When it comes to ice hockey, wherever you are in the globe, the National Hockey League (NHL) is the undisputed top league. The NHL now has fans in every state as well as every country on the planet. With such a large following, it’s easy to see why the NHL is a favorite among sports bettors. The activity is fast-paced, and it may be profitable for a small group of sports bettors.

So, where should you start? As a beginner, it is a good idea to look at the various options available in terms of sportsbooks, as well as familiarize yourself with the main sports betting odds comparison sites. Beyond that, we’ve put together some tips that are essential for success.

Travel schedules

Travel schedules are vital in all sports, but in a physically demanding activity such as ice hockey, they become much more so. It’s a game in which your body is repeatedly pummeled, bruised and hammered. Consider the difference between playing two home games in a week against four away games in a week. Which side will be the most rested for the upcoming game?

You should keep an eye out for teams that you believe will be suffering from significant weariness, and check whether there is an option to bet against them. Remember that just because a team is fatigued or on a lengthy road trip does not always indicate they will lose. All it implies is that they will be less fresh, which will have an influence on their speed, power, concentration and overall performance.

You should also consider how far the teams will have to travel. You can guarantee that their sleep and healing will be hampered if they’re traveling long distances, and professional athletes or not, they are subject to the same stresses as everyone else.

Overvaluing statistics

Of course, you can’t overlook stats, but you should learn to be selective and analytical in the way that you use them. For a start, you should make sure that you get your numbers from a reliable source, such as one of the major media outlets, and even then, you should do occasional checks on their accuracy.

You should also focus on the stats that really matter. A lot of the data on TV that is thrown at fans is essentially useless, particularly trends statistics about how often a certain team has beaten another team on a particular day of the week. Ask yourself how useful, relevant and informative a stat is, and consider whether it is something that is obvious or something that may give you an edge.

Line matchups

Ice hockey is based around the concept of the line. A line is a selection of players who are on the ice at the same time. The lines can be adjusted at any time during a game and will logically be matched against the other team’s lines. So, to know how well a particular team will play, you will need to know how the lines will interact – with one another and with the other team.

You’re searching for line combinations that will lead to scoring chances. This kind of study is the gateway to enable you to go further into the team’s roster and identify circumstances where goals might be scored, which can give you an edge in the betting markets.

Looking for value

All of the other tips outlined here are important, but this is probably the most important of all. In fact, it is not so much a tip as a fundamental rule of successful betting. Essentially, the ability to recognize value bets is the key to long-term success. This sometimes means betting on NHL teams that you believe are more likely to lose than win, and not betting on teams that you think will win easily. The notion might be difficult to grasp at first, but once you understand, you will have opened the gateway to potential success.

To think of it another way, your win-loss record has nothing to do with sports betting or NHL betting success. Making a profit depends entirely on the return on your investment. Basically, almost all of your bets could be losers, yet you can still win a lot of money. Conversely, you might back a lot of winners and lose money. The key is that you are not looking for winners – you should be looking for situations in which the odds are in your favor. Once you bet according to this principle, you will be in a stronger position to succeed.