The 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship is underway! The best prospects from across the globe are competing for junior hockey supremacy. We’re here to provide you with the latest world juniors odds, predictions, and betting breakdowns so you can make this your most profitable junior hockey betting experience yet. We also provide reviews on the best Canadian sports betting apps so you can find a trusted and reliable oddsmaker to take your action to this tourney.
Team CAN To Win 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship
+225
2025 World Juniors Betting Odds
Check out the full 2025 World Juniors odds below to see who’s favoured to win it all and where all 10 teams are ranked by oddsmakers from Sports Interaction. World Junior odds updated as of Jan 02, 2025:
| Team | Odds from Sports Interaction |
|---|---|
| USA | +125 |
| Canada | +225 |
| Sweden | +325 |
| Finland | +1000 |
| Czechia | +2500 |
| Slovakia | +6600 |
| Latvia | +15000 |
| Switzerland | +20000 |
World Juniors Odds for Canada vs. Czechia Quarter-final
Here are the odds for the quarter-final game between Canada vs. Czechia on January 2, 2025 (courtesy of Sports Interaction):
| Team | Moneyline | Puckline | Goal Total |
| Canada | -375 | -2 (-105) | O 6 (-110) |
| Czechia | +260 | +2 (-135) | U 6 (-120) |
World Juniors Betting Odds Favourites
Below we’ve highlighted the top three teams competing to win gold at the 2025 World Juniors and their odds to claim the spot as the top U20 hockey nation.
USA (+125)
As the reigning gold medalists from the 2024 World Juniors, Team USA is looking better than ever as they hope to win back-to-back tournaments for the first time in their nation’s history. After a dominant display in last year’s tournament, the Americans are hungry to keep their appetite for gold fed.
Sporting a deep and determined roster comprised of some of the top young talents in hockey, keep an eye out for top USA players such as Capitals prospect forward Ryan Leonard, and Wild prospect defenceman Zeev Buium. Looking to make a name for themselves at the 2025 World Juniors for Team USA are highly-touted 2025 NHL Draft prospects defenceman Blake Fiddler of the Edmonton Oil Kings, and James Hagens out of Boston College.
Currently holding the best odds to win gold at the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championships at +125, the Americans are holding their own at this year’s competition.
Canada (+225)
After a poor showing at the 2024 World Juniors, Team Canada is hoping to ride the momentum garnered from their home crowd as they hope to continue adding onto their decorated history at the competition. With three gold medals wins over the last four years, Canada has proven that hockey is still our game.
Despite suffering a shocking loss to Latvia earlier in the prelims, this year’s roster is deep and chock-full of young talent, eager to have their opportunity to shine while donning the red and white. Notable players for Team Canada include Sharks prospect defenceman Sam Dickinson, Flyers prospect forward Jett Luchanko, as well as likely lottery picks in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft in defenceman Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters, and forward Porter Martone.
At +225, Canada is a real threat to win gold at the 2025 World Junior Championships, in what would be further add to their all-time record 20 gold medal wins.
Sweden (+325)
After coming up short against Team USA at last year’s event on home soil, Sweden will be out for revenge as they hope to claim their first gold medal victory at the World Juniors since 2012. While it’s been over a decade since they’ve reigned supreme at the World Juniors, Sweden always puts together a competitive team that is ripe for medal contention.
Top players for Team Sweden include Redwings prospect forward Axel Sandin Pellikka, and Blues prospect forward Otto Stenberg. Poised to help boost his stock ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft, top prospect Victor Eklund is sure to set the hockey world into a frenzy with his electric play.
Sweden is a lengthy third-place in terms of World Juniors odds as they are currently priced at +325 to claim gold. At such a hefty price tag, Sweden could provide you with a massive payday if they’re able to break their gold medal drought in Ottawa.
World Juniors 2025 Gold Medal Game
The stage is set for an exciting gold medal game, with Canada emerging as the betting world junior favorites and each team vying for the coveted gold. Check back here as we will update the gold medal game odds once the final two teams are determined!
Discover winning potential with our odds calculator, which can be specifically tailored for the World Juniors. Uncover the hidden value in underdog bets, navigate the unpredictability of chalk bets, and turn variance to your advantage. Bet smarter, not harder!
How to Bet on World Juniors Odds 2025
Follow our step-by-step guide below to bet on World Juniors odds in four simple steps:
- Choose a sportsbook: Check out our guide to hockey betting sites or view our list below to find the oddsmaker that’s right for you. Be sure to take into account the odds offered, sportsbook features, banking options, and customer support.
- Create an account and deposit funds: Sign up using one of the links below then fund your sportsbook account by making an initial deposit.
- Place your bet: Pick your wager and add it to your bet slip.
- Track the game: Once your bet is locked in, all that’s left to do is watch the action unfold and sweat out your wager!
Pro tip: don’t deposit more than you’re willing to lose. Check out the responsible gaming section at your preferred sportsbooks to set deposit limits for your account.
