Best Biathlon Betting Sites in 2026

Biathlon is one of the oldest continuous events at the Winter Olympics, having been contested in every Winter Games since 1960, offering unique markets sitting among a wealth of others for betting on skiing events. The modern schedule includes a total of 11 events, with five each for men and women along with a mixed relay.

Northern European nations have historically dominated the biathlon at the Olympics, with Norway holding 22 gold medals and Germany picking up 20. Other top contenders include France, Russia, and Sweden.

• A 4×6 km mixed relay event was added to the program in 2014
• A total of 11 events are contested each year
• Individual, relay, sprint, pursuit, and mass start events are held for each gender

The IBU World Championships represent the most prestigious annual event in biathlon, being held every year except those in which the Winter Olympics is taking place. The program is like that of the Olympics, with the addition of a second single mixed relay event, making for a total of 12 events each year.

France and Norway have been the dominant nations at the World Championships in recent years, with France leading the pack with six gold medals in 2025. The most dominant individual athlete has been Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Bo, who has 23 gold and 43 overall medals in a career that began in 2015.

• Traditionally held in February, with sprint, pursuit, individual, relay, and mass start events
• Held each year except when the Winter Olympics will be held
• Features a total of 12 events, including two mixed relay events

The World Cup is the season-long series of competitions for elite athletes in the sport. First held in 1978 for men (and 1982-83 for women), the modern schedule runs from late November or early December through March, with nine or ten events typical for each season.

Athletes earn points in each event, with the year end leaders able to win both overall and individual discipline awards. France’s Martin Fourcade is the most successful men’s athlete of all time, winning seven overall championships in his storied career.

• Overall winners earn the Big Crystal Globe, with the top performer in each discipline winning a Small Crystal Globe
• Held each winter in up to 10 locations per season
• Athletes compete in both individual and team events, with varying programs during each stop

This is the most straightforward bet and needs very little explanation. Simply bet on the athlete of your choice, and if they’re the ultimate winner of that race, your bet is a winner.

This is a somewhat safer bet than race winner but follows the same basic setup. In this case, you’re betting on a specific individual to finish in the top three of a given race. It doesn’t matter where they finish in that group; the payout is the same no matter what, and will be significantly lower than for a pure race winner bet.

This type of bet will give you the names of two athletes and ask you to pick which one will finish higher in the final race standings. It doesn’t matter if they end up being the last two finishers or finish first and second: the only way to win is for your pick to finish ahead of the other competitor.

Some sportsbooks offer these markets during major events, particularly during the Olympics. In some cases, you’ll be given an Over/Under total, such as 3.5 targets, and asked to bet on whether the athlete will miss fewer (Under) or more (Over) than that number during the race. You may also see head-to-head markets on which racer will miss more targets overall.