Hockey betting tips: Slovakia / Latvia. World Championship forecast from 18.05.2025

On May 18, a tense confrontation is expected in Group A of the 2025 IIHF World Championship. The national teams of Slovakia and Latvia will compete on the ice of the Avicii Arena in Stockholm. We offer you bets on the World Championship from trusted bookmakers.

Slovakia

The Slovakian team is in 9th place in the current IIHF ranking. Among the team’s key achievements are the victory at the 2002 World Championship and the bronze medals at the Olympic Games in Beijing (2022). As part of the current world championship, the Slovaks have already played 4 matches: on May 9, they lost to the Swedes (0:5), on May 11, they beat the Slovenians (3:1), on May 12, they lost to Austria in a shootout (2:3), and on May 14, they were stronger than France (2:1). Thus, the Slovak team scored 7 points and occupies the fourth position in the table. However, the goal difference remains negative (7:10).

Latvia

The Latvian national team is also in 9th place in the IIHF world ranking. Its main achievement is the bronze medals of the 2023 World Championship, which was a historic success. At the Olympic Games, the best result of the Latvians remains 8th place in 2014. In the run-up to the tournament, the Latvians played 8 friendly games and won 5. As part of the group stage of the 2025 World Championship, Latvia won against France (4:1), lost to Canada (1:7), beat Slovenia (5:2) and suffered a defeat from Sweden (0:6). With 6 points, the team is in fifth place in the tournament table.

Hockey prediction: Slovakia vs. Latvia

The previous face-to-face meeting between Slovakia and Latvia took place in December 2024 as part of an international tournament. Then the Slovaks won – 2:1. Considering the tournament motivation of both sides and the comparable level, the upcoming match promises to be tough and spectacular. Our prediction for hockey Slovakia / Latvia total over 4.5 (odds 1.70)