Although Field Hockey may not be in the same league as football or tennis in terms of popularity, it is still a truly global sport. It originated centuries ago and it can be played on grass, indoors or most commonly, astroturf. It is particularly popular in Europe, New Zealand and Australia and betting on field hockey is more common than people think. If you know your field hockey inside out you will have an edge over most bookies. So if you are short on knowledge, our field hockey betting guide is well worth a read.
In our guide to field hockey betting we will examine a number of aspects of this great game. We reveal our best field hockey betting sites, look at some of the biggest tournaments and outline the most profitable field hockey betting strategies. So, if you want to increase your chances of making money from betting on field hockey, you are in the right place! Read on to find out more…
Top 5 Field Hockey Betting Sites
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Field Hockey History and Facts
It is not known for certain when or where field hockey originated. However, historians have pinpointed the Middle Ages as the time when hockey most likely was first played. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) governs the sport and is responsible for developing and enforcing the rules of the game. The oldest Field Hockey trophy is the Irish Senior Cup which was founded in 1894.
A big game changer for Field Hockey was the phasing in of artificial surface pitches in the 1970s. This sped the game up and sparked a decline in the dominance of India and Pakistan. The reason for this was money, as many clubs could not afford to lay artificial turf pitches. There are almost 2500 Field Hockey teams in the UK, including 1969 women’s teams and 1042 men’s teams.
Field Hockey Betting: Major International Tournaments
The main competition for International Field Hockey teams is the Olympics which is held every four years. However, closely behind in terms of importance is the Hockey World Cup, also held every four years. The main annual tournament for both men and women is the FIH Pro League.
Domestically, the Men and Women’s England Hockey Leagues are the main competitions. The winners qualify for the European level tournaments. For the men, the goal is to get into the Euro Hockey League, while the women fight it out for a place in the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup. You can find out more about all the major tournaments below.
Field Hockey Olympics
The pinnacle for any professional hockey player is to win a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games. Held every four years, the Olympic Field Hockey Tournaments for men and women were last held in 2016. In the 2016 Men’s Field Hockey Olympics it was Argentina who took gold for the first time in their history. In the Women’s Field Hockey Olympics it was Great Britain who triumphed, also winning their first ever gold.
Australia have traditionally been the powerhouse in the Women’s Field Hockey Olympics, winning the Gold Medal on three occasions since the first tournament in 1980. The first Men’s Olympic Field Hockey tournament was held in 1908. In the early years, India (7 wins) and Pakistan (3 wins) dominated. However, their powers have waned and nowadays it is Germany who are usually the team to beat.
Men’s Field Hockey Olympic Games Last 5 Winners
Year |
Gold Medal |
Silver Medal |
2016 |
Argentina |
Belgium |
2012 |
Germany |
Netherlands |
2008 |
Germany |
Spain |
2004 |
Australia |
Netherlands |
2000 |
Netherlands |
South Korea |
Women’s Field Hockey Olympic Games Last 5 Winners
Year |
Gold Medal |
Silver Medal |
2016 |
Great Britain |
Netherlands |
2012 |
Netherlands |
Argentina |
2008 |
Netherlands |
China |
2004 |
Germany |
Netherlands |
2000 |
Australia |
Argentina |
How To Bet On Olympic Games Field Hockey
At the time of writing, no odds were available for the 2020 Field Hockey Olympics. As the competitions for men and women draw closer, markets will be formed and punters should have plenty of options. The outright winner markets are always popular and if you are having an each way bet, bet365 usually have the best each-way terms.
Match betting is popular too, and if you want to combine selections you can do so in accumulators. Using the Ladbrokes or William Hill Odds Boost features for field hockey accas could help to pump up your returns. Over/Under betting on total goals is another interesting market and bookies can often make mistakes when pricing matches up. Handicap betting is also an option with some betting sites for Olympic Field Hockey. Choose your market wisely and shop around for the best prices to enhance your chance of turning a profit.
Field Hockey Betting: Hockey World Cup
The Olympics may be the pinnacle for hockey players, but the Hockey World Cup is not far behind. Held every four years, the Men’s Hockey World Cup was last hosted by India in 2018. The last Women’s Hockey World Cup took place in London where the Netherlands emerged victorious. They have won three of the last four and are usually there or thereabouts.
The Netherlands have won eight Women’s Hockey World Cups, streets ahead of any other nation. Argentina are their biggest rivals these days, and they won in 2002 and 2010. In the Men’s Hockey World Cup, Pakistan hold the record for most wins with 4. The Netherlands and Australia are hot on their heels though with three wins each. Find out more about betting on the Hockey World Cups below…
How To Bet On The Hockey World Cup
If you are betting on the Hockey World Cup there are plenty of markets to choose from. The Outright Winner Market requires you to bet on a team to win it all, but you can back each way in that market too. To get a return on each way bets your team must reach the final and Ladbrokes usually pay 1/2 odds 1-2.
