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How To Bet On IIHF World Championship 2025 | LeoVegas

IIHF World Championship 2025 Betting Guide

Each year, the 16 teams of the IIHF’s Championship Group battle it out to decide which national team will be crowned World Champion and which teams will see relegation to Division I. This year, the high-intensity tournament will run from May 9-25, opening ample additional hockey betting opportunities just as the Stanley Cup Playoffs have heated up. Here’s what you should know about the tournament and IIHF World Championship betting.

Table of Contents:

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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IIHF World Championship 2025 Overview

Tournament Format and Schedule

The 2025 IIHF World Championship gets underway on May 9 with a bumper day of action. The tournament opens with Austria vs. Finland, Sweden vs. Slovakia, Switzerland vs. Czechia, and Denmark vs. the United States all on the same day. In fact, because it’s a 16-team tournament initially split between two groups, every day is a bumper day!

The initial stage splits the 16 teams into two groups (Group A and Group B) of eight. Each team will play each other once from May 9 to May 20. The top four of each group goes to the Quarterfinals, five to seven qualify for the tournament in 2026, and the bottom team of each group gets relegated. Next, it’s a single-game playoffs.

Due to how the scheduling works, the national teams will be without many of their star players. Several of them will still feature in the NHL betting as the Stanley Cup Playoffs will possibly just be entering the Second Round. This would keep the skaters and goaltenders of eight of the NHL’s best teams from the 2025 IIHF World Championship.

Participating Teams and Groups

Group A will be based in Stockholm, featuring the co-hosts Sweden, neighbours Finland, Slovakia, Latvia, Slovenia, Austria, France, and the record champions of the tournament, Canada. The Danish-based Group B features co-hosts Denmark, Germany, the US, Switzerland, Norway, Kazakhstan, Hungary, and the reigning champions, Czechia.

Key Venues and Host Cities

The 2025 IIHF World Championship will be hosted by the Swedish capital of Stockholm as well as Denmark’s northern town of Herning. In Stockholm, games will be played at the distinctly spherical Avicii Arena, which seats 16,000 fans. Over in Herning, teams will battle it out in the distinctly hard-edged, 15,000-seater Jyske Bank Boxen.

Types of Bets Available for IIHF 2025

Moneyline Bets (Match Winner)

The most popular form of online betting, moneyline bets simply see you bet on which team you think will win the game at hand, including overtime.

Puck Line Bets (Handicap Betting)

These bets don’t include overtime. So, you need your team to win on the scoreline of regulation with the chosen puck line handicap applied. In the event of the game going to overtime, any plus bet – such as Slovakia at +2 against Finland – will win. Minus bets need that team to win with that amount deducted from their goal tally.

Totals (Over/Under Bets)

With set lines to bet on, you just have to pick the value that you prefer and bet if there’ll be under or over that many total goals scored by both teams combined in the game.

Period Betting

This form of betting focuses on just the chosen period, be it Period 1, Period 2, or Period 3. Within the confines of these 20-minute periods, you can bet on who’ll win, if it’ll be a tie, the total goals, the amount of goals scored by either team, and even the correct score of that specific period.

Futures & Outright Bets

Futures and outright bets concern decisive outcomes in the tournament. So, in 2025 IIHF World Championship betting, you can back outrights like the winner of the whole tournament or which team will win Group A and Group B.

Player & Team Prop Bets

Prop bets, be they player or team, focus on statistical contributions. It’s in these markets that you’ll find popular bets like a player to score a point anytime in the game.

Live/In-Play Betting

Even if you’ve missed the puck drop, you can still partake in IIHF World Championship betting! Simply go to the in-play betting, find the game, and place your bets while you watch the action unfold.

IIHF 2025 Team Analysis & Betting Predictions

Favourites to Win the Championship

With the business end of the NHL season in full swing, the ice is levelled, somewhat. Countries beyond North America stand much more of a fighting chance with many of Canada’s and America’s top skaters still battling to make good on their Stanley Cup odds.

Last year, the podium saw Czechia take gold having defeated Switzerland 2-0 in the final, while Sweden beat Canada 4-2 to get bronze. For the 2025 IIHF World Championship, those two bronze medal game teams, Sweden and Canada, enter as the narrow favourites, but it’s a packed field of contenders.

Dark Horses & Underdog Picks

Finland, the champions Czechia, the US, and Switzerland enter as the chasing pack, per the IIHF 2025 outright odds. While the US and Finland always show up with top-class rosters, the Swiss could be short of three regulars due to the progress of the New Jersey Devils this season.

On the flip side, Czechia looks to benefit greatly from the struggles of the Boston Bruins. The Bruins likely aren’t going to the postseason in 2024/25, so Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak – who had 34 goals and 83 points by the 69-game-mark – will be available from the outset.

Teams to Avoid Betting On

As mentioned, depending on the success of the Devils in the First Round, the Swiss could be without top players, including Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and 6’5’’ backup goalie Akira Schmid. They’ll still have the elite-tier blueliner Roman Josi due to Nashville’s struggles, but Kevin Fiala and the LA Kings are an outside shot to progress in the playoffs.

Key Players to Watch in IIHF 2025

Top Forwards and Goalscorers

The top forwards and goalscorers will likely depend on which players will see their NHL seasons end as the playoffs begin in April. As it stands, though, David Pastrnak (Czechia), Clayton Keller (US), Sidney Crosby (Canada), Travis Konecny (Canada), Filip Forsberg (Sweden), Tage Thompson (US), and Rickard Rakell (Sweden) are all past the 50-point-mark for the 2024/25 season with around 15 games to go and could make themselves available.

