2022 IIHF World Championship Winner Odds Favor the Hosts, Finland

Picture from the 1959 IIHF – Image source: Flickr

16 teams will compete in the 2022 IIHF World Championship between the 13th and 29th of May in Finland. Last year’s runner-ups, Finland are the main favorites in the 2022 IIHF World Championship winner odds. But the defending champions, Canada and the 2018 winners, Sweden are also in the top teams. Just like the US who only won the event twice before. 

The best 16 men’s ice hockey teams will take part in the 85th IIHF World Championship hosted by Finland this time. After the expulsion of the Russian and Belarusian teams, Austria and France got invited to the tournament. Along with the most successful teams. Like the defending champions, Canada who won their 27th title last year. And the Czech Republic and Sweden who also got 12 and 11 titles so far. While the hosts, Finland can win their fourth trophy in front of their home crowd. The participants will be divided into two groups with the first four teams from each groups advancing to the quarter-finals. While the last-placed teams will be relegated to the Division I A. The final is held on the 29th of May, let’s see the biggest favorites to get there. 

2022 IIHF World Championship winner odds favor the northern powerhouses

Finland won the Ice Hockey World Championship three times so far, in 1995, 2011 and 2019 but they also finished as a runner-up on nine more occasions. The team was second in the previous event as well after losing in the final against Canada. Now they can take revenge on home soil and win the gold medal. Online sportsbooks in Finland offer the smallest odds, 3.00 for their victory. Which is not surprising as Finland are also the defending Olympic champions due to their recent victory in Beijing. Their team can be even stronger now with several NHL players being able to join them. Like Mikael Granlund and Mikko Rantanen. 

One of their biggest rivals can be their neighbors and old rivals, Sweden who has the odds of 4.00 in the 2022 IIHF World Championship winner odds. The Swedish team finished fourth in the Olympics but can get an even better result in Finland. They won the world championship 11 times so far, in 2018 for the last time. In the previous event, Sweden couldn’t even qualify from their group which was their worst result in recent years. Players like Adrian Kempe, Rickard Rakell and Victor Olofsson can help to achieve a top finish. Sweden will start in Group B along with Finland, the US and the Czech Republic. While they will play their first match against Austria. 

Can Canada defend its title?

We can’t miss from the top favorites the defending champions, Canada who have the odds of 5.00 to win again. As we mentioned, they are the most successful nation in the event’s history with 27 titles. Winning the first tournament back in 1920 and the last in 2021 too. Russia have the same number of titles with less silver medals, but for the well-known reasons they won’t be able to add any medal to their list. Unlike Canada who had a disappointing result in the Olympics after losing the quarter-final against Sweden. Now all NHL stars like Connor Brown and Andrew Mangiapane can play which will strengthen the team significantly. 

Canada’s huge rival, the US have only won two titles so far and their win would be a small surprise again. They also reached the quarter-final in the 2022 Olympics. The head coach of that team, David Quinn will lead the American team in Finland. The US haven’t reached the final since 1960 but finished in third place on six occasions. Now online gambling sites in Finland offer the odds of 9.00 for their victory. Similar odds (7.00) are offered for the title of the Czech Republic who can win their 13th gold medal. But in recent years they haven’t received such good results. In 2021 they were knocked out in the quarter-final. While in Beijing they only reached the playoffs where they lost against Switzerland.  Now under the new manager, Kari Jalonen fans are hoping for a much better result.

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