On February 20, Canada faced the United States in the finals of the 4 Nations Tournament, defeating Team USA 3-2. This made the hockey game the most-bet-on hockey event for online operators, with DraftKings recording its highest-ever handle for a hockey game.
“Handle for the 4 Nations Final surpassed last year’s World Series games and was on par with Sunday afternoon NFL games, which is remarkable when comparing the general scale of hockey and football betting,” ESPN Bet director of North American sports trading Adrian Horton said via email.
ESPN Bet also reported that bets placed on Thursday’s match doubled those previously placed on Canada’s and the United States’ first face-off earlier in the tournament. BetMGM also recorded two and half times more bets placed on their sportsbooks during the final.
Two sportsbook operators owned by Penn Entertainment, ESPN Bet and the Score Bet, reported that bettors mostly placed bets on the country they reside in. ESPN Bet recorded 79% of bets and a 77% handle placed on the US moneyline. In contrast, the Score Bet recorded 84% of tickets, and 87% of cash favored the Canadian team.
“The NHL absolutely nailed it with the 4 Nations Face-Off,” DraftKings sportsbook director Johnny Avello told ESPN over text. “Bettors saw how seriously the players took it and reacted accordingly. Every game of this tournament yielded significant action.”