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Hockey has been present for many years. Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Ethiopia have indulged in a hockey-like game before with curved sticks and a ball. The modern hockey we know today later emerged in England during the 18th century.

The inclusion of hockey in the 1908 Olympic Games contributed to its increasing popularity among the general public. Its popularity was further boosted by the creation of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1917 and International Hockey Federation in 1924.

Today, the continuing popularity of hockey has attracted the betting industry and its numerous bettors to the game. If you want to join the fun and start your hockey betting journey, here are the dos and don’ts you need to know.

DOs

In hockey betting, you always aim to maximize your wins and limit your losses. To do that, you must utilize smart strategies and helpful tips. Here are a few things you should follow to increase your chances of winning.

Understand Hockey. Knowing the sport you want to bet on is critical. You must know basic information about it, like how hockey is supposed to be played and how hockey teams can win a game. You can also familiarize hockey’s rules and regulations for additional knowledge.

This information and knowledge is your ammunition when you start your NHL betting journey. It prevents you from blindly betting on something you don’t understand or know. Instead, you’ll be making an informed bet.

Read Pundit’s Analysis. Getting help from pundits and experts is beneficial. They’re the ones that know the sport inside and out. They have institutional knowledge of the game of hockey and years of experience in the field.

You just need to ensure that you look at and read numerous expert analyses. There are instances when pundits and experts disagree on a game. You must weigh their arguments and decide which one you use as a guide to help you win the bet.

Research the Teams. It is critical that you stay on top of the news when you’re hockey betting. You always need to know the things that are happening to all teams. Research the team’s injury report and new lineup adjustments.

These changes that the teams make affect which team you can bet on. Having this information about the team gives you an edge in hockey betting and could be pivotal to winning. I would have already set up my Twitter alerts on NHL-related news if I were you.

Check Previous Game Results. Hockey teams play each other throughout the season, and the most useful data point to look at when you want to place a bet is the teams’ previous match-up. Analyzing the previous match-up before the upcoming one helps you determine which team could have the upper hand at the match and have a bigger chance of winning.

 

DON’Ts 

Like in other sports betting, there are also mistakes that you must avoid. These actions will not help you win; they will help you lose. Here are the mistakes you must avoid when starting your hockey betting journey.

 

Bet Using Emotion. It’s not a secret that everyone has a favorite team. As a novice bettor, you want to support and bet on them if you can. However, it would not be wise to bet on a team just because they’re your favorite team. You must remember to always bet with your head and not your heart.

 

Always Bet on the Home Team. Unlike football and basketball, home-team advantage isn’t necessarily that important. The installed plexiglass perimeter in most NHL arenas makes the crowd applause and fan connection less prominent than in sports played on the field or court. Hockey players are incubated away from the crowd to eliminate noise and distractions, which levels the playing field and decreases home-team advantage.

 

In fact, since 2005, the hockey team with the home-team advantage has only won 54.9% of the games, the second lowest percentage among the major sports. In recent seasons, it has further decreased to a mere 53.3%. This suggests that the home team doesn’t always have the upper hand in hockey.

 

Ignore the Goalie. When you’re new to hockey betting, you tend to look at the team’s star player and ignore the other players, especially the goalie. Ignoring the goalie would be a costly mistake in hockey betting. The goalie is responsible for preventing the other team from scoring by protecting the goalpost.

 

Look at the player stats of both teams’ goalies. Check their previous game performance and what type of defense they do during the game. This will help determine if a team’s goalie is solid and worth anchoring on with a bet.

In Conclusion

Just like in other sports betting, knowing the dos and don’ts of hockey betting is essential. It helps you determine which actions to take and which to avoid. This not only increases your chances of winning but also limits your losses. What are you waiting for? Place your bets now.