South Africans are passionate about their sports, and that includes sports offers that do not necessarily exist in the region. Ice hockey betting markets are offered to SA bettors for this reason. The type of hockey that South Africans play is field hockey, a brand of hockey that is popular in regions without a lot of ice. Find out what the differences are between the two sports and how you can bet on ice hockey. We feature top online sports betting websites that have the best odds for betting on hockey games. Read our guides to learn how hockey betting works in South Africa.
Best Online Bookmakers in South Africa
Operator | Bonus | Features | Claim Now |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
 | R500 | |||
 | R1000 | |||
 | R2000 |
Field Hockey Vs. Ice Hockey
Hockey has multiple variations that are played across the world. The main versions are ice hockey as well as field hockey. Although both games share quite a lot of similarities, the differences are pretty evident.
Field Hockey Betting
Probably the least popular of the two variants, field hockey games are played outdoors on a green, friction-heavy surface. Instead of a puck, they use a round ball to score. Field hockey matches are played against 11 players per team and the dress code is designed so that it allows ease in movement. Every four years, the Men’s Hockey World Cup is held to determine which country has the best field hockey program.
Ice Hockey Betting
Ice hockey is renowned for its combative, and very physical nature. It forms part of the sport and why people like it so much. Played indoors and on a smooth ice rink, each team attempts to score the hockey puck as many times on the opponent’s side as possible. Each team has six players that take to the field, wearing skates and protective gear. The most popular competition in the sport is the National Hockey League (NHL) contested in North America.
National Hockey League Bets Online
NHL betting is quite a fascinating sport that features hockey teams from the United States of America and Canada. The NHL teams compete for the honour of lifting the Stanley Cup, the most lucrative trophy in the sport. The NHL league is divided into six conferences, all playing to win the conference and qualify for the NHL playoffs. SA bettors can start placing NHL bets from late September, right through to the middle of June. Here’s a list of the NHL hockey conferences you will find at NHL gambling sites online:
- Western Conference
- Eastern Conference
- Western Conference Pacific
- Eastern Conference Atlantic
- Western Conference Central
- Eastern Conference Metropolitan
Hockey Betting Lines
Now that you have an idea on which conferences to bet on, you have to understand the different betting odds for hockey matches. We’ve listed some of the most competitive NHL betting lines you will find at South African bookmakers online:
- Moneyline Betting – NHL money line bets requires SA bettors to predict the winner of the hockey match after the final whistle has sounded.
- Puck Line bets – This betting market only exists in hockey and players predict the number of points that the underdog will lose and the point difference of the favourites to win by.
- Over/under – Also referred to as a total bet, gamblers estimate the overall hockey score either at half time or after the match has ended.
- Parlay Betting – This betting system is for players that know their hockey. Bettors place a wager on multiple matches and increase their winning potential by adding more odds to the team that will win.
- Player Bets – Bettors can place individual player bets and predict which player will score and the number of goals they will put in the net.
- In-Play Betting – Bet on the next play in a live game. Known as hockey live betting, you can wait until the odds rise and place your bet as the game is playing.
Ice Hockey Betting Strategy
It is important to apply some kind of strategy to the bets that you make. This improves the odds of you winning every single time. We’ve rounded up the best ice hockey betting strategies from expert tipsters from around the world.
- Do not even bother making bets on hockey matches if you didn’t do your research on the different hockey teams and the leagues. Read through the log standing and roster of the team to learn more about the best hockey players in the team.
- Bettors need to take advantage of the period in the season when some teams are still trying to find their feet. Once the regular season is finished, teams gear up for the playoffs and things start getting interesting.
- If you know that it will be difficult to sustain the same level of interest for the whole season, rather bet on which teams will win the playoff series.
- Make conservative bets until you’re certain that you have a proper grasp on the sport.
Try putting these strategies to work to see if they can work for you. Visit any of our recommended sports betting sites and bet on hockey today.
