2024 IIHF World Juniors Odds and Betting Breakdown

The 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship is set to captivate Gothenburg, Sweden, from December 26, 2023, to January 5, 2024, and as we explore this year’s World Junior odds at the best sports betting sites in Canada, it’s evident that Team Canada emerges as the clear favorite to clinch their third straight gold medal.

No other nation puts a greater emphasis on this Under-20 tournament than Canada. Players dream of being in it, there’s a gold-or-bust expectation every year, and the country practically slows down to tune in over the holidays. The World Juniors have become a cultural touchstone over the years, and that passion is reflected in Canada’s historical dominance and perennially deep rosters, which can often hint at the next generation of NHL stars.

If you’re eager to place your bets on the 2024 IIHF World Hockey Championship with some of the best betting apps in Canada, take the first step now by clicking the link below, or feel free to scroll down to discover more about this year’s tournament.

To Win 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship

Team Canada +182

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2024 World Junior IIHF Odds

Team Canada comes in as the stand out betting favorite lined at odds of +180 at most top Canadian sportsbooks. Sweden comes in as the second betting favorite, with the United States lined slightly behind at odds of about +300. Finland is the fourth favorite on the World Juniors odds board, while Czechia is lined at long shot odds despite having made it to the finals in last year’s tournament.

World Junior IIHF odds updated as of December 6, 2023 via TonyBet

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Top Contenders At 2024 U20 IIHF World Championships

As we gear up for the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championships, all eyes are on the ice where the giants of junior hockey are set to clash. The hot favorites? None other than Canada, Sweden, the United States, and Finland.

Canada is gearing up as a powerhouse for the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championships, boasting a roster brimming with talent. The final lineup is still in the works, but expectations are high for a strong team showing.

Leading the charge behind the bench for Team Canada is Alan Letang from the Sarnia Sting in the OHL. Letang coached the Sting to their first conference finals in team history last season, and is looking to take team Canada to their first three-peat since Canada strung five gold medals together from 2005 to 2009.

While Team Canada was hopeful for a bigger NHL presence in the team, only Tristan Luneau from the Anaheim Ducks got the nod to join. Big names like Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski from the Chicago Blackhawks, and Shane Wright from the Seattle Kraken, are staying put with their NHL teams. This makes the tournament an intriguing mix of emerging talent and missed opportunities.

Team Canada World Juniors Odds

Team Canada comes in as the top betting favorite currently lined at odds of +180, having won back-to-back titles at home in both 2022 and 2023. The United States are the most formidable contenders to defeat Canada, as the Red and White have failed to defeat the Red, White and Blue in each of their last four meetings in gold medal games. In fact, one has to go as far back as 1997 to find a Team Canada win over the United States in a gold medal game at the World Juniors.

Never the less, Canada has the draw on their side as the #1 seeded team in Pool A, and could likely avoid having to face the United States all together in this tournament depending on the seeding headed into the knock-out stage.

With that, Canada at +180 is not the most valued selection on the odds board for the 2024 World Juniors, but it may in fact be the most probable.

World Juniors Betting Trends, Odds and Analysis

Last year’s IIHF World Junior Championship saw the betting favorite win a total of 64% of games within regulation time (18-10), but the real story of the tournament in 2023 was the fact that over 25% of the games played (8 of 28) in the opening round and playoffs went to extra time, with the draw cashing at an average of 76% ROI per game.

Apart from that, two underdogs came through in a big way in the 2023 World Junior Championship, with both the Czech Republic pulling off a massive regulation win over Canada in the opening round as +1600 underdogs, along with Slovakia upsetting the United States as +1350 underdogs. With just those two wins, underdog bettors who straight-bet the plus-money side in regulation in last year’s tournament ended up profiting, a common theme observed in this tournament over the last few years.

In fact, over the last three years, despite the betting favorite having won 73% of games (63 of 84) in regulation, the betting underdog has consistently earned more profit, with just 9 outright wins.

With this in mind, it’s vital to understand that the betting underdog in the World Junior Championships are almost always the value side of the equation, and that the variance of this tournament does not favor chalk bettors.

2024 IIHF World Junior Championship of Overs

In the past three years of the IIHF World Junior Championship, 63% of games played have seen six or more goals scored, with just 31 of 84 games played since the 2021 tournament seeing less than six goals.

Last year’s IIHF World Junior Championship saw a whopping total of 16 of games played in the round robin and playoff rounds ending with six goals or more scored, an increase of 11% from the 2022 tournament, and a combined 18% increase since 2021.

Biggest 2024 World Juniors Prediction

Team USA’s prospects for the upcoming World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden, appear highly promising, led by key players Jimmy Snuggerud and Cutter Gauthier. These talents, part of the 29 players invited to the final evaluation camp in Plymouth, Michigan, will vie for spots on the 25-player roster.

Snuggerud’s impressive performance at last year’s World Junior Championships, where he scored 13 points, and Gauthier’s 10 points were pivotal in the U.S. team’s success, who captured bronze over Sweden in a thrilling 8-7 overtime win to earn their sixth medal in the United States’ last eight appearances in the tournament.

