AHL betting tips and tricks
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a promising counterpart to the National Hockey League (NHL) that is gaining popularity in the United States. With potential star players getting into the heat of the competition, punters too are excited to bet on the teams.
While it’s regarded as a second-tier hockey league to the more prominent NHL, the AHL is still considered as one of the most enjoyable sports to watch and play. With players like T.J. Tynan and Andrew Poturalski, the league will continuously gain fame.
With the increasing viewership of American hockey, punters are also starting to recognise the power of each team’s potential in helping them win back their wagers. While it’s no complicated feat to wager on the top AHL teams, it’s still quite different to watch and bet on the American side of hockey.
So, how do punters bet on AHL hockey and what are the best tips to guarantee a safe wager on the league’s best teams and players? Here are some tricks that you can pull up your sleeves to start winning more in AHL betting lines.
Get started with the top betting secrets to start winning
The league is quite straightforward to understand, especially when you are updated or play hockey. However, the betting scene in AHL is quite different from the rest where you have to make the most accurate AHL hockey predictions to win huge payouts.
Here are the basics you need to know about the AHL betting scene:
How to read AHL odds
Just like reading the odds from other major sports like basketball and football, the AHL betting odds are assigned by bookmakers. For instance, the Hartford Wolf Pack vs. the Toronto Marlies may have odds of 1.50 and 2.34 respectively. This means that the former has a better chance of winning and are the favourites.
Moreover, the favourites are denoted by the (-) sign while the underdogs are denoted by the (+) sign if you prefer using American odds.
Know the different betting markets
Aside from reading the odds, there are also fun ways for you to bet. This is through wagering on betting markets.
Here are the most profitable and famous betting markets in AHL hockey:
Winner (incl. overtime)
The winner bet is the most common type of betting market most punters use. Betting on the winner is among the most classic and typical types of bets people can make. In fact, you can even make bets with your friends on which team is going to win right now.
It’s as straightforward as predicting which team is going to score the most points by the end of the game.
Period betting
In AHL hockey, the match is divided into 3 periods and 2 intermissions in between. With this, punters can guess the score in-between periods which makes the whole endeavour much more interesting.
Even if a team is losing a period, they can still turn the game around in the succeeding periods and make a comeback which makes it all the more exciting.
Winning margin
Betting on the winning margin allows punters to predict how many points the winning team will have by the end of the game.
Winning margin betting is also incredibly fun because you’ll either predict the winner blowing out the opponent or if it is going to be a close game. There are also strategies involved like looking at the teams closely and seeing the disparity of player quality and the effectiveness of the coaching staff to forecast a margin wisely.
Double chance
Double chance is a type of bet to make for two possible outcomes in one single wager. For instance, if you believe the Chicago Wolves are going to win a match against the Stockton Heat by shootout, then you’re wagering on two possible outcomes simultaneously happening in one match.
This type of bet allows punters to be more creative with their strategies and formulate wild predictions that is very rewarding by the end of the match.
See the odds on outright football games
How watching the games more helps you in betting
There’s a difference between a top fan and a regular punter who just watches the games to bet. While there’s nothing wrong with betting on teams in a more strategic way without ever watching a single AHL team play, a fan who follows the league every day will have an edge knowledge-wise.
What used to be a chore in researching the depth and quality of all AHL hockey teams becomes a pleasure in taking time to absorb all that is happening while enjoying the games. This allows punters to take no effort into learning every nuance in the game and even puts that to their advantage.
Learning about a team’s players and the system used to beat other opponents is beneficial to punters because they can make wiser bets on the team they think is going to win.
Understanding the AHL standings
If you’re new to AHL hockey standings, there are a few aspects about it that you need to understand before you place your AHL standings. For starters, the AHL standings rely on wins and losses for the whole season.
Combining the wins and losses that occurred in the season will be ranked accordingly. Then, 23 teams from all 4 divisions will compete in the playoffs for 5 rounds until the Calder Cup championship.
The importance of the standings shows in the playoffs when matchups are assigned to each series. The AHL’s four divisions will be divided into the top and bottom teams from the playoff qualifying rounds.
The top 2 teams from the Atlantic Division, the top 3 teams from the North and Central Divisions, the top team from the Pacific Division will receive byes and proceed to the best of five semi-finals series.
The other teams that didn’t meet the qualifications will enter a First Round series and vye for a spot in the semi-finals. The teams during the semi-finals round will then battle it out to enter the best-of-seven conference finals to qualify for the Calder Cup Finals.
