Best Hockey Betting Sites in Canada

At MyBetting Canada, our job is to review sports betting sites from the perspective of a user. We only review legal betting sites in Canada that are safe and secure. When it comes to hockey betting sites, there are a lot of different things that can set them apart. No sportsbook is the same, and they each have distinguishing aspects that can either improve the user experience or make it worse.

What we look for in an operator remains consistent whether we are discussing new betting sites or old ones, what we look for in an operator remains consistent. There are several criteria that we believe define hockey betting online. Here are some of the different aspects that make a hockey betting website either good or bad.

• Hockey Coverage: This is a hugely important component of a betting site. What coverage defines is whether they cover the hockey games and leagues bettors are looking for. Do they take bets for NHL games? If you prefer other leagues, do they provide odds for those?
• Betting Offers and Promotions: We’ll discuss these in more detail later, but betting offers and promotions are the different bonuses and incentives sportsbooks offer. Some of the best sports betting offers are for hockey promos, so keep your eyes peeled.
• Markets: Markets are the different ways to bet that a website has. They are the actual outcomes that a website has odds on. Every website will have moneyline bets, but what sets operators apart is whether they have good player props and game props available.
• Features: We’ll dive more into features later on. But to put it succinctly, features are the different unique ways to use a website that a sportsbook has. They’re the fun additions to an operator that differentiate it from others.
• Mobile Experience: The mobile experience is important, and we’ll be breaking down which operators have the best hockey betting apps later. It is important that a sportsbook provides good mobile options to users.
• User Interface: The user interface is how a sportsbook looks. Is it well designed? Does it function well on the computer? These are important considerations for a good operator.

If you are looking to place a hockey bet, here are five of the operators we’d recommend you use!

Betting apps allow Canadians to take their enjoyment of sportsbooks on the go. Finding a good one is important. A dedicated mobile app allows you to bring your favourite hockey betting sites with you wherever you go.

Some operators don’t have one, but many have great mobile sites and downloadable mobile packages. Let’s look at some of the great Hockey betting apps that Canadians will enjoy.

888sport App

888sport has a straightforward app that will get you betting in no time. They also have a great mobile website that functions great on iOS and Android.

Betway App

Betway has a top-notch downloadable mobile app available to Canadians. It brings the enjoyable Betway experience bettors are familiar with to a mobile format.

Sports Interaction App

Sports Interaction has a great app available for Android and iOS. The Sports Interaction app is one of the best available because it puts a huge emphasis on the mobile experience.

There are certain differentiating features that may make one website better than another. Features offer bettors something that will enhance their betting experience with the sportsbook.

Every operator has different features. If you want to place hockey bets on a betting website with great features, you need to know what the most ideal features are. Let’s explore some of the features that we believe the best hockey betting sites should provide their users. 

• Live Hockey Betting: Live betting sites allow users to place bets on hockey games while they are already underway. The odds change as the game plays out, so if one team scores a goal, their odds to win will increase. This feature is available on websites like GGBet, Betway, Shangri La, and more.
• Crypto Hockey Betting: Cryptocurrency is all the rage these days, and while people love to trade with it, others like to bet. Crypto betting is a payment option that allows users to deposit and withdraw with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. It is available on operators like Bodog.
• Hockey Bet Builders: A bet builder is a very fun feature that hockey fans will love. Bet builders allow bettors to create customized same-game parlays that can lead to some massive winnings. Bettors can combine hockey props and spreads into fun combos on websites like TonyBet and Betway.
• Cash Out and Partial Cash Out: Cash out is a feature that allows bettors to exit their bet before it is over. If you are hockey betting online, you can receive certain payouts before the game is over.
  
  If you use cash out while your bet looks likely to hit, you’ll receive a higher payment than what you staked. If you cash out while your bet is unlikely to hit, you will receive less money than you put in. It is a great way to ensure some winnings or get some money back and is available on most operators.
• Statistics Page: A statistics page is a rare feature that can benefit bettors. You can access a huge number of relevant stats on the games you are trying to bet, finding out info on team performance, player performance, and more. It will help instruct your hockey betting strategy. 

Bonuses and promotions are the offers that sportsbooks have to entice users to place bets. Every operator will have different kinds of bonuses and promotions available to their users that can provide some serious value to the users. A bonus is often some type of “gift” to the user that can be claimed by betting a certain type of way. There are free bet offers, welcome bonuses, and much more.

Claiming a bonus can be done by opening an account and depositing. You can typically find bonuses and promos by heading to the promotions page on a website. The promo page is typically listed on the upper toolbar, and by clicking on it, you can see what is currently available. Promos change throughout the year, often cycling based on the major sporting events. Websites will typically offer big promos for big events, like Stanley Cup free bets.

The most important thing with promos is to look at the terms and conditions. Many sportsbooks hide important rules in the terms and conditions of the bonuses that change how the promo is used. These can alter the value negatively if they are stringent. 

Let’s look at some of the different kinds of promos that may be relevant for your hockey bets.

