The IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship is the longest-running annual international ice hockey tournament. It was first held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, and became a standalone event in 1930. Canada dominated in the early decades, winning 12 titles between 1930 and 1952, followed by the Soviet Union from the 1960s to 1990s, winning 20 championships. From 1977, professional players were allowed to participate.
Ice Hockey World Championship Betting Markets
Betsson offers numerous markets for your ice hockey bets. Being months away from the competition, outright bets are available, where you can bet on the “Outright Winner”, “Group Winner”, or teams “To Qualify”. Once the tournament begins, the markets for the competitive ice hockey world championship odds include:
- Moneyline: Bet on which team will win outright, including any potential overtime and shootouts.
- Puck Line: Ice hockey's form of handicap betting.
- Over/Under: Bet on the total goals scored by both teams combined.
- 3-Way Betting: Bet on the score at the end of regulation time.
- Live Odds Betting and Prop Bets: Bet on specific events occurring during the game that don't affect the final score.
Ice Hockey World Championship Betting Tips
Ice hockey betting requires skill and knowledge to improve your winning chances. Also, analyse team form and matches, check player availability, pay attention to goaltenders, and consider home advantage. When making placements, explore IIHF hockey odds in handicap bets, look for value in the totals market, consider 3-way bets, and ultimately manage your bankroll.
Important Ice Hockey World Championship Dates
The 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will be held in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland, and below are important dates to bet on IIHF:
- May 15: Opening Day
- May 15-26: Preliminary Round (Matchday 1-12)
- May 28: Quarter-finals
- May 30: Semi-finals
- May 31: Bronze and Gold Medal Games
The Favourites to Win IIHF Ice Hockey
The highest ice hockey world championship 2026 odds are on Canada, considered the top favourite. The two Nordic powerhouses, Finland and Sweden, have good IIHF odds and will provide strong competition. The United States will be defending its title, and Czechia is also a major contender.
Ice Hockey World Championship Format
The tournament begins with a preliminary round where the 16 participating teams are divided into 2 groups of 8 based on the IIHF World Rankings; each team plays the other teams in its group. The top 4 teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals, and the last-place teams are relegated to Division I for next year's championship. The tournament proceeds to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, bronze medal game, and gold medal game, which are all single-elimination matches.
Why Bet on Ice Hockey World Championship?
Betsson offers a plethora of markets to bet on ice hockey with competitive IIHF World Championships odds. Our sportsbook is secure, uses the latest SSL encryption, and has additional security measures to protect your data. For all enquiries, contact our support team, available 24/7.
