It is not uncommon to come across a massively popular sport in a country. This is essentially the case in Canada, where hockey remains the dominant sport for fans and gamblers.
This article seeks to discover the reasons behind the growing popularity of hockey betting in Canada. Read on to learn these driving factors.
The Canadian Hockey History
In Canada, hockey is not just another game, no. The sport dates way before the launch of the National Hockey League, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. To set the record straight, the NHL was founded in 1917; this means that Canadian hockey is older than that.
Canadians have been passing their love for the sport from one generation to another for over a century. The NHL was launched with a mission to help propagate the passion for hockey in Canada and the US.
Over the past four Olympic ice hockey tournaments, Canada took the first position in three. This is probably one of the reasons why the sport has been gaining more popularity over the past few years.
Canada has proved itself as the hockey powerhouse across the globe. It’s only prudent to say that Canada is the team to beat.
A Close Proximity to National Teams
The NHL boasts 32 teams as of the 2021-22 season, and the number is expected to keep growing. Of the total teams, seven are from Canada: Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton, and Calgary Flames.
While 7/32 might seem like a small number, you should take note that there is only one Canadian NBA team and no Canadian NFL team at all. In addition, there is only one major Canadian team in Baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Of all major sports leagues in North America (NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA), only nine teams are Canadian, and seven are hockey teams. These teams are evenly distributed across the country, with the Maples Leafs in southern Ontario, the Senators in northern Ontario, and the Canadiens in Quebec.
Therefore, it becomes feasible for Canadians to place wagers on hockey games because they will not have to travel to other jurisdictions. Even when the locals are not realistically in touch with the teams, they feel close enough and are heavily invested in the games and their outcomes. Many have turned to PayPal casinos for Canadian players to try their luck at online gambling.
Hockey is a Fast-Evolving Sport
Like all other sports, hockey keeps on evolving to keep fans entertained and excited. It is also worth noting that the gameplay is quite fast as well. The game proceeds without much interruption. One cannot call a timeout or overstep the bounds just to get a stoppage, and as such, the game will only stop from an intermission or commercial break.
The league prioritizes speed and skill over toughness and size. Being a continuous sport, hockey bettors get a better chance to actualize their wagers in good time. The NHL plans to deploy an electronic puck-tracking system, which will catalyze hockey betting in Canada.
Easy Availability of Information
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Canadians can access hockey gambling information from the comfort of their smartphones. This means access to a wide variety of lucrative odds and relevant gambling intel. Therefore, it’s not surprising that more Canadian hockey fans have taken to the betting facet of the sport.
Parity
The NHL is the most popular but not the only hockey league where Canadians can place wagers. The league delivers optimum parity to hockey fans by balancing the teams across the board.
Over the past 16 NHL seasons, there have been 11 teams that won the Stanley cup. St. Louis Blues won the Stanley in the 2018-19 seasons but finished position 30 last season.
This is different from what we have witnessed in other leagues, such as the NBA, where the Golden State Warriors won three of the four seasons between 2015 and 2018. On the other hand, Chicago Bulls took home six NBA championship titles in a span of eight between 1991 and 1998.
The same trend is also seen in the NFL, where the New England Patriots have won the AFC East title each year since 2003. The same team also won three Super Bowls from its last four appearances.
The results are quite unpredictable when it comes to the National Hockey League. This fact alone presents a lucrative gambling opportunity; the underdog plays that pay significantly substantial returns.
High Volatility of Outcomes
Under/over results in hockey, betting remains highly volatile. This means that the team with the worst standings still stands a chance against superior teams. This phenomenon is unique from what we see in leagues like the NHL and the NBA.
The parity witnessed within hockey betting translates to uncertainty. With the punter investing deeper into their research, the overall entertainment value is boosted.
Sports betting is all about watching a high-paced game with a background of hours of research. This explains why Canada’s most popular sport also ranks as the most wagered upon.
The Appeal of Ice Hockey
Ice hockey happens to be the most popular form of hockey in Canada, with the sport keeping fans on the edge of their seats for decades. Therefore, it’s not surprising that ice hockey betting is quite prevalent within the country.
Betting is one of the ways through which fans show support for their teams. Ice hockey wagering is all about putting your money where your mouth is. The betting aspect of any sport is often as popular as the sport itself. At the beginning of 2021, NHL witnessed record viewership as the industry reopened post covid-19 restrictions.
Although a huge majority of fans enjoy the sport without wagering on it, betting often provides more fun to the sport due to invested financial and emotional efforts. However, it is prudent to note that gambling is just a different form of entertainment, and as such, you should not stake more than what you can afford to lose.