Does 'Match Betting' include overtime and shootouts?

In the case of match betting and Moneyline, they do include overtime and shootouts, unlike 60-minute bets and 3-way Moneyline (1X2).

What is the 'Puck Line' in ice hockey?

The 'Puck Line' is a betting market for ice hockey which, in other sports, is known as a handicap or spread and is usually set at 1.5 goals. It gives a goal advantage or disadvantage to the favourites (-) and underdogs (+) and serves to balance the odds.

Do goals in a shootout count towards the 'Game Totals'?

Goals scored in a penalty shootout do count towards this betting market, but only as 1 goal for the winner. Example: the score before the penalty shootout is 3-3; the home team wins the penalty shootout, so the final score of the match is 4-3.

What happens to my bet if the game is postponed?

If 24 or 48 hours pass and the match is not resumed, the bookmaker will void the bet and issue a refund.

Is it better to bet on the NHL or European leagues like the EIHL?

Odds in the NHL are also more stable and predictable than in European leagues, but the answer to this question depends more than anything on your knowledge and player profile, as the NHL is more physical and fast-paced, but also less strategic than the EIHL and other European leagues.

What is 'Grand Salami' betting in ice hockey?

A ‘Grand Salami’ bet is a ‘Game Totals’ bet covering all matches on a specific matchday, not just a single match. Example: Over 14.5 for the 5 matches of the day.

Does an 'Empty Net' goal count for betting purposes?

Yes, an empty-net goal counts the same as a goal with a goalkeeper in the net, at least in most UK markets and bookmakers.

What does 'Grand Slam' mean in international hockey?

The Grand Slam in international hockey, better known as the ‘Triple Gold Club’, is a feat achieved by players and coaches that requires winning the NHL’s Stanley Cup, the Olympic Games (Gold) and the IIHF World Championship. It is not necessary to win all these titles in the same year; in fact, it is impossible.

Ice Hockey Predictions: Expert Analysis for the UK

Last update at 15 May, 2026⏲️ Reading time: 6 minutes

Expert IIHF World Championship Predictions

Our analysis for this short two-week tournament differs from that of tournaments such as the NHL, as the larger ice surface favours technical teams over physical ones.

Our experts analyse ice hockey powerhouses such as Canada, Finland, the United States and Sweden, in search of value odds in the group stages and knockout rounds of the IIHF World Championship, where the underdogs often spring a surprise and cause the favourites problems in more than one match.

Navigating the NHL: Regular season and Stanley Cup tips

NHL predictions play a vital role when betting on ice hockey. Without them, it would be very difficult to get anything right, let alone in a tournament with an 82-game regular season like this one, where the Playoffs are also contested and the coveted Stanley Cup is up for grabs.

The form and consistency of the teams are key to analysing the matches and making good NHL tips. We know this well. That’s why we analyse them from top to bottom, matchday after matchday.

How We Craft Our Hockey Predictions

When making ice hockey predictions for our UK readers, we rely primarily on insider information and detailed statistics. We never let ourselves be guided by gut feelings. Only in this way can we guarantee accurate ice hockey predictions for betting on Match Betting, Puck Line and Game Totals in the NHL and IIHF World Championship.

🏒 Our Winning Methodology

Our methodology for making good predictions in a sport as unpredictable as ice hockey is simple, yet highly effective.

We focus on analysing the betting markets most used by UK punters, including 60-minute 3-way bets, which are ideal for predicting the winner or a draw, and 2-way match bets, which include OT/Shootouts and have lower odds as they are easier to predict.

📊 Essential Stats You Can't Ignore

Any good ice hockey prediction takes these statistics and factors into account:

Goalkeepers: the key to making good ice hockey match predictions is to analyse the goalkeepers thoroughly; statistics such as SV% (Save Percentage) and GAA (Goals Against Average) help us gauge their performance and predict the outcome of each match.
Special Teams: knowing the PP% (Power Play Percentage) and PK% (Penalty Kill Percentage) is extremely useful for determining how well a team capitalises on a man advantage and how likely they are to concede goals when they have fewer players on the ice than their opponents.
Schedule Fatigue: the ‘back-to-back’ factor – teams playing two consecutive matches often perform worse than their opponents – makes knowing the NHL schedule key.
Trusted Sources: Behind good ice hockey predictions lie data and statistics gathered from sports websites such as ESPN and Elite Prospects, and official sources such as the NHL and IIHF websites.

📰 Breaking News and Line-up Tracking

Checking the starting goalkeeper before placing a bet and staying informed about last-minute developments, such as line-up changes due to player injuries, increases your chances of predicting the correct results. Any changes or absences before and during matches can affect the betting odds, however minor they may be.

💰 Finding Value in the Odds

In ice hockey betting, it is not always advisable to select markets such as Moneyline or Puck Line. Sometimes, the value lies in secondary markets such as Team Totals or First Period Winner. To find it, you need to analyse specific segments of the match and key events such as the use of substitute goalkeepers or the withdrawal of a first-line player, which often significantly affect team performance and give the opposition a huge advantage.

Meet Our Ice Hockey Experts at BetBrothers

At Bet Brothers, we have a team of highly qualified tipsters who specialise in making accurate ice hockey predictions and identifying value bets in markets such as the Puck Line, Team Goals, Race to 3 Goals and Player Props.

Each of them knows the local and international ice hockey market better than anyone else in the UK and closely follows the NHL, the IIHF World Championship and top winter leagues such as the EIHL, NIHL and CHL to bring you the best detailed ice hockey analysis of the season.

FAQ. Ice Hockey Betting FAQ

Does 'Match Betting' include overtime and shootouts?
In the case of match betting and Moneyline, they do include overtime and shootouts, unlike 60-minute bets and 3-way Moneyline (1X2).
What is the 'Puck Line' in ice hockey?
The 'Puck Line' is a betting market for ice hockey which, in other sports, is known as a handicap or spread and is usually set at 1.5 goals. It gives a goal advantage or disadvantage to the favourites (-) and underdogs (+) and serves to balance the odds.
Do goals in a shootout count towards the 'Game Totals'?
Goals scored in a penalty shootout do count towards this betting market, but only as 1 goal for the winner. Example: the score before the penalty shootout is 3-3; the home team wins the penalty shootout, so the final score of the match is 4-3.
What happens to my bet if the game is postponed?
If 24 or 48 hours pass and the match is not resumed, the bookmaker will void the bet and issue a refund.
Is it better to bet on the NHL or European leagues like the EIHL?
Odds in the NHL are also more stable and predictable than in European leagues, but the answer to this question depends more than anything on your knowledge and player profile, as the NHL is more physical and fast-paced, but also less strategic than the EIHL and other European leagues.
What is 'Grand Salami' betting in ice hockey?
A ‘Grand Salami’ bet is a ‘Game Totals’ bet covering all matches on a specific matchday, not just a single match. Example: Over 14.5 for the 5 matches of the day.
Does an 'Empty Net' goal count for betting purposes?
Yes, an empty-net goal counts the same as a goal with a goalkeeper in the net, at least in most UK markets and bookmakers.
What does 'Grand Slam' mean in international hockey?
The Grand Slam in international hockey, better known as the ‘Triple Gold Club’, is a feat achieved by players and coaches that requires winning the NHL’s Stanley Cup, the Olympic Games (Gold) and the IIHF World Championship. It is not necessary to win all these titles in the same year; in fact, it is impossible.