Ice Hockey World Championships 2022: Bonuses and Odds

The anticipated ice hockey World Championships 2022 finally kick off on Friday, May 13th in Helsinki and Tampere. What is the Lions' striking power in front of a home crowd and what will be placed on the betting slip? World Championship bonuses are also under scrutiny!

After the historic Olympic victory, the Lions, led by Jukka Jalonen, are expected to embark on a championship hunt in their home den with the mantle of pre-tournament favourites. Coach Jalonen has worked hard from tournament to tournament, even as players and age groups have changed. He has shown that the importance of playing style and team cohesion ultimately makes players greater than the sum of their individual parts.

The starting point of being a pre-tournament favourite naturally brings immense pressure. This is not at all alleviated by the fact that tens of thousands of people are shouting in the background, expecting nothing less than a championship from their home team. Of course, on the flip side, one could also view the home crowd as support rather than pressure. With a record of one Olympic gold, one World Championship gold, and one World Championship silver from the last three major tournaments, the greatest needs for success have been partially satisfied.

Finland did not receive significant help from the NHL. Although the player base is strong by European standards, it would have been nice to have a few key players for the big games when looking for game-changers. Fortunately, just at the last minute, Mikael Granlund, who usually thrives in the Lions and in Europe's big rinks, joined the team; he was the main architect of the gold-winning campaign in Bratislava in 2011. The lack of significant NHL support could bring unexpected challengers from elsewhere into the gold race.

Finland's Odds in the World Championships

At the moment, it seems that Finland has slightly lost its position as the sovereign favourite to win. Perhaps for the reasons mentioned above. Still, there is always some inexplicable factor X that has characterised Jalonen's Lions. The master coach from Riihimäki is undoubtedly one of the best tournament coaches in the world, and the championship project has been conducted with great care since last summer. A big year has been marked in bold on Jalonen's and the ice hockey federation's calendar, as the Olympics and home championships coincide in the same year, making this one of the most significant springs in Finnish ice hockey history.

If there is confidence, the Lions still have better odds at the moment. The main reasons behind this are perhaps the somewhat sleepy preparatory matches and the EHT tournament, where the Lions faced significant difficulties against the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Sweden. Of course, the screws were not tightened to the max in these games, as the horses were kept in the so-called stable for the real games. From a betting perspective, this is of course appealing, as the Lions are now returning money at quite good odds. Also, the NHL reinforcements received by the worst competing nations have likely tipped the scales for the bookmakers in another direction.

The current best offer for Finland's championship is:

World Championships – Winner: Finland at odds of 3.65 – Nucleonbet / Sportaza / Burningbet

Familiar Challengers for the Gold Race

In terms of odds, Finland's top challengers are familiar faces. Canada has once again assembled an interesting team, boasting top-tier NHL firepower. The brightest stars include Matthew Barzal from the New York Islanders and Pierre-Luc Dubois. On defence, the baton is held by Thomas Chabot, who had an excellent season in Ottawa. The goaltending department remains the biggest weakness of the Maple Leafs. Additionally, the Tampere night restaurants, where North American players usually tend to enjoy these guided European spring trips.

World Championships – Winner: Canada at odds of 3.65 – Sportaza

The Czech Republic has spent many years in a downturn regarding success. The perennial performer of the turn of the millennium has been experiencing a long-term slump, but now there is light at the end of the tunnel. The team led by Kari Jalonen played very sharply in the preparatory EHT tournament, winning it convincingly, and more strong players are coming from the NHL for the World Championships. The goaltending is solid, there is depth in both the offensive and defensive lines, and Boston's David Pastrnak is set to join the attack, who would be the absolute top player if he arrives. The Czech Republic also offers quite good odds for the stake.

World Championships – Winner: Czech Republic at odds of 5.10 – Burningbet

We can never overlook our beloved western neighbour Sweden when discussing potential championship favourites. The team has a good mix of youth (Rasmus Dahlin) and experience (Oliver Ekman-Larsson) on the defensive side, which is one of Tre Kronor's strengths. However, in terms of goaltending and the offensive side, it pales in comparison to the main rivals, so some stretching would be required to achieve the championship. This could actually be considered a small surprise.

World Championships – Winner: Sweden at odds of 5.70 – Burningbet

Hottest Betting Bonuses for the World Championships 2022

The newest betting site, Nucleonbet, gives you the chance to claim a 100% bonus up to 100 euros. You can double your money with a 100€ deposit, which would give you a sweet 200 euros to play with. This is certainly a great way to get started with tournament betting! The minimum deposit to receive the bonus is only 20 euros, and the wagering requirement is a reasonable 5 times the deposit and bonus at a minimum odds of 1.50.

Sportaza has become a popular betting site, especially due to its generous offers. You can first claim a 100% first deposit bonus up to 200 euros, along with numerous other benefits. Regular reload bonuses, free bets, and other nice perks will surely boost your betting account balance! The wagering requirements are the same as in the deal above, but the bonus is double compared to this.

Third time's the charm, and why not go for a third hundred! If your account has enough pressure and you want to claim an even bigger bonus, you can easily do so at Burningbet. You can get your money doubled with a 100% bonus up to 300 euros. In other words, you can start with a maximum balance of 600€, which will last beautifully throughout the tournament. However, the wagering requirement is also double that of the previous two offers.