Whether you are an NHL Hockey fanatic or you like betting on games in the office hockey pool, there are basic steps to ensuring success when forecasting game outcomes.

1) Study the ODDS. The payouts will be higher when you bet against teams with higher odds of losing versus placing bets that are in-line with others.

2) Spending just 5 minutes RESEARCHING the teams involved in the bet will dramatically increase the percentages of you winning that bet.

3) Looking up INJURY REPORT will tell you what players will be inactive for the game due to injury. If the star player is going to be sitting it out, reconsider betting as he could have a significant impact on the outcome of the game.

4) The GOALIE is another important player that you must know if he is playing. Goalies often sit out a game every week or so, therefore you need to know who is going to play.