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How To Bet On IIHF World Championship | LeoVegas

How To Bet On IIHF World Championship

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Organised by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which has overseen this competition since its inception in 1920, the IIHF World Championships bring together the best ice hockey players and coaches from around the world.

How To Bet On The Ice Hockey World Championships (IIHF)

To find the World Championship Ice Hockey betting lines, you can simply navigate to the Ice Hockey betting page and select ‘World Championship’.

Here, you will see a list of the matches that are due to take place and you can just choose the fixture to open all the betting lines available for that game. Simply have a look at the prices and the type of bet you wish to place and add that bet to your bet slip.

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Have your say with LeoVegas Sport!

LeoVegas has a plethora of World Championship markets for you to enjoy throughout the tournament. From betting on the winner of every game, to betting on the outright winner of the tournament, it’s all available to you with LeoVegas.

Aside from simply betting on winners, we have numerous in-depth markets that you can explore. You can bet on how many goals will be scored in each fixture, the name of the players who might score the goals, who might win each of the three periods during the game, and even the margin of the win.

We have attached an example of the most popular markets below:

Match Odds - This is one of the simpler forms of betting available at LeoVegas. All you have to do is wager on who you believe will win the game, and if they do, your bet comes in. Sometimes, you can also bet on a tie.

Total Goals - Another popular market for the World Championships is Total Goals. This is where a wager is placed on how many goals will be in the game. If the line is set at 4.5, a bet can be placed on whether the game will finish with above or below this number.

Handicap - A handicap places a team at a hypothetical disadvantage. If a team is placed at a -1 handicap, that team will have to win by two or more goals for your bet to win.

Match Winner Inc OT and Pen - Much like match odds, the match winner market focuses on who will win the game. However, this includes both overtime and penalties - this means the teams could be tied after normal time and your bet could still win.

Player to score - If you predict a certain player will have an impressive game in front of goal, then our player specific markets are for you. The player to score market is where you would wager on an individual to score a certain amount of goals within the game.

Structure of the IIHF World Championship

The whole point of the IIHF World Championship is to showcase the best of international ice hockey and provide teams with an equal platform that allows them to compete on a global scale. And so, the tournament’s structure has been meticulously designed with all this in mind. The format and qualification process that teams have to go through plays a pivotal role in all this, shaping the event’s dynamics and determining which countries will get the chance to battle it out for the competition’s highly coveted gold medal.

The tournament consists of two main stages; the preliminary round and the playoff round. In the former, teams are split into two groups (A and B), where they compete with other teams within their same group. The results of these matches serve as a seeding for the playoff round that follows.

The playoffs take on a standard knockout format with teams facing each other in elimination rounds until two of them reach the final and one is crowned champion. It’s the most dramatic phase of the tournament, with the elimination format creating a sense of intensity that makes matches all the more engaging.

Of course, this part of the tournament is preceded by the qualification process which considers several factors including world rankings and team performance in regional competitions. The countries ranked at the very top automatically qualify, while others must earn a spot through the qualification tournament. The host nation for the competition is also automatically qualified, giving local fans the chance to support their team on home ground.

Both the structure and format of the championship are crucial in making sure that the IIHF World Championship is inclusive and fair, with representation from a diverse range of hockey-playing countries. The result is a mix of both established powerhouses and emerging teams, creating one of the most captivating tournaments in modern sport.

History of IIHF World Championship

Ice hockey is enjoyed all around the world. The International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship brings countries together to compete in what has become one of the most prestigious events on the sport’s calendar. The tournament originated back in the beginning of the 20th century and has evolved over the past 100 years, placing a spotlight on the skill and passion hockey players from around the globe bring to the arena.

The very first IIHF World Championship took place in Antwerp, Belgium in 1920. Back then, the competition was simply called the Ice Hockey European Championship and featured countries like Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Great Britain. As the years went by, the championship expanded to include more nations from around the world, expanding to North America and beyond.

The next significant milestone in the history of the IIHF World Championship occurred in 1930 when the tournament was included in the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France. This marked the first time that the championship was part of the Olympic program, solidifying its status as a premier international hockey competition.

Since then, the tournament has continued to grow steadily, with several key moments that left their mark on the sport. One of the most relevant team additions was the inclusion of the Soviet Union in 1957, who quickly established dominance, winning gold in their debut. It set the scene for decades of Russian supremacy in the sport, with the team remaining incredibly strong today.

Other teams emerged to prominence over time, including powerhouses like Sweden, Finland, the United States, and Canada. These countries all contribute to the rich drama that unfolds in hockey rivalry, giving us memorable matches, dramatic upsets, and legendary victories that have become synonymous with the IIHF World Championship.

Notable Teams in IIHF History

Over the past 100 years, several teams have made history, etching their names into the sport forever. Some have dominated for decades, while others have won over the world with their underdog stories of victory in the face of insurmountable odds.

