IIHF World Championship Betting: Odds, How to Bet, Top Sites (2025)

The IIHF World Championship is a global hockey competition featuring international hockey federations squaring off for a shot at glory. IIHF betting is wildly popular, and in this IIHF guide, we’re going to give you the complete rundown on how it works and why you should wager. 

Best IIHF Betting Sites

When it comes to IIHF World Championship odds and betting, you want to make sure you’re dealing with the most dependable and trustworthy betting sites available. Not to worry, as we’ve taken the time to dissect and compile the most efficient and secure operators for your convenience. This guarantees you a quick and reliable payout.

Many betting sites allow for wagers on the IIHF World Championship tournament. Let’s look at some of the different sportsbooks’ IIHF odds.

Team
Sweden	+275	+280	+300	+300
Canada	+300	+300	+275	+250
Finland	+450	+400	+450	+450
USA	+650	+500	+650	+600
Czech Republic	+550	+500	+700	+500
Switzerland	+1000	+900	+800	+800
Germany	+3300	+3000	+2500	+3000

Let’s dive into a little more detail about who these brands are and what they offer. Below, we’ll explore what separates these sportsbooks as great places to wager.

The IIHF is a global tournament that bettors love, but getting started with wagering on this incredible event may be confusing for some. If you are trying to get your IIHF betting journey underway, we are here to help. Below is a quick step-by-step guide to getting started with this experience.

1. Find the Right Operator. There are numerous operators that offer betting odds for the IIHF World Championship. We have pointed you to several of the top options, however there are dozens available. Select one that fits your unique needs.
2. Create an Account. The account creation process is similar across the board on sportsbooks, and shouldn’t take bettors longer than a few minutes. You will need to register, inputting your login details, personal information, and whatever other info is required by the betting site.
3. Deposit Into Your Account. To place wagers, you’ll need money in your account. Bettors will have to deposit, selecting the payment method they are interested in, inputting their details, and choosing how much they want to put into their account.
4. Place Your IIHF Bet. This will require gamblers to go to the sports page, click on the Hockey section, and select the league option. There, they’ll see the World Championship odds, and can pick which ones they want to wager. Once you’ve picked the odds you are interested, you can input how much to bet, and you are good to go! 

The IIHF is a massive tournament that features a lot of different types of betting options. Below, let’s explore some of the markets that are most popular for gamblers interested in wagering on the tournament.  

• Moneyline: A moneyline bet is a direct wager on a team to win their game. If you pick Canada on the moneyline, you’ve picked them to win their game.
• Futures: Futures are long-term bets on the outcomes of the tournament. This would be something like wagering on the United States to win the tournament.
• Puck Line: The puck line is the hockey point spread, typically set at -1.5 in favor of a team. This represents the projected score differential. If Sweden is the -1.5 favorite and you bet the spread, they must win by two or more goals for the bet to cash.
• Over/Under: The over/under represents the total combined amount of goals projected to be scored in a game. Bettors can wager on the over or the under for this line.
• Props: Props are outcomes within a game that bettors can wager on. This includes things like whether a player will score or how many penalties a team will have.

Finding the best odds for the IIHF is incredibly important. This is a tournament that sparks a broad variety of opinions, and if bettors feel confident that one outcome is going to happen, they should go through the extra trouble of finding great odds, as this will yield bigger payouts for them. 

Every betting site has different lines, so picking the one most favorable to you will give you better results. Let’s say one sports book has odds for Finland to win the tournament of +450, while another has Finland at +550. That is a difference of $100 on a $100 bet if Finland does win. 

The key is to simply check around for different lines. We will keep you updated on the odds here, but there are also many websites that aggregate odds that will show you the different lines on different websites. Checking this can ensure you find the best possible odds for the outcome you are looking for.

Once teams qualify for the final tournament, they will be placed into two groups of eight. There will be a preliminary round, where the teams play the other countries in their group. If a team wins in regulation, they’ll get three points, if they lose, they get zero. If they win in overtime, they get two, if they lose in overtime, they get one.  

The top four teams in points in each group will then proceed into a single-elimination quarterfinal, with the winner moving onto the next round. It is a tournament that is played out over a few weeks, with fast-paced games and high stakes.  

The ice is bigger in the tournament, so there tends to be plenty of action and skill. Games tend to be high-scoring, and the skill level is off the charts. It is a very straightforward tournament, and once the playoff rounds have begun, the last two teams standing play a gold medal match, while the losers of the semi-final game play for bronze.

There are a lot of people who may have never wagered on the IIHF before. If that is the case, we are here to help ensure a smooth transition to IIHF wagering. Below are some IIHF betting tips to ensure you find success wagering on this global event. 

• Check the Rosters: The IIHF World Championship features a lot of NHL talent, but many players do not participate due to league commitments. Rosters are released well in advance of the tournament, so check who is playing.
• The World is Catching Up: While the traditional hockey powers remain the safest bets, teams like Czechia have caught up, with Czechia winning the tournament last year. In fact, Canada was eliminated by Switzerland, so the “safe bets” aren’t always safe bets.
• Learn About Home Ice Advantage: The tournament is played in a different host nation every year. Last year, it was played in Czechia, and they won for the first time since 2010. In 2022, it was played in Finland, and they won on home ice. So understanding that home ice really does matter is important.
• Choose Multiple Outright Options: Bettors can cover themselves by picking multiple outright options. Selecting one favorite, like Canada, Sweden, or the United States, and one underdog, like Germany or Switzerland, will give gamblers a shot at multiple outcomes.
• Be Cautious: This is a relatively unpredictable tournament, so be cautious. Anything can happen in this thrilling global event, so don’t get carried away.

Before you start your IIHF betting, it is important to have an understanding of the teams that have tended to win the tournament over the past several years. Below, we’ll take a quick look at the last ten IIHF World Championship victors.

There is a lot to know about IIHF betting, and it can all get a little bit confusing from time to time. That is why we are here to help, with a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about the IIHF World Championship tournament.