• Free Bet Offers: Free Bets are when sportsbooks provide completely free bets to their users. Oftentimes, users will need to do something to get a free bet. An example of a bonus like this would be if you bet $20 on NHL games, you get a $5 free bet.
• Parlay Boosts: Parlay boosts are when sportsbooks boost winnings on parlay bets by a certain percentage. These are riskier bonuses to engage with because there is no certainty of receiving anything. An example of a parlay boost would be winnings boosted 15% on parlays of 6 legs or more.
• Boosted Odds: Boosted odds are when a sportsbook takes certain lines and makes them more favourable to gamblers. They increase the line to make the payout better for their users. This is a great bonus that has a lot of value. An example of a boosted odds bonus would be if a sportsbook boosted the odds of Connor McDavid scoring and the Edmonton Oilers winning from +200 to +350.
• You Lead, You Win: The You Lead, You Win promo is another one that has a lot of value for gamblers. It basically means that if a team a user bet on is winning by a certain margin, sportsbooks count it as a win regardless of what happens in the rest of the game. An example of a You Lead, You Win bonus is if an NHL team gets a 2-0 lead, the bet cashes.
• Welcome Offers: Welcome offers are the biggest promotions, the ones that incentivize users to sign up. Welcome bonuses are present on just about every betting site on the internet. They typically come in the form of matched deposits. An example of a welcome bonus would be a 100% matched first deposit up to $100.

In this section, we’re going to reveal some of the need-to-know information about betting on hockey. We’re going to explain the different markets, bet types, the different rules surrounding hockey betting, and the top hockey leagues and tournaments. Hopefully, this should provide you with all you need to know to start hockey betting online.

Markets and Bet Types

Markets and bet types are the different things bettors are actually wagering on. They are the different outcomes that bettors are projecting to either happen or not happen. Let’s look at some of the different markets and bet types you can find on the best hockey betting sites. 

• Moneyline: A moneyline bet is the simplest option. Betting a team on the moneyline means you’ve picked them to win. If you bet on the Maple Leafs with the moneyline, the Leafs need to win the game for your bet to cash.
• Puck Line: The puck line is the hockey version of the point spread. The puck line is always -1.5, meaning whoever is the favourite in the game is favoured by 1.5 goals. To cover the line, the favourite needs to win by two or more. Bettors can bet for or against this line. Puck line betting is available on just about every operator from Betway to Bet99.
• Total: The total (over/under) is a line that projects the total number of goals that will be scored in a hockey game between both teams combined. Bettors can bet the over, meaning the teams will combine for more goals, or the under. Totals are available on the vast majority of operators, like Betway, Sports Interaction, and 888Sport.
• Futures/Outrights: Futures, also known as outrights, are bets on long-term occurrences. They are bets on things that take time to develop, such as who will win the Stanley Cup or the Hart Trophy. Outrights can be found on just about every operator out there, but what the markets are depends on the sportsbook.
• Game Props: Game props are markets that are on events within the game that may not have a direct impact on the outcome. Game props can be on things like who will win a period, who will have more shots on goal, and who will have more penalties. They can be found on sportsbooks like Betway and 888Sport.
• Player Props: Player props are similar to game props but focused on individuals rather than teams. Player props can be something like will Connor McDavid score a goal, will Mitch Marner have two or more points, and so on. These are rarer markets that can be found on sportsbooks like Sports Interaction and Betway.
• Parlay Betting: A parlay is when bettors tie several different bets under the umbrella of one. In order for a parlay to hit, every aspect of the bet needs to hit. If you put together a seven-leg parlay and six legs hit, the bet doesn’t succeed.

Hockey Betting Rules

Every sport has different betting rules that can change the outcomes of a wager. With hockey betting, there are several different important ones to consider. Let’s look at some of the different hockey betting rules that bettors should be aware of.

• The game must go 55 minutes for wager to count.
• Overtime is included in all aspects of the bet (props, totals, moneyline) unless otherwise stated.
• Shootouts don’t count towards player or game props; however, they do add one goal to the total.
• The favourite must win by two or more to count as a win on the puck line.
• For player props, the player must dress and appear in the game for the bet to have action.
• For odd/even bets, if zero goals are scored in the game, it is settled as an even.
• All bets on that game are void if a match isn’t played on the listed date.

Top Leagues and Tournaments

For Canadian bettors, there are a few leagues and tournaments that rise above the rest. Everyone has different tastes, but at the end of the day, certain leagues are popular for a reason.

Around the world, the KHL and the National League in Switzerland are two of the most popular leagues not in North America. The most popular leagues in the world reside in Canada and the U.S.

The OHL, WHL, QMJHL, and NCAA are leagues for younger prospects that have many players who go on to become pros. These leagues are popular amongst Canadians, although many don’t follow. You can find odds on these leagues on operators like Fezbet, Sports Interaction, and more.

The biggest league is the National Hockey League or NHL. The NHL features the most talented players from around the world, with teams scattered across Canada and the U.S. It has the most electric talent in the sport, from Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid to Cale Makar and Victor Hedman. 

The biggest hockey tournament is the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL’s postseason tournament to determine who will be crowned champion. Sixteen teams enter to compete in a best of seven series, culminating in the Stanley Cup Finals between the two final teams remaining, one from each conference.

Other popular tournaments include the Olympics, which is where the International talent faces off against each other, and the World Juniors, where the best young players face off against each other in an international competition.