Numerous hockey betting strategies are focused on the world’s most popular league — the NHL. Let’s look at the specifics of betting in this league and several effective strategies.
KHL – the strongest hockey league in Europe
The Kontinental Hockey League was founded in 2008, based on the strongest Russian clubs. The championship lineup has changed from season to season.
In the 2022–2023 season, the two conferences — Eastern and Western — include 22 teams, three of which represent other countries. Besides Russia, clubs from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and China will compete in the KHL this season. From September to late February, an intense regular season is held, during which each team plays 68 games.
In March–April, the playoffs take place. In each conference, the top eight clubs compete for the championship title, starting from the quarterfinals. The Gagarin Cup is played as a series between the conference champions.
Features of betting on the KHL
Let’s highlight several characteristics that distinguish the KHL from other European and overseas leagues:
- low average scoring compared to the NHL;
- the need for long-distance flights for teams visiting opponents from another conference;
- foreign clubs with not the highest playing level but performing at 100% on home ice;
- inconsistent team performance throughout the regular season due to the large number of games and limited pool of top-tier players.
Some of these features can be considered pros and cons, but they must be accounted for in pre-match analysis.
Types of hockey bets
Licensed bookmakers offer detailed markets for KHL hockey betting. Most bookmakers include a standard list of markets:
- 1X2, double chance, and overtime options;
- total and individual totals;
- European and Asian handicaps;
- Both Teams to Score – Yes/No;
- Which team will score next or a specific numbered goal;
- correct score, odd/even goals;
- player statistics, and more.
Combined and special markets are also widely available. The latter include comparisons of period results, whether a team will score in every period, etc.
What to consider in pre-match analysis
To fully utilize the detailed markets offered for KHL bets, it’s essential to conduct thorough pre-match analysis with consideration of several factors:
- Motivation. This factor is especially important in the final weeks of the regular season when teams fight for playoff spots. Teams aiming for seventh or eighth place often put up serious resistance even against the leaders.
- Team form. A club’s physical condition depends on many factors — a packed schedule, long-distance travel, overall fatigue, or injuries to key players.
- Statistics in the championship overall and in the last five to six games. Detailed analysis of statistical data is a fundamental aspect of accurate predictions.
- Head-to-head history. In the KHL, as in other leagues, there are pairs of teams whose encounters are particularly intense.
- Team morale. A losing streak, coaching changes, or key player transfers — these and other factors strongly affect team psychology and, consequently, their performance.
Popular KHL betting strategies
Based on the characteristics described above, bettors use various strategies for KHL hockey betting. Let’s consider several schemes as examples, including two live hockey betting strategies and one pre-match option.
Draw in a period
The average odds for a draw in the first period in online bookmakers are around 2.30. For the second and third periods, they rise to 2.50–2.70.
Use this to apply a Martingale-style progression according to the following scheme:
- place a small bet on a draw in the first period, for example, 10 USD;
- if it loses, double the bet on the same outcome in the second period;
- if it loses again, double the stake once more and place the same bet.
There is always a risk of a long losing streak, but with such odds, the strategy can pay off. For statistical illustration, let’s take one game day — October 13, 2022. Eight matches were played. Out of 24 periods, 11 ended in a draw.
O 1.5 goals per period
The “total over 1.5 goals per period” market can be used with a similar Martingale approach. The profit here is smaller since odds range from 1.80 to 2.20. However, statistically, this KHL betting strategy is quite justified, as in 45–50% of periods, at least two goals are scored.
Note! Martingale-style betting carries the risk of prolonged losing streaks. A bookmaker may lower your maximum limits. They may also remove the specific market used for progression from subsequent period lines. It’s important to find a bookmaker that’s tolerant toward such betting tactics.
Both Teams to Score – use triple parlays
If in NHL matches the “Both Teams to Score – Yes” option comes with odds around 1.04, in the KHL, it’s offered at 1.15–1.25. We can take advantage of this and act according to the following algorithm:
Build triple parlays, achieving a combined total of approximately 1.2×1.2×1.15 = 1.66. Such odds are acceptable if you win two out of three bets.
Looking again at the mentioned game day, in all eight matches, both teams scored. You can improve the effectiveness of this strategy by conducting detailed pre-match analysis of team scoring performance.
One of the disadvantages is the unstable performance of clubs, especially mid-table teams. Unexpected or even “strange” results often occur.
