Sweden vs France Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for 2023 IIHF World Championship Game (Swedes Easily Stay Undefeated)

The 2023 IIHF World Championship continues on Saturday, May 20, with a Group A matchup between Sweden and France.

Sweden vs France Game Info

• Date: Saturday, May 20, 2023
• Time: 1:20 p.m. ET
• Venue: Nokia Arena -- Tampere, Finland

Two teams heading in opposite directions meet in Group A play on Saturday at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. Sweden remains undefeated thanks to its latest 7-1 win over Hungary, while France has lost each of its last three showdowns following its lone win over Austria to open Group A play.

Sweden vs France Odds & Spread

• All IIHF World Championship betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: SWE: (-5000) | FRA: (+1500)
• Spread: SWE: -3.5 (-140) | FRA: +3.5 (+112)
• Total: 5.5 -- Over: (-132) | Under: (+108)

Sweden enters this contest as the massive favorite on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This group stage clash also features an over/under of 5.5 goals with the over favored at -132 odds.

Sweden vs France Betting Trends

• Sweden is 4-0-0 in the 2023 IIHF World Championship group stage.
• France is 1-1-2 in the 2023 IIHF World Championship group stage.
• Sweden reached the quarterfinals round of the 2022 IIHF World Championship.
• France failed to make it out of the group stage at the 2022 IIHF World Championship.
• Sweden is 4-0 straight up in its last four head-to-head matchups against France.

Sweden vs France Prediction & Pick

Sweden has really only been tested once during Group A play so far and that was when it emerged victorious over Finland in overtime. The Swedes have been the best defensive team in the IIHF World Championship so far, allowing only 0.5 goals per game (T-No. 1) on a 97.3% save percentage (No. 1).

That does not bode well for a France team that has allowed 13 goals (T-No. 10) on an 87.3% save percentage (No. 14). The French will not be able to match Sweden's defensive intensity in this one, nor will it be able to make up the difference on the other side of the ice. This one is a mismatch.

I'll back Sweden to stay undefeated and keep pace with currently undefeated USA in Group A.

Final Score Prediction: Sweden: 4 | France: 1

Sweden vs France Best Bet

It's worth noting that less than 6 goals have been scored in each of the last four matchups between Sweden and France. In fact, those games have only averaged 4.25 total goals. Less than 6 goals have also been scored in five of the eight games that have involved Sweden or France at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. Look for Sweden to jump out to a big lead before taking its foot off the gas.

Bet: Under 5.5 Total Goals (+108)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.