Winter Sports Betting: How and Where to Bet on the Coolest Sports

Alpine Skiing Betting

You will quickly realise that alpine skiing is one of the most popular options when betting on winter sports online. This famous winter sport involves high-speed skiing down snow-covered slopes whilst slaloming through gates.

Several alpine skiing disciplines feature in the Winter Olympics games including slalom skiing, giant slalom skiing, super giant slalom skiing and downhill skiing.

If you want to bet on any of these events, you can check the available markets featured on any of our recommended winter sports betting sites. Popular alpine skiing betting markets include the first to cross the finish line, head-to-head and top 3 finish.

Biathlon Betting

Combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, biathlon has exploded in popularity in recent years. These attributes make the sport exciting for viewing and betting. Biathlon odds are subject to above-average margins compared to other winter sports.

Furthermore, in top competitions such as the Winter Olympics, you are likely to find impressively high odds-on certain markets. Some of the Biathlon betting markets offered at the best winter sports betting sites include the winner of the race, top 3 finish, and handicap bets on the number of missed shots.

Bobsleigh Betting

Bobsleigh is a gripping Winter Olympic sport that combines unique athleticism and speed. Bobsleighing involves two or four person teams, speeding down an icetrack called the run at blistering pace.

In the last couple of Winter Olympic events, the Russian, Canadian and US teams have been dominant. Therefore, the winter sports betting odds will often place them as the favourites. Nevertheless, the bobsleigh betting markets are widely varied, including men’s four- and two-man gold medal winner options.

Cross-Country Skiing Betting

Amongst winter sports fans, cross-country is the sport that many watch and follow. It has many individual and team disciplines providing myriad opportunities for avid bettors. Norway has recently dominated, winning the event the past three Winter Olympics. In addition, four out of the five most successful athletes at the 2018 PyeongChang games were Norwegian.

This explains why the Winter Olympics betting odds usually favour Norwegians winning multiple medals in cross-country skiing disciplines. If you are a fan of cross-country skiing, you can bet on the sprint freestyle (women), 10km classic (women), 15km classic (men), relay, and team sprint classic.

Curling Betting

Curling is an established event at the Winter Olympics. It is played on ice, and two teams take their turns to slide stones made of granite towards a target called the house. There are men’s, women’s and mixed events, with the most competitive participants hailing from the United States, Great Britain and Sweden.

Due to the growing popularity of the sport, winter sports betting sites offer a great selection of markets. Consequently, popular curling betting markets include head-to-head, handicap bets and total points.

Figure Skating Betting

Figure skating is a thrilling sport that focuses on the artistic performance of spins, steps, jumps and turns on ice. As one of the oldest winter disciplines, figure skating offers many betting options, which significantly increase during the Olympics.

The sport is particularly popular in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia and Russia. Several figure skating markets are offered at the best winter sports betting sites. These include outright winner, predicting the skaters who will get on the podium, and total points bets.

Freestyle Skiing Betting

This sport made its debut in the Winter Olympics in 1988 Calgary Games and has since evolved into six different events for both men and women. These events include halfpipe, aerials, moguls, slopestyle, ski cross and big air.

Freestyle skiing requires all its athletes to perform aerial acrobatics while simultaneously skiing down the slope. For punters, there are various freestyle skiing betting markets to consider, including overall medal tally winner, most medals (gold, silver, bronze), and country over/under medals.

Ice Hockey Betting

Ice hockey made its Olympic debut at the 1920 Summer Olympics before moving to the Winter Olympic programme in 1924. It remains a staple in the Winter Olympics calendar, with Beijing 2022 featuring 12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams. There is always a group stage, with the groups for the men’s teams and two for the women’s teams.

Sweden, Canada, USA, Russia and Finland are usually favourites for the gold medal. Popular Olympic ice hockey betting markets include outright winner, match winner, over/under and overtime.

Luge Betting

Olympic luge is the fastest winter sliding sport, with top competitors’ speeds averaging 120-145km/hr. Luge is divided into four disciplines: men’s and women’s singles, doubles and team relay events.

The format is simple: each luger has four runs over two days, with the fastest average time winning. There are often surprise winners, making it ideal for winter sports betting enthusiasts seeking a big payout.

Fortunately, there are several winter sports betting websites that offer luge betting odds. Common luge betting markets include total medals won, over/under bets and doubles/individual betting.

Nordic Combined Betting

Nordic combined is a high-performance sport that combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing. The sport was deeply rooted amongst Norwegians long before it made its Olympic debut in 1924. Nordic combined consists of three men’s events where athletes compete in the individual normal hill, individual large hill and the team 4x5km.

Furthermore, it is the only sport at the Olympics to hold men’s competitions exclusively, but plans are underway to develop a competitive women’s scene. The most common Nordic combined betting markets include who will win gold in the three distinct events.

Short Track Speed Skating Betting

Short track speed skating is an intriguing event consisting of quick bursts and frantic racing. Disciplines under this category include 500m, 1000m, 1500m and two relay events (men’s 5000m and women’s 3000m). In addition, mixed relay is a new event introduced at Beijing 2022, with each team featuring four athletes (two men and two women).

