Winter Olympics Cortina 2026 | Full Schedule, Events & Betting Odds
The Winter Olympics are packed with fun betting opportunities. From snowboarding big air to biathlon races, Milano Cortina 2026 has plenty of events and markets to choose from. Whether you like betting on favorites or taking a shot on underdogs, there’s something for everyone. Continue reading to discover top contenders and betting opportunities!
2026 Winter Olympics: All You Need to Know
The 2026 Olympic Winter Games are heading to Italy from February 6-22, 2026, marking the first time since Turin 2006 that Italy hosts the winter spectacle. What makes these Games unique is the dual-city hosting model, splitting events between Milan, Italy's fashion capital, and the legendary alpine resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Milano Cortina 2026 will feature approximately 2,900 athletes from 92 nations competing for 116 medals across 8 sports and 16 disciplines. The competitions will be spread across five clusters in Northern Italy, with the opening ceremony at Milan's San Siro Stadium and the closing ceremony at the historic Verona Arena. The 2026 Games will introduce several exciting changes. Ski Mountaineering makes its Olympic debut, adding five new medal events. The tournament will also welcome back NHL players to the ice hockey competition for the first time since Sochi 2014, restoring the tournament to true best-on-best status and significantly increasing global interest. New events in existing sports include Women's Large Hill ski jumping and Mixed Team skeleton events. With 87% of venues being existing or temporary structures, these Games aim to be among the most sustainable Winter Olympics ever.
Full Schedule and Events
The 2026 Winter Olympics will deliver 17 days of competition, starting two days before the official opening ceremony and culminating with the men's ice hockey final on the last day. Here's the complete schedule of events:
| Day | Date | Medal Events | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| -2 | Feb 4 | 0 | Preliminary events begin |
| 1 | Feb 6 | 0 | Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium |
| 2 | Feb 7 | 6 | First medals: Biathlon, Alpine Skiing begin |
| 3 | Feb 8 | 8 | Speed Skating, Snowboarding start |
| 4 | Feb 9 | 9 | Figure Skating begins |
| 5 | Feb 10 | 9 | Mixed Team Short Track |
| 6 | Feb 11 | 7 | Ice Hockey starts (Men's & Women's) |
| 7 | Feb 12 | 9 | Women's Snowboard Halfpipe |
| 8 | Feb 13 | 7 | Men's Snowboard Halfpipe |
| 9 | Feb 14 | 8 | Skeleton begins |
| 10 | Feb 15 | 9 | Mixed Team Snowboard, New Mixed Skeleton |
| 11 | Feb 16 | 6 | Monobob (Women's) |
| 12 | Feb 17 | 7 | Two-Man Bobsleigh |
| 13 | Feb 18 | 8 | Women's Alpine Slalom Final, Hockey Quarterfinals |
| 14 | Feb 19 | 7 | Ski Mountaineering Debut - Sprint events |
| 15 | Feb 20 | 6 | Ice Hockey Semi-Finals (Men's) |
| 16 | Feb 21 | 10 | Men's Curling Final, Skimo Relay |
| 17 | Feb 22 | 4 | Finals Day: Four-Man Bob, Curling, Ice Hockey Gold |
| 17 | Feb 22 | - | Closing Ceremony at Verona Arena |
Total: 116 Medal Events
Countries & Categories in the Winter Olympics 2026
The Winter Olympics typically features nations with strong winter sports traditions, though participation has expanded in recent decades. Countries qualify based on their athletes meeting Olympic qualification standards in each sport, with some nations focusing on specific disciplines where they excel.
Participating Countries by Continent:
Europe
Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Netherlands, Great Britain, Russia (participation pending), Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Denmark, Iceland
North America
United States, Canada, Mexico
Asia
Japan, China, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore
Oceania
Australia, New Zealand
South America
Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador
Africa
South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Madagascar
Viewers can find top sportsbook platforms to bet from any country, with BettingRanker's country lists.
Betting on the Winter Olympics 2026: Bet Types & Offers
Winter Olympics betting offers diverse markets to suit every type of bettor. For beginners, Moneyline (outright winner) bets are the simplest option – just pick who will win the event. These work well for individual competitions like skiing and figure skating or team sports like hockey.