Bet On World Juniors Odds With Top Canadian Sportsbooks
The top sportsbooks in Canada for betting on the World Juniors include Sports Interaction, TonyBet, Bet365, BetVictor, and Bet99. These sportsbooks are collectively renowned for their trustworthiness, broad spectrum of betting opportunities, and effective handling of financial transactions.
- Sports Interaction stands out for its comprehensive coverage of NHL betting and other types of sports wagering, along with swift withdrawal times and attractive welcome bonuses.
- TonyBet is recognized for offering competitive odds and a diverse range of betting options, including in-play betting.
- Bet365, despite some past issues in coverage for the World Juniors, remains a popular choice, offering extensive betting options for the tournament and various other international ice hockey events.
- BetVictor offers a sensational catalog of both game lines and prop bets for bettor to choose from.
- Bet99 is appreciated for its reliability and efficient payment processing, adding to its appeal for those looking to bet on the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship.
World Juniors Championship Information
2025 Schedule and Location
The 2025 World Juniors are taking place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is hosting games between two different venues. All games throughout the tournament will be played between the Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place arenas.
The 2025 World Junior Championship tournament kicked on Boxing Day, December 26th. The preliminary round games are complete and as of January 2nd the knockout round begins between the top qualifying teams from each Group. The gold medal game is slated to take place on January 5th at 7:30 EST at the Canadian Tire Centre.
World Juniors 2025 Groups
These are the preliminary groupings for this year’s tournament:
Group A
- United States
- Canada
- Finland
- Latvia
- Germany (eliminated)
Group B
- Sweden
- Czechia
- Slovakia
- Switzerland
- Kazakhstan (eliminated)
Top Contenders At 2025 U20 IIHF World Championships
In our expert opinion, the only teams worth backing to win the 2025 World Juniors are Canada, the USA, Sweden, or Finland. In the entire history of the World Juniors, 46 of 48 gold medals have been won by either one of these squads or Team Russia (who is not eligible to compete), with the lone exceptions being Czechia in 2000 and 2001. With 95.8% of these gold medals having gone to one of five teams, this makes numbering down the potential gold medal candidates to those four squads.
Last 10 World Junior Champions
| Year | Team |
| 2024 | USA |
| 2023 | Canada |
| 2022 | Canada |
| 2021 | USA |
| 2020 | Canada |
| 2019 | Finland |
| 2018 | Canada |
| 2017 | USA |
| 2016 | Finland |
| 2015 | Canada |
Home ice advantage can also play a pivotal factor in deciding who ultimately emerges with the gold as seven of the last 10 host countries have made it to the gold medal matchup, with four of the last ten tournament hosts going on to win it all in that span. As Team Canada is set to play host for the fourth time in five years, the canucks are a great pick to finish among the top of the podium at the 2025 World Juniors.
Age and experience has also played a major factor in garnering success at the World Juniors as only two of the last 10 teams to capture gold have had an average team age under 19.5 years old. With several of this year’s top contenders such as Canada and the USA rolling out younger rosters this year, they could be on upset watch at this year’s competition.
All-in-all, if you’re looking for the best bet on the 2025 World Juniors, bettors can always rely on Canada to put up a strong showing, especially on home-ice.
World Juniors Odds Betting Trends and Analysis
The Over 5.5 has cashed at a 69% rate (38-17) since the start of last year’s IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. To learn more about some of the most actionable betting trends for the 2025 World Juniors, keep scrolling!
2025 IIHF World Junior Championship of Overs
Dating back to the pre-COVID era of the World Juniors, the ‘Over 5.5’ goal total has emerged as one of the most reliable betting trends. Remarkably, 65% of round robin and medal round games in this tournament over the past four years have ended with six goals or more.
| Tournament | Over 5.5 | % | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Since 2024 | 19-8 | 69% | -221 |
| Since 2023 | 38-17 | 69% | -224 |
| Since 2022 | 55-25 | 69% | -221 |
| Since 2021 | 70-38 | 65% | -184 |
| Since 2020 | 89-47 | 65% | -189 |
Recently in the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, betting on the outright regulation draw has been a profitable trend, with a success rate of 22% since the 2023 tournament in terms of world junior odds. A bettor wagering $100 on each draw in every round robin or medal round game since 2023 would have a record of 12-43, but still earn an average profit of +$67 per game, regardless of the outcome.
Interestingly, betting on the draw has been even more lucrative in the medal rounds during the same period, with 6 of the last 15 medal round matchups going into overtime – a statistic that might greatly interest hockey bettors as we approach the semi-finals.
With this in mind, let’s explore some other key betting trends in the medal rounds of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
IIHF World Junior Betting Trends – Medal Round
In the medal round of the World Juniors over the past four years, the most profitable betting trend in terms of world junior odds has been wagering on the regulation draw. Despite a cashing rate of just 22%, this wager has yielded an impressive return on investment of +1.70%.