South Korea is the most successful nation at the short track speed skating, winning six out of the last nine Winter Olympics events. Common markets available at the top winter sports betting sites include handicap bets and tournament winners.

Skeleton Betting

Skeleton is an extreme sledding sport where athletes throw themselves down an icy slope at a speed of up to 140km/hr. The sport is similar to luge, only that the athlete runs and jumps onto a sledge, belly down, and speeds off down a track headfirst. In the Winter Olympics, the skeleton is one of the three sliding sports alongside luge and bobsleigh.

There are only two events in this competition: the men’s and women’s singles. Great Britain has taken the most skeleton Olympic medals with nine, closely followed by the United States with eight. Skeleton betting markets are often limited to men’s and women’s gold medal winners.

Ski Jumping Betting

Ski jumping is debatably one of the bravest sports in the world. Athletes throw themselves off a massive steep ramp before going airborne with the aim of having the longest distance travelled. In addition to the longest jump, competitors are scored using a complex system that incorporates distance, aerial style and wind conditions.

While betting on ski jumping markets, outright winner and podium places are the most common. But you might also be able to bet on an exact score or if you believe a new record would be set.

Snowboarding Betting

Snowboarding is an exciting sport that requires a significant skill level to make it to world-class competitions. There are five disciplines in the snowboarding category. These include snowboard cross, halfpipe, slopestyle, parallel giant slalom and big air.

It is unlikely to find snowboarding odds at winter sports betting sites outside top tournaments such as World Championships, the World Cup or the Olympics. Betting on snowboarding is straightforward, with odds on outright winners and top 3 finish being the most popular.

Speed Skating Betting

Speed Skating in the Winter Olympics consists of 14 events. All the events are skated once except the men’s and women’s 500m, which go for two rounds. This sport is one of the few Olympic events where speed records and time determine the overall winner.

In the last few Winter Olympics, the Netherlands has dominated the speed skating charts, and they are the all-time national leader with 121 medals, of which 42 are gold medals. The speed skating betting markets that are currently available are men’s and women’s outright winner odds.

Outright Winner

Outright winner is a straightforward bet in which you must predict who will win a race or match, or who will achieve a podium finish. This option is available for men’s, women’s and mixed team events. For instance, you might bet on a Norwegian winning gold in a cross-country skiing event or the nationality of the winner of the luge.

Match Betting

Rivalries are what make winter sports betting interesting. Match betting is an option that allows you to decide which team, athlete or country will win against the other. For instance, you could bet on a clash between Great Britain and Norway on the curling rink or whether Ayumu Hirano will place higher than Scotty James in the halfpipe.

Winning Margin

This type of bet allows you to predict how many points, or even how many seconds the winner will win by. The market is usually presented in the form of an over/under bet where the bookmaker gives you a fixed number to choose from. For instance, you can bet on how many tenths of a second the luge winner will finish ahead of the runner-up.

Nationality of Winner

Bet on which country that will win the most gold medals and most total medals. This is another popular market with great winter sports betting odds that are available on our recommended sportsbooks. For example, Norway is often the betting favourite to top the medal table. However, there is always stiff competition from Sweden, USA, Germany, Canada and China.

Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics has been very entertaining and has provided many surprises over the years. The first was held in 1924 in France, at the base of Mont Blanc. Since then, the competitions have been held every four years. Countries with the best record at the Winter Olympics include Norway, Canada, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the United States. Currently, there are 15 winter sports disciplines.

World Ski Championships

The Winter Olympics has been very entertaining and has provided many surprises over the years. The first was held in 1924 in France, at the base of Mont Blanc. Since then, the competitions have been held every four years. Countries with the best record at the Winter Olympics include Norway, Canada, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the United States. Currently, there are 15 winter sports disciplines.

Winter X Games

Over the years, Winter X Games have proven grounds for professional skiers, snowboarders, snowmobile riders, and motocross. The first contest took place in 1997, two years after the original Summer X Games. Since then, there have been 22 Winter X Games, 17 of which have been held in the USA at Aspen’s Buttermilk Ski Area.

Open European Championships

These are annual European competitions revolving around biathlon. The first Open European Championships was held in 1994. It initially started with individual, sprint, pursuit, and relay, but the events have significantly grown. Currently there are over ten events, including mixed relays.

Consider Form and Previous Achievements

Winter sports athletes and teams will often compete in warm-up events before the start of the main events. This is an excellent time to assess the competitiveness of your favoured athletes. Keep tabs on any emerging issues that could affect their performance. Also check the previous winners and which country/team/athlete often dominates a certain sport.

Understand How Each Discipline Works

There are 15 winter sports disciplines, and each has its unique rules, ranking criteria, and varying principles of selecting the winners. As such, it is crucial to understand how the discipline works especially if you plan to place live bets.

Bankroll Management Is Important

While the aim of betting is to win, it’s important to bet within your means. This is why you should have a fixed budget and stick to it. Managing your bankroll will regulate the risk every time you bet, ensuring you can place multiple bets rather than losing a single and wiping out your balance.

Use Betting Tools to Your Advantage

The best winter sports betting sites have useful features to enhance your gambling experience. These tools include live betting, live statistics, and cash out options. If used correctly, they can make a big difference in your winnings.