While a ton of people across the planet are focusing on the college football season, and understandably so, don't forget that NCAA basketball is here for everyone to enjoy. We've already seen some great games being posted by some of the best student-athletes in the country. With that said, one team is standing tall above […]
2020 NHL All-Star Game: Preview, Odds, & Picks
The biggest stars in the NHL ascend into the Enterprise Center in St. Louis for the annual league All-Star game. Which of the four conferences will reign supreme? We take a look at the tournament and offer up a free betting pick to make ahead of the January 25 event!
Only days away, here are the current NHL All-Star game betting odds, per online sportsbooks:
- Pacific Division (+200)
- Atlantic Division (+250)
- Metropolitan Division (+350)
- Central Division (+500)
Before we give out our free pick, we have to remind you about the countless sign-up bonuses and promotions available across the Internet. A simple sign-up and an initial deposit are all that's required to unlock hundreds in free play. You're literally leaving free money on the table if you're not leveraging them!
With that said, let's dive a little deeper into the NHL All-Star game odds and offer up our predictions!
History Favors Two Divisions
Back in 2016, the NHL breathed new life into its All-Star game by scraping the one-game format in favor of a four-team, three-on-three tournament amongst divisions. But only two divisions have won the knockout-style event since then — the Metropolitan and Pacific.
Pacific won it in 2016 and 2018, coincidentally both even-year events. Whereas Metro won both odd-year spectacles in 2017 and 2019. Based on that, history would lead us to believe Pacific is the team to beat, which oddsmakers agree with.
But Pacific has more going for it than just recent history. The top two scorers across the league (and Edmonton teammates) — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — will lead the squad. McDavid will also serve as team captain thanks to fan voting.
High Scoring Affair Seems Probable
After the 2016 format shakeup, scoring initially took a nosedive. The average goal output in the first three years was small, by All-Star game standards at least — 7.6 goals per game (2016), 12 (2017), and 8.3 (2018).
However, that all changed a season ago with an average goal output of 13.3 per game. We have a hunch that 2020 results will be more similar to 2019 than 2016-2018.
We say that because the novelty of the All-Star game format has worn off on the players by now. At first, the new game rules sparked more competition. But in year five, the players are starting to take it less seriously — just look at how many players have dropped out of the game altogether. This leads us to believe the defense will be nonexistent in 2020 so our advice is to bet the over on all three games!
Making Our Betting Pick
We're backing the Pacific in the All-Star game. Outside of reasons already mentioned — even year and having a stud one-two punch — there's one more reason to back the division in 2020.
Just days ago, Arizona head coach Rick Tocchet was pegged to lead the team. This came on the heels of Las Vegas shockingly firing Gerard Gallant.
Tocchet, a former All-Star in his playing days, is the right coach to lead this team to victory. He's turned around this Coyotes team in year three and as a first-time All-Star coach, he'll naturally have more motivation to win.
That does it for us and our preview guide. Be sure to track NHL All-Star game map odds between now and January 25 when the event kicks off with the sportsbook list below. You can also drop your game bets at any of the sportsbooks listed. Each is highly reputable, offers easy deposit methods, and multiple cashout options.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
Category : News
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