Remarkably, a bettor placing $10 on regulation draws for each of the last 38 medal round games would have accumulated a profit of +$258, averaging +$6.80 per game, regardless of the outcome. In the same period, the most reliable betting trend in the medal round has been backing the favourite, which has succeeded 66.6% of the time, winning 26 out of the last 39 playoff round games.
| IIHF WJC Medal Round – Since 2020 | Record | ROI % | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation Favorites | 25-13 | -0.06% | -0.85u |
| Regulation Dogs | 5-33 | -0.14% | -2.19u |
| Regulation Draw | 8-30 | +1.70% | +25.87u |
For the most part, the medal round has brought a number of low scoring games, with 56.4% of games in the medal round over the last four years having seen 6 goals or less.
| IIHF WJC Medal Round – Since 2020 | Record | % | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 6.5 | 22-16 | 58% | -138 |
| Under 5.5 | 21-17 | 56% | -127 |
Utilize these actionable hockey betting trends to inform your wagers on the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, taking advantage of world junior odds with some of the leading sportsbooks in Canada.
Key Players to Watch in 2025 World Junior Championship
In this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships, the top players to watch are mostly comprised of players from Team Canada and USA. Between the two teams alone they sport 18 first-round draft picks. Along with this plethora of first round draft picks, there are several top prospects eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft set to compete such as Porter Martone (CAD), Jack Ivankovic (CAD), Sam Hillebrandt (USA), Blake Fiddler (USA), and James Hagens (USA).
A standout talent that has already showcased their ability to excel at the World Junior Championships is USA’s Gabe Perreault. After netting 10 points including three goals at the 2024 World Juniors, good enough to rank him as the sixth-highest scorer of all skaters competing, Perrault is sure to be one of the top contributors once again for the Americans this year.
Historical Context and Past Winners in Previous IIHF World Juniors
Throughout the history of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, the most dominant teams have been Canada and the Soviet Union/Russia. Canada leads with an impressive total of 20 gold medals. The Soviet Union/Russia, considered together, have amassed 13 gold medals. These two teams stand out as the most successful in the tournament’s history.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Ice Hockey Federation took significant action against Russia and Belarus. The IIHF suspended all Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from participating in every age category and in all IIHF competitions or events.
Other noteworthy teams include Finland, the United States, and Sweden, each showing strong performances: Finland with 5 gold medals, the United States with 6, and Sweden with 2. However, their successes, though significant, have not reached the consistent heights of Canada and Russia.
Czechia, including its past as Czechoslovakia, hold 15 total medals historically, including 2 golds, while smaller contributors like Slovakia (2 bronze) and Switzerland (1 bronze) have also made notable appearances on the podium.
Last Year’s World Junior 2024 Final
The gold medal game of the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship was an exhilarating showdown between Team USA and Team Sweden, two powerhouses of junior hockey. Their matchup was the culmination of a tournament filled with surprises and intense competition, and it delivered as a battle between the best young talents in the sport.
Team USA entered the game undefeated with a 6-0 record and demonstrated remarkable resilience and skill throughout the tournament. They showed their ability to bounce back under pressure, most notably in their semi-final game against Finland where they overturned a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2. Key players like Cutter Gauthier and Jimmy Snuggerud had been pivotal in their journey, showcasing why they became top NHL prospects.
Team Sweden, last year’s hosts, also had an impressive run to the final, marked by a 5-0-1 record. Their semi-final victory over Czechia, where they came back from an early deficit, was a testament to their tenacity and strategic play. With standout performances from players like Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Sweden proved that they were a formidable opponent capable of rising to the occasion.
The United States was last year’s favourites as reflected in the 2024 World Junior odds (-143). Sweden held home-ice advantage which made them a strong contender (+110). Team USA ultimately came out on top winning their sixth championship, defeating host Sweden 6–2 in the gold medal game.
World Juniors Odds FAQs
Currently, the USA is favoured to win the 2025 World Juniors followed by Canada and Sweden. Having won the most gold medals in the tournaments history, the Canadians are primed to redeem themselves after last year’s poor showing, hoping to capture their third gold medal in four years.
Yes, you can bet on the World Juniors! All you have to do is sign up with one of the best sportsbooks in Canada, fund your account with a deposit then place your bets! In Canada, prominent online sportsbooks like Sports Interaction, TonyBet, Bet365, PariMatch, and Bet99 offer extensive betting options for the World Junior Hockey Championship, including moneyline, live betting, and futures.
The 2025 WJC are being held in Ottawa from Dec. 26-Jan. 5. Canada is in Group A with Finland, Germany, Latvia and the United States, and will play its preliminary-round games at Canadian Tire Centre. Czechia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland are in Group B, and are playing preliminary-round games at TD Place.
The World Juniors is an under-20 year tournament. Players as young as 16 years old can compete but cannot be older than 20.