Putting the organisations under a microscope
When betting, you must look at all the AHL hockey teams and study the history of each. For instance, if an organisation has a history of picking the wrong players in the draft combines and trading irrationally, then it’s safe to say that they are not the team to bet on. These small yet crucial points are important in letting you understand how teams operate and why you should avoid dysfunctional franchises.
See the odds on future hockey games
Top AHL teams to bet on based on past performances
While nobody will know what the future will hold, punters can still rely on these teams to perform well at any given season. Here are the best teams to bet on the AHL:
Utica Comets
The Utica Comets are among the best teams in the league for being consistent throughout their franchise’s history. From 2019 to 2021, they were part of the playoffs and reached the third to fourth seed in their own division.
Players like Carter Banks (right wing) and Sven Bärthschi (left wing) are the reasons why the Comets are dominating the league. While they still have a lot to work on to become the elite team to beat, they have at least remained consistent in the standings.
Stockton Heat
The Stockton Heat is lucky to have Brad Pascall as its general manager as he formed the team by signing great players into the franchise. With a stellar record of 31-9-4-1 in the 2020-21 season, the Heat are only getting started with their path to domination.
Defensemen and left wing Oliver Kylington and Andrew Mangiapne, Stockton are looking to push for a playoff berth in the upcoming seasons and reign supreme by winning the Calder Cup Finals.
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are among the most recognisable AHL hockey teams because of their star players like Andrew Poturalski and Robert Nardella. With their stellar offence ranking, the Chicago Wolves are a team to bet on each year.
What makes the Wolves special is their identity in the league and the constant top AHL hockey standings appearances in their division. With promising young players like Jamieson Rees and Spencer Smallman, the team’s trajectory is in an upward trend that other teams will have to face during the playoffs.
Springfield Thunderbirds
Previously known as the Springfield Falcons, the Thunderbirds have remained a good team throughout the years using their new moniker.
With players like MacKenzie MacEachern and Timmy Cross under a Drew Bannister fast-paced offence, the Thunderbirds are prime to be a perennial playoffs team that punters can confidently rely on in the future.
Check out the different hockey leagues
The top AHL players to look out for
Though the future is uncertain with players–and hopefully no hockey player will ever have to face injuries– great players have always shown dominance consistently. Here are the top players to watch out:
T.J. Tynan
T.J. Tynan is an AHL superstar who can score the puck in creative ways. With his offensive skill sets and one of the best strikers in the game, T.J. Tynan is who punters would immediately consider when placing bets.
Whichever team he plays in, fans are bound to get excited as he turns any franchise into contenders in a matter of simply signing with the team. He was selected for All-CCHA Rookie Team in 2010-11 and led the Springfield Falcons during the 2014-15 season with 48 points and 35 assists.
Sam Anas
As a coordinator of the offence, Sam Anas is among the top AHL players who ever graced the ice rink. With career achievements like accomplishing the 2019-20 AHL Most Assists and Most Points in a single season, Sam Anas is a cannon on offence that scares other teams’ defensive players.
Andrew Poturalski
Andrew Poturalski is a proven champion who can play his position well and bring his team to more wins every single season. With the 2018-19 AHL Playoffs MVP and scoring the most goals in the same season, Andrew is a player that you should strongly consider before placing your wagers.
Cole Schneider
Probably the youngest player that you can bet on, Cole Schneider has the greatest potential of becoming an all-time great Left Wing in the league. With a great feel for the game, Cole Schneider’s skill sets can further improve with the right personnel and coaching staff.
As he reaches his prime, Cole is one of the forces that can make the AHL future games more interesting for both fans and players.
Taro Hirose
While Taro Hirose is also one of the newer great players in the league who still has a lot to prove, punters can be confident in the young left wing’s talents as he cruises to his prime with great accolades already.
When betting, proof of greatness is always a good identifier and the several NCAA Top Player awards Hirose received in the 2018-19 season should convince you to put your confidence in him when betting.
With excellent vision and chemistry with any team he goes to, Hirose looks to become one of the more underrated stars in the league who deserves recognition.
Bet on the AHL at the best sports betting sites like Sportsbet
Now that you are aware of how AHL betting works, it’s time to start placing your wagers at the most reliable betting site. When considering betting on AHL teams, be sure to include Sportsbet on the list which allows you to bet on any league and different markets.
Want to buy crypto? Sportsbet allows you to do so in the most convenient way possible! As the AHL continues to garner attention from fans and punters, now is the best time to bet on the league and its many talented players!
For more AHL and sports updates, visit Sportsbet.io
Words: Vonn Consul
Image: Alamy
DISCLAIMER
The information provided by the blog above on Sportsbet.io is for general information purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation, warranty, or guarantee of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, or completeness of any information or betting tips on the Site.
