According to bookmakers, the Czechs’ chance for gold is the fourth highest among the teams

There are five strong teams at the championship, which have ambitions to advance to the medal fights, Fortuna spokesman Petr Šrain said. “On paper, the Czech Republic is vying with Finland for fourth place, but as always, the position of the teams in the basic groups will also have a role to play. From the point of view of the odds, it looks like this year’s championship will be directed by overseas teams,” he added.

According to Šrain, the domestic championship is always an extraordinary event, and Czech matches are watched by people who are otherwise not interested in sports. This was also confirmed by Jiří Hadrava, the spokesman for Tipsport, which became an official partner of the championship last year. “Every year, the championship is one of the biggest events for a bookmaker, and especially when it takes place in the Czech Republic. In addition, given the group in Ostrava, it is almost a ‘home’ championship for Slovaks, so it is also a significant undertaking for Tipsport in Slovakia,” said Hadrava.

According to the bookmakers, the Czechs should definitely reach the quarter-finals. But bettors at Tipsport, for example, believe that they are the biggest favorites to win after Canada. “Advancement to the semi-finals seems to be realistic with the advantage of the home environment,” said Chance spokeswoman Markéta Světlíková. According to her, thanks to a strong team with players from overseas NHL, Slovakia could be the “dark horse” of the championship. However, the Swiss, for example, could also surprise this year, especially if Roman Josi comes to them from the NHL, Světlíková added.

Traditionally, the shooters will also attract the attention of bettors. According to bookmakers, the Canadian Conor Bedard, who scored 22 goals and had 39 assists in this NHL season, is the place to watch. For example, American Trevor Zegras with six goals and nine assists can be next. Slovakian Juraj Slafkovský, who scored 20 goals and 30 assists in the NHL this year, may also be interesting.

Of the Czech shooters, bookmakers expect the greatest interest from bettors in David Pastrňák, if Boston were to be eliminated in the NHL playoffs and Pastrňák could thus come to the championship. “Three-quarters of the sports nation would bet on him scoring a goal in a match. And it’s not so much about winning some money here, but more about a good fan feeling and support for the native,” Hadrava pointed out.

This year’s Ice Hockey World Championship will take place between May 10 and 26. 16 teams will participate in the championship, 64 matches will be played. The Czech Republic’s first match will be against Finland on Friday from 20:00.