Betting on skiing is easier than you think. With the Winter Olympics coming up, you can get used to the markets and options before the competition begins.
Log onto any sportsbook website, and you will be presented with a range of popular sports to bet on. From football to NHL, the list is endless, but winter sports are one category that is often overlooked. Tucked away at the bottom of the list, they appear seasonally and don’t get the attention they deserve. Yet as the Winter Olympics approach, you may want to start betting on the biggest events this global competition has to offer.
An Overview of Betting in Skiing Events
Most skiing races and the bets that accompany them are a straight bet on the winner of an event. This is different from sports like football and rugby, where you can bet on myriad factors. This is due to the nature of the event, with skiing often being a fast, solo pursuit as opposed to a lengthy team game. For example, compared to the NHL, in which you can bet on winners of games, leagues, points, and even in-play betting, skiing gives fewer outcomes.
You can often find markets when an event is coming up, such as the World Cup or the Winter Olympics. In these bigger events, you may find a wider range of betting options for the most popular ski events on betting sites. These could include wagers on podium places, winning nationalities, medal specials, and others. There may be sport-specific bets as well, such as shooting performance in biathlon.
The odds assigned to a skier are determined by a range of factors. These can include their previous results, past and current form, along with the conditions of the race and the snow itself. To make an informed decision on ski betting, keep up to date with current athletes and events. Check the news from winter sports venues, and do some research on the competitors.
Betting on the Winter Olympics 2026
The Winter Olympics take place every four years. Landing a gold medal, making you the best in the world, is at the top of every athlete’s hope and dreams. This makes it a particularly exciting prospect.
The Winter Olympics 2026 will take place as a joint venture, splitting the locations between Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, along with other Italian cities such as Verona. This makes it the first to be hosted in multiple locations. Known as Milano Cortina 2026, it is the culmination of the world’s biggest winter sports and most popular athletes, and is a great opportunity to place a wager. Cortina has previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956. It will utilize many of the same venues, which have been upgraded for the modern era.
These Olympics will see the debut of a new category in the world of skiing: Mountaineering. It had been trialled at the Youth Winter Olympics in 2020, then was given the go-ahead as an optional category in 2021. It involves ascending mountains on skis, either by wearing or carrying them, then descending to a finish post. A timed event, it is one of the most challenging of sports, requiring superhuman levels of endurance and stamina.
To get ahead on the ski betting tips for the Olympics, check the results and form of the World Cup. This started at the end of October in 2025. Raphael Haaser is one to watch, who is the previous world champion and is currently setting the mountains ablaze in the giant slalom. Marco Odermatt is another to watch, who will be hoping to match his Beijing 2022 gold medal place.
Popular Skiing Events
There are several extremely popular skiing events you may wish to bet on. The first of these is downhill skiing. It’s often regarded as the most quintessential form of skiing and gets the biggest speeds, spills, and thrills. It is a regular feature in World Cup stages and Olympic meetings. The fastest times accumulate the most points, with winners being the ones who get the most.
Slalom is a downhill time trial, but with more obstacles, providing plenty of twists and turns. This is broken down into further differing categories, including giant, parallel, super giant, and parallel giant slalom. Super giant slalom is one of the most interesting for betters, as you can often get outsiders performing above their station. This is due to the fact that skiers only get one attempt at recording a time. With both speed and skill involved, it often does not provide time for skiers to bed in, meaning those who are quick to adapt can pip others at the post.
Thus, there are a lot of exciting winter sports and skiing around the corner for you to indulge in. Check the markets, see who has performed well in the World Cup, and make a selection. Then you can sit back in the comfort of your home with a warm coffee and watch some of the fastest athletes compete in winter conditions.
