The championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off between Canada and the United States became the most-bet hockey event in legal betting history. Canada secured a 3-2 overtime victory in Thursday night’s final, capping off a tournament that significantly exceeded betting expectations.

Leading sportsbooks, including BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, reported that the title game attracted more wagers than any previous hockey event. DraftKings also confirmed it generated the highest betting handle of any hockey matchup on record. Although Caesars and ESPN BET noted that their biggest hockey event remained Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between Edmonton and Florida, they acknowledged the 4 Nations final posted impressive figures for a February hockey contest.

According to ESPN BET’s director of North American sports trading, Adrian Horton, cited by ESPN, the betting handle on the championship game even surpassed last year’s World Series games and was comparable to Sunday afternoon NFL matchups—an extraordinary achievement given the disparity in betting interest between hockey and football.

A Surge in Betting Volume Throughout the Tournament

The tournament had already demonstrated strong betting interest, with last Saturday’s USA-Canada meeting previously holding the record for the most-bet hockey game of the season. However, Thursday’s championship saw a surge in wagers, attracting double the money at ESPN BET and 2.5 times the number of bets at BetMGM.

Sportsbooks observed a predictable betting trend, with wagers aligning along national lines. ESPN BET reported that 79% of bets and 77% of the handle backed the U.S., while Canadian sportsbook theScore BET recorded 84% of wagers and 87% of the handle favoring Canada. The game was evenly set at -110 odds for both teams.

While BetMGM also saw the majority of bets placed on the American side, the sheer volume led to a favorable result for the sportsbook. Trading manager Halvor Egeland confirmed that Canada’s victory ultimately proved to be “a good outcome for the sportsbook.”

The 4 Nations Face-Off proved to be a major success for the sports betting industry overall. ESPN BET reported that all four U.S. games ranked as its most-bet hockey events of the season, while BetMGM confirmed that five of its top seven most-wagered hockey games this year came from the tournament.

The Future of Hockey Betting and NHL Momentum

With the NHL resuming action on Saturday, sportsbooks anticipate an initial wave of bets before attention shifts to college basketball and March Madness. However, industry experts believe the heightened engagement from the 4 Nations Face-Off could lead to sustained interest as teams push toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Caesars Sportsbook’s head of hockey, Karry Shreeve, expects this momentum to carry over. “I really think it’ll ramp right back up again once we get to the playoffs, especially if we can get some fun matchups,” he said.

The timing of the tournament played a key role in its betting appeal. The NHL’s temporary break allowed star players from the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Finland to participate, while the absence of major NFL games following the Super Bowl further fueled interest.

The final also carried an added layer of intensity due to political tensions. During last Saturday’s USA-Canada game, some Montreal fans booed the American national anthem in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The heightened rivalry and physical play, including three fights in the opening seconds of that game, only increased anticipation for the final.

Ultimately, the tournament ended with a dramatic finish as Canada’s Connor McDavid netted the overtime winner, solidifying his team’s victory and delivering a moment that resonated with both fans and bettors alike.