No markets were available for the Men’s or Women’s Hockey World Cups at the time of writing. Closer to the tournament you will be able to bet on each Pool Winner, as well as on individual matches in the 1X2 markets. Keep an eye out for Hockey World Cup promotions from Paddy Power and Betfair. Both betting sites are known for their specials, and they could have some nice offers for the Field Hockey World Cup.
Field Hockey Betting: FIH Pro League
The main annual tournament for International men’s and women’s hockey teams is the FIH Pro League. This new competition was only launched in 2019 and it serves as a qualifier for the Hockey World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Nine men’s and women’s teams have been confirmed for the 2019 FIH Pro League. India are scheduled to be the tenth team when they join in 2021. However, Pakistan have pulled out after failing to show up for their first three matches.
The format of the FIH Pro League is a round robin type tournament with teams playing each other home and away. The top 4 teams at the end of the Round Robin Stage will advance to the semifinals and the last two teams standing will contest the Grand Final.
How To Bet On The FIH Pro League
Unfortunately, as far as we could see, no UKGC-licensed bookmakers had outright odds available for the FIH Pro League. However, we did discover a couple of bookies that had odds for match betting. Ladbrokes had match betting markets available, but no other markets whatsoever. bet365, on the other hand, had three markets available.
If you sign up with bet365 you can bet on the winner of the match in the 1X2 market. Alternatively, if you fancy a team to win (or lose) by a wide or narrow margin, the handicap markets could be the way to go. The final FIH Pro League market bet365 had was the ‘Totals’ market where you bet on Over/Under total goals scored. If you want to bet on the FIH Pro League, bet365 is where it is at.
Field Hockey Betting: Major Club Tournaments
Although International Hockey teams hog the headlines, there is a healthy club scene too. In Europe the main tournaments for club players are the Euro Hockey League for men and the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup for women. Keep on reading to learn more about Europe’s premier field hockey club competitions.
Euro Hockey League (Men)
The Euro Hockey League is Europe’s most prestigious club competition. Featuring 24 of the top teams in the continent, this annual tournament consists of five different rounds. First up is the Group Stage, which is usually played at the start of October. This stage contains 12 teams, with 4 pools of 3 clubs. Each team plays twice and the top team from each pool advance to round 2.
The highest ranked 12 teams enter at this stage of the Euro Hockey League, joining the four qualifiers from Round 1. The 16 teams play out a knockout format competition, with the final two teams playing in the final. The losing semi-finalists also compete in a 3rd/4th place play-off. Bloemendaal from the Netherlands were the winners in 2018, their third victory. Very few bookies have betting available for the Euro Hockey League, find out more below.
How To Bet On Euro Hockey League
At the time of writing, no Euro Hockey League markets had been formed. William Hill is one bookmaker that will have odds for the Euro Hockey League when the tournament draws closer. The main options for punters having a bet on the Euro Hockey League are outright winner and individual 1X2 match betting.
William Hill will have outright winner odds once the field has been finalised and they usually offer 1/2 odds 1-2. In other words, your team has to at least reach the final for you to get a return. The usual match betting markets will also be available from bet365.
Field Hockey Betting: EuroHockey Club Champions Cup (Women)
The primary club competition for the top women’s clubs in Europe is the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup. This tournament has been on the go since 1974 and teams from the Netherlands have dominated. In fact, German club Rot-Weiss Koln were the last non-Netherlands team to win all the way back in 1999. The 2019 tournament will be held in in the Netherlands.
How To Bet On EuroHockey Club Champions Cup
At the time of writing, no bookmaker had odds available for the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup. It is not the easiest field hockey tournament to get a bet on. bet365 and William Hill are the most likely bookies to form markets for the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup. We recommend checking for prices when the tournament start draws closer in late May.
The Netherlands (2), Germany (2), Spain (1), England (1), Belarus (1) and Ireland (1) supply the 8 clubs for the 2019 renewal. Given their dominance in recent years, it would be no surprise were the two Dutch clubs at the head of the market when it is formed. The same betting options should be available as for the men’s tournament, including Outright Winner, match betting, handicap betting and under/over total goals.
Field Hockey Betting FAQs
What's the best field hockey betting site?
When it comes to choosing the “best betting site”, we don’t think it’s actually possible for a single bookmaker to meet every punter’s needs. However, we also understand that choosing the right bookie for you can seem overwhelming when there are literally hundreds of options out there. To make it easier for you, we’ve narrowed it down to our picks for the 5 best field hockey betting sites. All you need to do is take your pick, and start betting!
What betting site has the best hockey odds?
If you are looking for the betting site with the best hockey odds, in our opinion bet365 and William Hill are top dogs for prices. William Hill have odds for the majority of field hockey tournaments and their excellent ‘Odds Boost’ feature can be used for field hockey wagers. bet365 are best when it comes to match betting on field hockey, simply because at the time of writing they had the most markets to offer.
Where can I find field hockey live scores?
If you are looking for live score updates, and in-play betting on hockey, a number of bookies have this facility. bet365 and Betfair both offer live betting on the big matches at the Field Hockey Olympics and Hockey World Cup. bet365 may even have streaming available for certain field hockey events, check their schedule for upcoming matches.