than the ‘over’ since people want lots of offence, so find out which teams fall in this category.
Keep track of which goalie wins the Vezina every season and who the finalists are. This prestigious award is given to the top netminder of the year, as is judged by the NHL general managers. You can also check team stats to see which teams concede the fewest goals to opponents on average, and bank on the top ones to help you fill in your ‘under’ picks for NHL totals betting.
Bonus: Crypto Betting is the Smart Choice
Cryptocurrency’s profile has taken a hit in recent years, as has the price of Bitcoin and other digital coins on the market. But crypto is still the best way to get your money down at Bodog Sportsbook – and that is no different for Canadian NHL betting. It’s easier to use than you might think, and you don’t have to worry about price fluctuations, since your deposits are automatically converted to Canadian dollars and back again when you withdraw. Check out our Bitcoin tutorials and see how easy and rewarding it is to use crypto to bet at Bodog. Then hit up our NHL odds board and get ready for what should be an amazing new season. We wish you luck with your picks.