If
you enjoy placing championship futures bets on significant sports, you should
certainly consider the NHL. When looking for value in betting NHL futures, Stanley
Cup odds are just as enticing as any.
The simple explanation for this is that hockey is typically
more predictable than other sports like football and basketball. It is
extremely uncommon for mediocre teams to win the NHL’s ultimate prize - the
Stanley Cup.
Teams are among the league’s elite and those that are on
the rise are the teams that usually capture Lord Stanley’s Cup. It may not
always be the heavy favorite that wins, but it is usually never a longshot. Wagering on hockey futures can be
extremely profitable.
Here are a few things hockey bettors should examine when
betting NHL futures, especially the Stanley Cup.
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Betting NHL Futures - The Favorites
Bettors need to determine how good the favorites really
are. Any time you bet on championship futures - even if it’s not hockey - start
with the favorites. They are favorites for a reason.
Before you start betting on favorites, you will need a quality
sportsbook. It has as much to do with your wins as anything.
Now, keep in mind that the betting public will spend its
money on favorites. That’s what the public does. They like favorites and
popular teams. As a result, the odds on those favorites will probably be a bit
lower than they should be.
As a sports bettor, you have to have the ability to
determine whether or not the odds merit the attention of bettors. Teams that
are considered favorites are, as stated, favorites for a reason. You have to
figure out whether betting on them offers value despite the inflated odds.
You would need a very good reason to bet against them if
they are big favorites with no evident weaknesses and a decent probability of
being the last team standing. Then again, you may find a better option that
will pay out a bit more as you continue betting NHL futures.
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Goaltender Play
Goaltending is like pitching in baseball. It is one of the
key indicators as to whether or not a team can win a championship. Without
outstanding goaltending, it is practically impossible for an NHL team to win a
Stanley Cup.
Teams can win a title without an elite-level goalie, but
historically, it has been teams with an elite goaltender that capture the
Stanley Cup. Sometimes, a goalie just gets hot at the right time too. That has
happened and should be factored into betting NHL futures.
Before placing your Stanley Cup futures bet, consider the
goaltending. Is the No. 1 goalie a guy that can win a championship? Is the
backup good enough to give the team solid wins in the starter’s absence?
If you are unsure of the answers to these questions, you
might not place a wager on a team just yet. Without some answers, it might be
too risky to bet on a team at this point in a season. That could change though.
You will also want an online betting portal where you can find
all these statistics and more.
Betting NHL Futures - Depth
In an NHL season, there are going to be injuries. It’s
unavoidable. Teams that have greater depth are teams that can navigate long
stretches without key players.
In an 82-game regular season, teams can often play 20 or
more games without one of their superstars. Those teams will have to have
quality backups and guys on other lines that can pick up the slack.
Teams that manage the loss of a star player without
suffering too many setbacks can flourish in a given season. Keep that in mind
when betting NHL futures.
Look at the Conference & Division
How well an NHL team performs often depends upon the
relative strength of a team’s division. The way the NHL schedule is set up
requires teams to play the other teams in their division either three or four
times per season. With eight teams per division, that’s up to 32 games on the
schedule.
Teams in a more difficult division might face the
possibility of not even making the postseason. When betting NHL futures,
bettors have to consider the strength of a team’s division. It’s the same for
the conference.
A matchup with another powerful team at some point in the
playoffs might disqualify a team from consideration in your Stanley Cup
handicapping. Before betting NHL futures, simply be certain of price and value.
Special Teams
The best teams in the NHL are very proficient when they are
on the power play or killing the power play. The majority of Stanley Cup
championship teams will be the best in at least one of those categories.
That makes it important for bettors to consider teams
historical performances in power play percentage and penalty killing
percentage. Look to see if teams have made any modifications in their special
teams. It’s possible they added or lost players that are keys in these areas.
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Your Ranking System
When betting NHL futures, keep in mind you’re not
attempting to predict which team will win the Stanley Cup. You want to find
teams that have a higher chance of winning the title than their odds would
indicate.
Use your criteria to develop your ranking system. If you
place bets that pay out more than the risk they carry, you will be a winner in
the long run.
One efficient technique to approach
these bets is to assess the teams and rank them according to their chances of
winning and overall strength. Once you have all the teams arranged, you can
assign some simple odds to indicate each team's chances. NHL handicappers can
stay sharp when they use multiple sports betting services to
find the best value.
