- Updated Dec 13, 2023
Top Upcoming Hockey Events in 2023
2023 is going to be an epic game for ice hockey fans. There’s a plethora of international tournaments scheduled to be played over the next month or so. The pinnacle of it all is the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship which is scheduled for mid-May and will feature the sixteen best ice hockey teams in the world.
Of course, it will have exceptional coverage and lots of online betting opportunities for us to explore. But, it’s not the only important ice hockey event this year.
For those of you unfamiliar with how the professional International Ice Hockey Federation rules work, there are multiple divisions in action, consisting of teams with similar play style.
Needless to say, the IHF World Championship is the premier tier, but the first and second divisions feature a couple of stellar teams too. So, if you’d like to bet on ice hockey in the next month or so, here are all the details you must know before filling your betting slips.
Biggest Hockey Events in 2023 – 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey WC Preview
Without further ado, let’s focus on the events starting from the first and by far the biggest one – the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Finland and Latvia.
2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship
- Organization: International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
- Dates: May 12th – May 28th
- Location: Finland & Latvia
- Participants: 16
The world of ice hockey is about to get hot! Next month, we’re in for a plethora of exciting fixtures at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. We already know the details regarding both groups and they are as follows:
| Group A | Group B |
| Austria | Canada |
| Denmark | Czech Republic |
| Finland | Kazakhstan |
| France | Latvia |
| Germany | Norway |
| Hungary | Slovakia |
| Sweden | Slovenia |
| USA | Switzerland |
Finland and Canada are the favorites to win the title. They are followed by Sweden in close third place. If the bookies’ odds are anything to go by, the title should come down to these three teams. The top five favorites list is rounded off with the Czech Republic and USA who will be eyeing their chances. However, they’re far below the big three, so keep that in mind if you’ll be betting on the 2023 IIHF World Championship.
Many bookmakers already feature futures for the IIHF 2023 World Championship in hockey. We do as well. Here are the current odds, though keep in mind that they are likely to change as we inch closer to the opening day.
2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A
- Organization: International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
- Dates: April 29th – May 5th
- Location: Great Britain, Nottingham
- Participants: 6
The first division group A competition starts on April 29th and will run through May 5th. Nottingham is the location of choice, and the action surely won’t disappoint even the most hardcore ice hockey fans out there. The participants are as follows:
- Italy
- Great Britain
- Lithuania
- South Korea
- Poland
- Romania
The opening match will feature Poland and Lithuania. Once again, the opening day is April 29th and the action starts at 12:30 at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham. Make sure you tune into the live action!
2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B
- Organization: International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
- Dates: April 23rd – April 29th
- Location: Estonia, Tallinn
- Participants: 6
The second group in the first division starts a week earlier. More precisely, the start date is April 23rd when we’ll get to see the Netherlands go up against Japan at the Tondiraba Ice Hall in Tallinn. Needless to say, there will be plenty of excitement in group B, especially considering the quality of the teams at play.
- Japan
- Ukraine
- Estonia
- China
- Serbia
- The Netherlands
2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A
- Organization: International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
- Dates: April 16th – April 22nd
- Location: Spain, Madrid
- Participants: 6
The second division group A is set to start on Sunday, April 16th. It features the following six teams:
- Australia
- Croatia
- Spain
- Iceland
- Israel
- Georgia
Georgia vs. Iceland is the opening match. This Sunday, 12:30 at the Pista de Hielo de Madrid ice rink. The competition in group A is quite fierce, so be careful with your bets. There are no outright underdogs in this group, which is what makes it so charming, to begin with.
2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group B
- Organization: International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
- Dates: April 17th – April 23rd
- Location: Turkiye, Istanbul
- Participants: 6
The second division’s group B kicks off just one day later… on April 17th, to be more precise. The Zeytinburnu Ice Rink in Istanbul is where the action will take place. The opening match will feature New Zealand and Belgium at 13:00 so make sure you don’t miss out on it.
Here’s the full list of teams that will be competing in IIHF WC Division II Group B:
- New Zealand
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Mexico
- UAE
- Turkiye
Quick Look at the Remaining Divisions
That’s not all, folks! Ice Hockey’s World Championship has a few more divisions in store for us over the next month or so. However, we’re not talking about to-tier professional ice hockey action here, unfortunately. The third and fourth divisions are not packed with top-class teams.
Here are the key details on the remaining events:
- Event: 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division III, Group A
- Dates: May 12th – May 28th
- Location: South Africa, Cape Town
- Participants: 16
The second group of the third division was held in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo) but is already done and dusted. The same goes for the fourth division held in Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar) which was held back in late March. Kyrgyzstan took the gold in Sarajevo, while the Philippines took the gold in Ulaanbaatar.
IIHF 2023 World Championship Women
Let’s not forget about the ladies! The Women’s IIHF World Championship is already underway. April 13th marked the start date with ten top-notch teams eager to make a name for themselves in Canada. Will the home team snatch yet another title or are we finally going to see Team USA get the better of them?
Here’s what Winz.io ice hockey outright winner odds look like for this competition:
| Canada | 1.74 |
| USA | 1.99 |
| Finland | 20.10 |
| Czech Republic | 32.56 |
| Switzerland | 67.40 |
| Sweden | 100.00 |
| Germany | 100.00 |
| Japan | 100.00 |
What’s the Best Hockey Event to Bet on in 2023?
If you’re looking for ice hockey prime-time action, then you shouldn’t look for anything other than the IIHF World Championship scheduled for mid-May. However, if you’re a true ice hockey enthusiast and you enjoy the dark horses making their way through the first and second divisions, you definitely have a lot of choices at your disposal.
Both groups in the first division look superb and ought to have exceptional odds in their respective futures sections. The same should go for the moneylines and match-winners, though some betting sites might not feature those just yet. There’s plenty of time to go, though, so be patient.
Don’t underestimate the women’s contest either. The action is already on and could provide a ton of betting excitement too. Betting on the women’s event is a bit one-sided with Canada dominating the pro scene. But, Team USA is always a tough nut to crack so we’re bound to have quite the show on our hands here.
Conclusion
There you have it! That’s about it as far as the biggest upcoming ice hockey events are concerned. Remember, the World Championship is scheduled to start on May 12th so make sure you don’t miss out on it. Other (read lower-tier) events seem pretty decent too. If there’s one happening near you – don’t hesitate, get yourself a ticket and enjoy the show!
As for the betting side of things, Winz.io ice hockey coverage will be splendid throughout the entire Championship event. We’re also going to have thorough coverage of the top divisions, so make sure you check our coverage out and test your ice hockey knowledge.
