Torrent Gear

Popular sports for betting (hockey, basketball, football)

Introduction: what and where they put in Canada

After the legalization of single bets in 2021, sportbetting is available:

on provincial platforms (PlayNow, OLG PROLINE +, Mise-o-jeu +, PlayAlberta, PRO • LINE Stadium, etc.);
in Ontario, licensed private sports books for AGCO/iGaming Ontario.
Three "kings" of demand: hockey, basketball and football (in the Canadian context - two at once: Canadian/American football and soccer).

Hockey: National No. 1

Where and when:

NHL (October-June), playoffs - peak volumes;
International hockey: IIHF World Championship (May), Youth Championship (December-January), Olympics;
AHL/Juniors is a niche for trained players.

Main markets:

Moneyline 2-way/3-way (match win; 3-way - with a "draw in regular time"), Puck Line (− 1. 5/+1. 5), totals (O/U);
Periods (1P/2P), team totals, both will score in the period, "no OT";
Player props: shots, points, goals, points + shots, goalie saves;
Live: Totals and winner after an early goal, next goal, shootouts in the playoffs.

What to remember:

Collars and back-to-back. Starter confirmation and schedule (play the next day) radically change the lines.
Special brigades (PP/PK) and injuries to special forces leaders are more important than "general xG."
Travel and time zones: western outings, 3-games in 4 days, "early" Sunday.

Basketball: High tempo and a sea of pros

Where and when:

NBA (October-June), NCAA March Madness - brief but huge surge;
WNBA and international tournaments - additional seasonality.

Main markets:

Spread/ATS, moneyline, totals;
Parts/quarters, alternative totals/odds;
Players (props): points, rebounds, assists, PRA, three-point;
SGL/SGP (single combined parles) and live with fast line revaluation.

What to remember:

Rest/Load management and "pregame inputs" go into the news late - the lines move sharply.
Matchups (P&R defense, arc defense, pace) + foul trap in the endings.
Back-to-back and the third game in four days especially affect totals.

Football: Two strands - gridiron and socker

A) Canadian/American Football (CFL/NFL)

Where and when:

CFL (June-November, Grey Cup), NFL (September-February); The NCAA is a vast subculture of Saturdays.

Main markets:

Spread, moneyline, totals, first halves/quarters;
Player props: passing/passing/receiving yards, touchdowns, attempts;
Team/match special (sacks, turnovers), futures;
Live on scripts of drives, 4th down and "two minutes."

What to remember:

Weather and coverage (especially fall wind/rain in open CFL stadiums).
Inactives and o-line are more important than they seem: one absence of a tackle changes the pass projection.
The pace of the offense and EPA/play by week give a better signal than "points per game."

B) Sokker (MLS, Europe, national teams)

Where and when:

MLS (February/March-autumn), Champions League, UCL/UEL, Euro Top Leagues, International Windows (America's Cup, Euros, World Cup).

Main markets:

1X2/Draw No Bet, totals (2. 5, Asian), both will score, corners, cards;
Players: goal/shots on target, off/on-target;
Live: Next goal, "total after red," late "overs."

What to remember:

Rotation (European cups/cups), road trips and "early" starts.
xG and pressing intensity reflect form better than "recent results."
Weather/field factor (artificial turf/rain) on totals and injuries.

Where to put legally

Ontario: PROLINE + and licensed private sports books under AGCO/iGO.

BC/MB/SK: PlayNow;

QC: Mise-o-jeu+;

AB: PlayAlberta;

Atlantic (NB/NL/NS/PEI): PRO•LINE Stadium.

Single bets, live markets and local RG tools are available everywhere. Use Interac/online banking, go through CCM/geolocation and keep limits on.

Bankroll and basic strategy (short)

1. Flat instead of "dogons": a fixed% of the bank (for example, 0.5-1.5% per rate).

2. Lines move - compare ratios (in Ontario, operator competition allows this).

3. Speznfo → hockey/basketball/football: starters in NHL/NBA, inactives in NFL/CFL, starting lineups in socker.

4. Live discipline: decide in advance what exactly you "get" after a goal/run-outs and why.

5. RG rules: day/week limits, timers, cool-off/self-exclusion - use before deposit.

Seasonality and activity peaks

Spring-summer: NHL/NBA playoffs - high volumes, aggressive reaction of lines;

Fall: NFL/CFL and European Socker Leagues start;

Winter: world hockey tournaments (Youth) + "boxing day" in sokker.

Frequent questions

Hockey or basketball - where is the "better" market?

In the NBA, the line is driven by news about the roster/roster, in the NHL - goalkeepers/schedule. "Better" where you react faster and more disciplined.

Is the CFL realistic to play analytics?

Yes: a more "thin" market, information about the weather, special teams and injuries of the attack line is felt more.

Sokker is about draws, how to insure?

Use Draw No Bet or Asian Handicap 0 to get a return on a draw.

For Canadian bettors, the Big Three look like this: NHL (national passion and prop markets), NBA/NCAA (pace, props and live), CFL/NFL + socker (long calendar and futures). Put only on the legal platforms of your province/Ontario, keep tight limits, compare coefficients, and remember: competent work with compositions/weather/schedule brings more than a "feeling of form."