4 Nations ice hockey final breaks online betting records

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The final of the 4 Nations ice hockey tournament between Canada and the US was the most bet on hockey game at several US sportsbooks, according to ESPN.

The 4 Nations final took place on 20 February, with Canada defeating the US 3-2. Online sportsbook operators, including BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, revealed over the weekend that the final became the most bet-on hockey game for these operators.

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ESPN Bet Director of North American Sports Trading Adrian Horton said via email, “Handle for the 4 Nations Final surpassed last year’s World Series games and was on par with Sunday afternoon NFL games, which is remarkable when comparing the general scale of hockey and football betting.”

ESPN reported that wagers tended to be placed on the country where the bettor was playing, with 79% of bets and a 77% handle placed on the US moneyline at ESPN Bet. Meanwhile, Canadian operator theScore Bet, which is run by the same parent company as ESPN Bet, recorded 84% of tickets and 87% of cash backed the Canadian team.

Compared to Canada’s and the US’ first face-off earlier in the tournament, online operators ESPN BET and BetMGM reported that the number of bets wagered on the final had essentially doubled.

DraftKings Sportsbook Director Johnny Avello told ESPN via text, “The NHL absolutely nailed the 4 Nations Face-Off. Bettors saw how seriously the players took it and reacted accordingly. Every game of this tournament yielded significant action.”

Before seeing record betting numbers of a hockey game, ESPN Bet expanded its US reach earlier in 2025 when the online sportsbook went live in Washington D.C.