As far as Ice Hockey goes, the National Hockey League is the cream of the crop. Although it originated in the late 1800s in Canada, it’s spread like wildfire since and is now a favourite with sports lovers the world over. Even in hotter countries, like Australia!
When it comes to betting on NHL games, there are some things you should keep in mind. Considering certain factors almost guarantees that you’ll see the returns you’re making on your wagers skyrocket!
The Effect of Travelling
Something bettors often overlook is the effect of travel schedules on NHL teams. It’s a huge factor in most sports, but particularly so in Ice Hockey because of how demanding these games are physically.
Naturally, all teams go through the same kind of punishment over the long term, but this hardly makes the case for this factor being a wash that everyone simply has to get through. Imagine for a moment that you played two home games in seven days. Now picture playing the same number of matches away. Which one would you pick before a clash?
You can bet your bottom Australian dollar that the squad with fewer away games is going to have a physical advantage over their travelling counterparts!
Line Matchups
Ice Hockey is a game that is played in lines, which can be defined as a team of hockey players that gets sent out onto the ice simultaneously. Lines can be changed at any point during a game and these will then be matched up against the different lines of the opposition.
If you’re wondering why this is important, think about how, if you want to understand how well or badly a team is going to perform, you need to have a good idea of how it’s different lines work together. Or don’t. You also need to be aware of how these lines can match up against the opposing team’s ones.
You need to be on the lookout for line matchups that can create environments in which scoring is most possible. This kind of analysis requires that you delve a little more deeply into the squad’s roster and locate situations where potential goals, and eventual wins, lie.
Statistics Can Be Overvalued
As important as a good knowledge of statistics is when you are making your picks, you need to be sure you’re not focussing on the wrong ones. Accuracy, for example, is important, but you need to be sure you are getting your information from a reputable source. Luckily there are plenty of sites filled with data that you can trust, and a simple search will reveal which ones to head to.
A great way to separate the wheat from the chaff when deciding what statistics are useful is by asking yourself if your new knowledge will have a direct effect on a match. How many points a goalie has allowed over the year on average is good, how many wins a team has enjoyed just before they received a whack of new players is not so good.
