Sweden vs. Italy Prediction & Best Bets Today: Olympic Men's Hockey Preview
The second game of the men's Olympic hockey tournament presents an intriguing contest, and I've sourced three sound betting options in my Sweden vs. Italy prediction and best bets today.
Sweden is the ridiculous -10000 moneyline betting favorite, with Italy the +2400 underdog. Those odds are obviously unplayable, unless you feel like an Italian miracle is on the horizon, which I don't. Let's get into bets with palatable odds for today's game (3:25 p.m. ET, USA Network).
Sweden is among the gold medal contenders, receiving the third-shortest odds (+350). Italy, meanwhile, is tied with France for the least likely team to become Olympic champions (+20000).
🏒 Sweden vs. Italy prediction: Olympic men's hockey
Our expert Olympic hockey picks are based on the latest betting odds at the best sports betting sites.
| Bet type | Bet | Best odds | Confidence | Unit size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puck line bet | Sweden -5.5 | +110 via BetMGM | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 2u |
| Total | Over 6.5 | -130 via BetMGM | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 1u |
| Player prop | Lucas Raymond Over 1.5 points | -130 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 1u |
💰 Sweden vs. Italy best bet: Sweden -5.5 (+110)
This is easily my best edge of the day, with a massive quality discrepancy between the teams on paper. That will manifest on the ice, with Sweden winning comfortably, probably by seven goals.
While Sweden doesn't have a ton of puritan snipers, it has a strong collective that will wear down an inferior Italian team with no NHL experience. I am concerned Filip Gustavsson might allow one goal due to a disproportionately light workload.
It's a quintessential mismatch, and I'm surprised to see the plus-money odds, which is why it's a 5-star play that I'm putting two units on.
Score prediction: Sweden 7, Italy 1
🔥 Best Sweden vs. Italy prop bet: Lucas Raymond Over 1.5 points (-130)
If you're Swedish or a Red Wings fan, everyone loves Raymond.
Lucas Raymond leads the Detroit Red Wings with 60 points in 56 games, and he was a monster for Tre Kronor at last year's World Championships, where he scored 11 points in 10 games.
The odds are admittedly short. I'm okay with that in the opener, though, as I'd rather sacrifice some profit for a higher probability. I wouldn't play this bet beyond -140.
💡 How many Italy players are NHLers?
Italy has no NHL players on the roster.
🇸🇪 Is William Nylander playing in today's game?
William Nylander didn't attend practice due to "maintenance," with the Toronto Maple Leafs star feeling soreness. He returned to action in the NHL on Jan. 31 after suffering a groin injury on Jan. 15.
We're still waiting for confirmation on whether he'll play. However, if I were a betting man, which, obviously, I am, I'd expect him to sit this one out. There's no reason to risk him in a game of this nature.
🤔 How I'm capping Sweden vs. Italy
With no previous games to go on, I'm keying on a few areas:
- Italy has no NHL experience and a roster comprised of players who are markedly inferior to Sweden's stacked team
- Sweden has arguably the best goaltender in the tournament (Filip Gustavsson). Hopefully, he doesn't let complacency set in
- Sweden has one of the best defenses
- Italy's three goaltenders (Damian Clara, Davide Fadani, Gianluca Vallini) play domestically in Sweden, Switzerland, and Italy, respectively
- Clara, Italy's presumed starter, is the team's lone NHL prospect. At 21, he’s the youngest goaltender on the team. While he has the most promise, starting against Sweden would present a stiff challenge
If you're wondering how to bet on the men's Olympic hockey tournament, our Dustin Saracini has you covered.
📺 How to watch Sweden vs. Italy
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 11
- Puck drop: 3:25 p.m. ET
- Location: Santagiulia Arena (Milan, Italy)
- TV: USA Network
💡Olympic hockey expert picks
- How to bet the men's Olympic hockey tournament
- Slovakia vs. Finland prediction
- Canada vs. Czechia prediction
- Men's Olympic hockey odds & predictions
- One reason each favorite and dark horse can win
- Olympic hockey odds at prediction markets
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