Is raging nationalism good for sports betting? If you were to base the answer to that question on the volume of betting surrounding the 4 Nations Face-Off, the answer would be a resounding “yes.”
According to recently released numbers, published in SBC Americas, wagering on the international hockey event broke multiple records for hockey wagering in the US. The online publication is reporting that by the final game rolled around FanDuel saw a 48 percent increase versus an average hockey game. Caesars Sportsbooks reported an increase of more than 200 percent on the number of wagers placed versus the average NHL game.
Given that the 4 Nations Face-Off is not exactly a mainstream event, there was clearly something else motivating all that betting. The likely source was an enhanced sense of national pride driven by souring relations between the tournament’s final two competitors, the US and Canada. A vigorous booing of the US National Anthem in the semi-final, as well as loose talk from the US President regarding the annexation of Canada (a sovereign nation that’s been one of America’s most reliable allies) also attracted attention to the game.
Caesars Sportsbook Head of Hockey Karry Shreeve described the betting situation to SBC Americas saying, “A Game 7 atmosphere and style of play is what we anticipated and it was exactly what we got in every which way,” “Customers were all over the U.S. out of the gates, especially when they went down 1-0 and were around +150 to bet on to win.
“Anytime Goalscorer saw record handle and customers were rewarded when McDavid scored the game-winner in overtime. The betting only ramped up when the game did go to OT, proving everyone was locked in until the very end,” he added.
Other sportsbooks reported betting levels that were similar to those seen during NFL games. It’s unlikely that this set of circumstances will occur at an international hockey event anytime soon, but if they do, it’s big business for sports betting operators.