Of all the dominant forces in the IIHF’s history, Canada is perhaps the most prominent. Hockey is ingrained in the nation’s identity and Team Canada has claimed several gold medals in the last 100 years, cementing its status as one of the favourites in every single competition. The country’s roster is stacked with NHL stars, combining skill, depth, and determination to make the team a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Similarly, the Soviet Union and later Russia, have also left a huge mark on the competition. The team brought forward a revolutionary style of play that emphasizes speed, skill, and precision passing. Soviet teams have dominated hockey in the second half of the 20th century, winning countless gold medals and redefining the sport as a whole in the process. Russia carries on this legacy, fielding some of the best teams in the competition and always fighting for the top prize.

When it comes to European teams, Sweden and Finland are the most formidable countries in the competition, and both nations boast an impressive track record in IIHF tournaments. Sweden places a strong emphasis on player development, while Finland has a more team-oriented approach that has propelled them to the top levels of the game. Both teams have won multiple gold medals and are always considered to be noteworthy adversaries.

But it's not all about the powerhouses. The IIHF World Championship has also had its fair share of underdog stories over the years, with teams like Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia defying expectations and defeating stronger oppositions to claim the title. These underdog stories have led to some of the most exciting moments in the sport and serve as a reminder that in the world of hockey, anything can happen.

IIHF Canada Roster

Team Canada is looking strong ahead of the competition, with the following roster of players.

  • 8 – Forward – Cody Glass
  • 11 – Forward – Jack McBain
  • 17 – Forward – Milan Lucic
  • 19 – Forward – Peyton Krebs
  • 21 – Forward – Scott Laughton
  • 22 – Forward – Jack Quinn
  • 53 – Forward – Michael Carcone
  • 63 – Forward – Jake Neighbours
  • 67 – Forward – Lawson Crouse
  • 73 – Forward – Tyler Toffoli
  • 79 – Forward – Sammy Blais
  • 90 – Forward – Joe Veleno
  • 91 – Forward – Adam Fantilli
  • 5 – Defence – Jake Middleton
  • 7 – Defence – Pierre-Olivier Joseph
  • 20 – Defence – Justin Barron
  • 52 – Defence – MacKenzie Weegar
  • 57 – Defence – Tyler Myers
  • 74 – Defence – Ethan Bear
  • 77 – Defence – Brad Hunt

Players To Watch At The World Championships

Erik Karlsson (Sweden) - One of the standout players at the World Championships will be Sweden’s Erik Karlsson. The defenseman had his most productive year as a San Jose Shark, netting 101 total points this season, the highest by a defenseman in the league.

Alex Tuch (USA) - The USA hasn’t provided its strongest lineup for the IIHF World Championships, however, if they are going to spring a surprise, they’ll be relying on Alex Tuch. Tuch was 2nd in scoring for the Buffalo Sabres last season (36 goals), so the USA will hope his scoring form continues in Riga.

Adam Fantilli (Canada) - When betting on potential, not many players have a higher ceiling than Adam Fantilli. The 18-year-old is projected to be a top-five pick in the upcoming NHL draft, and with an impressive performance at the World Championships, his stock could rise even higher.

Fantilli recorded 65 points in 36 games while playing at Michigan this past year, so he could add some offensive power to Canada’s lineup.

World Hockey Championship FAQ

Who won the World Hockey Championship 2023?

The World Hockey Championship 2023 was won by Canada.

Is the IIHF ice hockey bigger than the NHL?

While the NHL is the biggest domestic hockey league in the world, the IIHF is one of the biggest international hockey tournaments in the world. Players from the NHL will take part in the IIHF, so the best will be on show in Tampere and Riga.

How does the tournament differ from other international ice hockey competitions?

The main difference is that the IIHF World Championship includes countries from all around the world, not focusing on any particular region or continent.

What is Team Canada's performance in the IIHF Championship?

Canada has won 28 gold medals including the last competition held in 2023.

Who has won the most ice hockey world championships?

The most successful team to compete in the Ice Hockey World Championships is Canada. Canada have tallied 27 gold medals at the Championships - they also have 16 silvers and 9 bronze.

Where is the men's world hockey championship 2024?

The Men’s World Ice Hockey Championship will take place in Czechia, specifically in the cities of Prague and Ostrava, from 10 to 26 May 2024.

Do NHL players play in the World Championships?

Some of the world’s best players will be on show at the World Championships - including players from the NHL. If the players’ NHL team has been eliminated from the playoffs, they have the option to come and represent their country in Finland and Latvia this May.

How do the IIHF playoffs work?

The top four teams from each group enter the quarter-final stage. However the quarter-finals will be played within their group rather than a crossover. Therefore, whoever finishes 1st in group A, will play the team who finishes 4th.

From this point, regular service will resume and it’s a single-elimination tournament until the final.

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