Start Betting on NHL Season 2012-13

The Los Angeles Kings are this year's Stanley Cup champions after defeating the New Jersey Devils in six games, and online sportsbooks are already offering bettors the chance to place a wager on who will win next year.

Professional sports is an unpredictable beast, as shown by LA Kings' fairytale finish to this year's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings finished eighth in the Western Conference, clinching the last playoff, but overcame a lack of home-field advantage to beat the top-ranked Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Phoenix Coyotes and Devils on their way to the title.

Regular season conference leaders Vancouver and the New York Rangers will be back stronger than ever next season and looking to atone for their poor post-season performances this year. The Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and this year's other leading teams will also be in the running for next year's Stanley Cup.

If you consider yourself a hockey expert, then it is worth getting into the online sportsbooks early and taking advantage of some of the odds they offer during the preseason. If you bet at William Hill, bet365, 888sports or any of the other leading bookmakers you could also find yourself some handy betting promos.

All three of these sportsbooks offer internet customers live betting, which means you can hedge your bets by placing wagers on matches as they are being played. The constantly shifting odds make for exciting viewing, and are a great complement to any live NHL game.