There’s also a chance for the younger stars of some of the teams deep into a rebuild to get some extra international experience and further refine their skills. This could put Connor Bedard (Canada) of the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini (Canada), William Eklund (Sweden), and Will Smith (US) into the limelight.

Best Defenders & Their Impact on Betting

From commanding the blueline during a powerplay to collapsing the box on penalty kills, defensemen generally play more minutes than forwards, and the best of them are a huge presence at both ends of the ice. Among the best set to be available to choose to go are Roman Josi (Switzerland), Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden), Jacob Trouba (US), Erik Karlsson (Sweden), Brandon Montour (Canada), Radko Gudas (Czechia), and Travis Sanheim (Canada).

Elite Goaltenders and Their Influence on Match Outcomes

Hockey goaltenders have among the toughest jobs in all of sports. The margin for error allowed is so small for athletes kitted in a lot of gear trying to stop a 3x1’’ disk of vulcanized rubber being shot at up to 100 mph on target around 30 times per game.

Elite-tier goaltenders regularly stand on their head to win games, averaging fewer than three goals against per game – even in the NHL. Joey Daccord (US, 2.67 GAA) looks to be one to watch if he goes to the IIHF World Championships with the Seattle Kraken flailing this season.

IIHF Special Bets & Novelty Markets

As the teams get confirmed and the 2025 IIHF World Championship draws nearer, many special and novelty bets will be unlocked. Here are some of the favourites each year:

First Goalscorer Bets

Place a bet on which player you think will open the scoring for the 2025 IIHF World Championship. The first games will be Austria vs. Finland and Switzerland vs. Czechia. You’ll also be able to find first goalscorer prop bets for each game throughout the tournament.

Tournament MVP Betting

Just as you can bet on NHL trophies like with Calder Trophy odds and Vezina Trophy odds, so too can you back who you think will be named the 2025 IIHF World Championship MVP. Last year, the honours went to Kevin Fiala as the top forward, Roman Josi as the top defenseman, and Lukáš Dostál for the MVP goalie award.

Penalty Minutes Over/Under Bets

With potentially heated clashes between Finland and Sweden and, to a greater degree, Canada and the US in the playoffs section of the tournament, plenty will be looking to place bets on the penalty minutes lines. These work just like other over/under totals bets for individual games.

Powerplay & Short-Handed Goal Bets

Another popular player prop bet is for individuals to score at least one goal on the powerplay in the game at hand. You can also bet on either team to score a powerplay goal or score a short-handed goal.

IHF World Championship: Structure, History & Notable Teams

Tournament Structure

Qualification Process

The IIHF World Championship is designed to be inclusive, allowing a diverse range of hockey-playing nations to participate. The qualification process is as follows:​

  • Automatic Qualification:
    • Top-ranked countries based on the IIHF World Rankings automatically secure a spot.
    • The host nation is granted automatic entry, fostering local engagement.​
  • Promotion and Relegation:
    • Teams compete in different divisions (Top Division, Division I A & B, Division II A & B, Division III).
    • Performance dictates movement between divisions, ensuring competitive balance.​

Tournament Phases

  1. Preliminary Round:
    • 16 teams are divided into two groups (A & B).
    • Each team plays round-robin matches within their group.
    • Top four teams from each group advance to the playoff round.​
  2. Playoff Round:
    • Quarterfinals: Top teams from each group face off.
    • Semifinals: Winners of the quarterfinals compete.
    • Bronze Medal Game: Semifinal losers vie for third place.
    • Gold Medal Game: Semifinal winners battle for the championship.​

Historical Overview

Origins and Evolution

  • 1920: The inaugural tournament was held in Antwerp, Belgium, as part of the Summer Olympics.
  • 1930: The first standalone IIHF World Championship took place.
  • 1954: The Soviet Union debuted, defeating Canada 7–2 to claim gold.
  • 1955: Canada's Penticton Vees avenged the previous year's loss, defeating the USSR 5–0.
  • 1992: Introduction of the playoff system with quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. ​

Memorable Moments

  • 1957: Sweden clinched gold in Moscow, leading to the iconic moment where players sang "Helan Går" due to the absence of their national anthem.
  • 2011: Finland's dominant 6–1 victory over Sweden in the final marked their second championship title.
  • 2016: Canada secured back-to-back titles by defeating Finland 2–0 in the final.

Notable Teams and Achievements

🇨🇦 Canada

  • Championships: Multiple gold medals, with a resurgence in the early 2000s.
  • Notable Players: Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Brad Marchand have been pivotal in recent successes.
  • Historic Wins:
    • 2003: Defeated Sweden 3–2 in overtime to clinch gold.
    • 2016: Secured a 2–0 victory over Finland in the final.

🇸🇪 Sweden

  • Championships: Consistent top finishes, with notable victories in 2006 and 2013.

  • 2006: Achieved the rare feat of winning both the Winter Olympics and the IIHF World Championship in the same year. ​

    🇫🇮 Finland

  • Rise to Prominence: First gold medal in 1995, defeating rivals Sweden.

  • Recent Success: 2011 and 2019 championships, showcasing the nation's growth in the sport.​

🇨🇿 Czech Republic

  • Golden Era: Late 1990s to early 2000s, with three consecutive golds from 1999 to 2001.
  • Legacy: Continues to be a strong contender in international tournaments.​

Underdog Stories

  • Switzerland: Silver medals in 2013 and 2018, challenging traditional powerhouses.
  • Slovakia: Gold in 2002, just a decade after gaining independence.
  • Germany: Notable semifinal appearance in 2010, signaling growth in the nation's hockey program.

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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