Team USA is further strengthened by experienced returnees like Trey Augustine, Seamus Casey, Ryan Chesley, Lane Hutson, Gavin Brindley, and Rutger McGroarty, with U.S. general manager John Vanbiesbrouck having lauded the team’s depth and potential for surprising the field.

This blend of skill and experience positions Team USA as a formidable contender at the 2024 World Juniors, especially given their historical performances against Canada.

To Win 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship

Team USA
+315

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Key Players to Watch in 2024 World Junior Championship

In this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships, the top players to watch are a mix of rising stars from Team Canada and Team USA. From Canada, keep your eyes on Macklin Celebrini, Matthew Savoie, and Nate Danielson, who are all contending for spots on the team and have shown great potential.

On the USA side, Logan Cooley, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Charlie Stramel stand out as key players to watch in this year’s tournament, with each bringing a unique skill to their game.

Logan Cooley was a standout in last year’s tournament, with 14 points in seven games and a bronze medal to go with it. With Connor Bedard out of this year’s tournament, Cooley is likely to be the key played to watch in this year’s World Junior hockey championship.

Impact of COVID on 2024 World Junior Championship

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the World Junior Hockey Championship scheduled for 2022. Originally, Gothenburg was chosen as the host city on March 14, 2019. However, due to the global disruptions caused by the pandemic, the event had to be relocated. Consequently, the 2022 Championships were moved to Edmonton and Red Deer, delaying Gothenburg’s opportunity to host until 2024.

2024 World Juniors Schedule and Location

The action for Team Canada begins on December 26, 2023, with an afternoon game against Finland, followed by another matchup on December 27, where Canada takes on Latvia.

The competition heats up for Team Canada with an evening game against host Sweden on December 29. To round off round-robin play, Canada faces Germany on New Years Eve, with all these games taking place at the Scandinavium.

2024 IIHF World Juniors: Pool A Schedule

2024 IIHF World Juniors: Pool B Schedule

In the playoff round of the tournament, the winning teams will be reseeded for the semi-finals based on several criteria. These criteria include their position in the group, the number of points they have accumulated, their goal difference, the number of goals scored, and their seeding entering the tournament, which is determined by their final placement at the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

The playoff round includes the quarterfinals, semifinals, the bronze medal game, and the gold medal game. The quarterfinals will take place on January 2, 2024, with the semifinals are scheduled for January 4. The tournament will conclude with the bronze medal game and the gold medal game, both on January 5, 2024, at Scandinavium, Gothenburg.

Historical Context and Past Winners in Previous IIHF World Juniors

Throughout the history of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, the most dominant teams have been Canada and the Soviet Union/Russia. Canada leads with an impressive total of 20 gold medals. The Soviet Union/Russia, considered together, have amassed 13 gold medals. These two teams stand out as the most successful in the tournament’s history.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Ice Hockey Federation took significant action against Russia and Belarus. The IIHF suspended all Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from participating in every age category and in all IIHF competitions or events.

Other noteworthy teams include Finland, the United States, and Sweden, each showing strong performances: Finland with 5 gold medals, the United States with 5, and Sweden with 2. However, their successes, though significant, have not reached the consistent heights of Canada and Russia.

Czechia, including its past as Czechoslovakia, hold 15 total medals historically, including 2 golds, while smaller contributors like Slovakia (2 bronze) and Switzerland (1 bronze) have also made notable appearances on the podium.

Bet On IIHF World Juniors With Top Canadian Sportsbooks

The top sportsbooks in Canada for betting on the World Juniors include Sports Interaction, TonyBet, Bet365, PariMatch, and Bet99.

Sports Interaction stands out for its comprehensive coverage for NHL betting and other types of sports wagering, along with swift withdrawal times and attractive welcome bonuses. TonyBet is recognized for offering competitive odds and a diverse range of betting options, including in-play betting. Bet365, despite some past issues in coverage for the World Juniors, remains a popular choice, offering extensive betting options for the tournament and various other international ice hockey events.

PariMatch is known for its user-friendly interface and wide selection of sports bets. Lastly, Bet99 is appreciated for its reliability and efficient payment processing, adding to its appeal for those looking to bet on the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship.

These sportsbooks are collectively renowned for their trustworthiness, broad spectrum of betting opportunities, and effective handling of financial transactions, making them ideal choices for enthusiasts looking to engage in betting on this event.

Bet365 World Junior Hockey Betting

While Bet365 does typically offer odds for the World Junior Hockey Championship, it’s important to note that they are somewhat hesitant to offer wider odds on the games over the last few years.

In contrast to Bet365’s more reserved approach, many other leading sportsbooks in Canada actively and prominently offer odds on the World Junior Hockey Championship, as confirmed by various sports betting websites. This suggests that while Bet365 participates in this market, other sportsbooks might be more assertive in their offerings for these events.

World Juniors Bet365 Game Props

Hockey fans can place wagers on specific aspects of any game in the 2024 World Junior Championships, such as the number of goals scored by a team, which team will score next, or if the game will go to extra time. These bets add an extra layer of excitement to each game, allowing you to engage with the match in a more detailed manner.

With some sportsbook, including Bet365, you can also place bets on the number of goals or assists a player will score in a game, or even predict the total shots on goal a player will have.