Ice hockey has gained a global audience, and the IIHF World Championship will attract numerous fans. As the tournament approaches, bettors are assessing their options on platforms like NordicBet, which offer competitive betting odds across all ice hockey betting markets.
IIHF Ice Hockey Championship History
The IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship is an annual international men's ice hockey tournament, first held at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. Canada dominated from 1930 to 1952, followed by the Soviet Union between 1963 and 1991. Since the 1990s, the tournament has become more competitive among the ‘Big Six’ teams.
Canada is the most successful nation in the history of this tournament, with 28 gold medals and 53 medals overall. Sweden (2006) and Finland (2022) are the only nations to win both an Olympic gold and a World Championship in the same season.
Ice Hockey World Championship Format
The IIHF Ice Hockey Championship begins with a preliminary round in which 16 teams are divided into 2 groups of 8, Group A and Group B, based on their world ranking. Each team plays every other team in its group once to qualify for the playoff round. The top 4 teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, starting with the quarter-finals. Winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals, the semi-final winners compete for the gold medal, while the losers play for the bronze medal.
Ice Hockey Championship Betting Markets
World Cup Hockey odds betting typically fall into 3 markets. The tournament futures allow you to bet on IIHF odds, such as overall results, including ‘Overall Winners’, ‘Group Winners’, and ‘To Reach the Final/Semi Finals’. Standard game markets focus on individual match bets, such as ‘Moneyline’, ‘Handicap’, ‘Totals’, and ‘3-Way’. In-play markets provide live odds for real-time action.
Ice Hockey Championship Betting Tips
It’s important to have a few tips to improve your success rate when placing ice hockey bets, including:
- Consider home advantage
- Take note of early favourites
- Track roster changes
- Check goaltender form
- Perform a detailed team analysis
Important Dates for Ice Hockey World Championship 2026
The 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will be hosted in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland. Key tournament dates include:
- Preliminary round: 15-26 May 2026
- Quarter-finals: 28 May 2026
- Semi-finals: 30 May 2026
- Bronze and Gold medal games: 31 May 2026
So far Canada is the favourite to win the tournament, with the best Ice Hockey World Championship 2026 odds so far. Other top contenders include Finland, Sweden, and the United States.
Why Bet on the IIHF World Championship at NordicBet
NordicBet is a great place to wager on ice hockey, from NHL betting to competitive Ice Hockey World Championship odds.
NordicBet delivers exceptional IIHF World Championships odds, including a user-friendly platform, safety through the latest SSL encryption, among other security tools, and a helpful 24/7 customer service team to help you with all your betting needs.