More experienced bettors might prefer Over/Under wagers on statistics like a country’s total medal count or hockey goals scored. The Point Spread (called the Puck Line in hockey) levels the playing field by requiring favorites to win by a certain margin.
Head-to-Head matchups are perfect for sports like skiing, where you can bet on which of two specific athletes will finish higher, regardless of whether they medal. For a safer bet with lower payouts, try Podium Finish wagers on an athlete to win any medal (gold, silver, or bronze).
Prop bets focus on specific occurrences, like whether Ilia Malinin will attempt a quintuple jump in figure skating. Futures are long-term bets placed on outcomes like which country will win the most medals. Parlays multiple bets for higher potential payouts but require all picks to win.
Live betting lets you place wagers during events as odds update in real-time, while Each-Way betting splits your stake between winning and placing (usually top 3).
Top Sites for Winter Olympics Betting
- 1xBet- Offers extensive Winter Olympics markets and a user-friendly mobile app with live streaming of select events.
- Betwinner - Features competitive odds across all Olympic disciplines and unique prop bets for major events.
- 22Bet- Known for early lines on Olympic futures and generous promotional offers for new Winter Olympic bettors.
Countries with High Betting Odds in Milano Cortina 2026
Norway enters the 2026 Winter Games as the heavy favorite (-280) to top the medal table, continuing their Winter Olympics dominance. With strength across cross-country skiing, biathlon, and Nordic combined, the Norwegians are projected to win 35+ medals. Their greatest challenge will come from the United States (+600), which has substantially improved its winter sports program in recent decades.
Germany remains the sliding sports powerhouse, expected to dominate bobsled, luge, and skeleton events. Their strength in these high-medal-count disciplines makes them a value bet at +1200 to win the overall medal count.
The ice hockey tournament sees a dramatic shift with NHL players returning, and creating rivalry between the US and Canadian teams. Canada (+130) enters as the favorite with superstar Connor Mc David leading their roster, but the USA (+190) has closed the gap with Auston Matthews and a new generation of American talent.
Individual athletes will significantly impact medal odds. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) enters as the heavy favorite in Alpine Skiing slalom events, potentially in her final Olympics. Figure skater Ilia Malinin (USA) is the overwhelming favorite (-1400) in men’s singles, with plans to attempt the first-ever quintuple jump in Olympic history.
Other athletes driving betting interest include snowboarder Chloe Kim (USA) seeking an unprecedented third consecutive halfpipe gold, speed skater Jordan Stolz (USA) targeting three gold medals at just 19 years old, and Italy’s home favorites Sofia Goggia (Alpine Skiing) and Tommaso Giacomel (Biathlon).
History of Top Contender Countries for Winter Olympics
Norway has dominated the Winter Olympics historically, leading the medal table in 2018 and 2022. Their success stems from a national emphasis on winter sports development and exceptional funding. Norway’s strength lies particularly in Nordic disciplines like cross-country skiing, where Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has become their latest superstar.
The United States has steadily improved its Winter Olympic performance since the 1990s, developing particular strength in newer sports like snowboarding and freestyle skiing. The addition of these X-Games style events has benefited American medal counts substantially.
Germany maintains its dynasty in sliding sports, having led the luge medal table in 15 of 16 Winter Olympics. Their systematic approach to technology and training in these disciplines has created generational dominance.
Canada’s ice hockey program remains their crown jewel, with the women’s team having medaled in every Olympics since the sport was added and the men’s team expected to contend for gold with NHL stars back in the fold.
The Netherlands focuses almost exclusively on speed skating, where they’ve won over 80% of their all-time Winter Olympic medals. This specialized approach has made them the sport’s dominant nation.
Recent Games have seen the rise of Asian nations, particularly Japan’s strength in snowboarding and figure skating, and China’s strategic investment in sports where they previously had little presence.
FAQ
What are the official start and end dates for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics?
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo officially run from February 6 to February 22, 2026, with preliminary events like curling and ice hockey starting as early as February 4 before the opening ceremony. There are 116 medal events across 16 sports scheduled throughout this period.
Where can I find the full daily competition schedule for every Winter Olympic event?
The official Milano-Cortina 2026 calendar is available through the Olympics website, which offers an up-to-date grid of all competitions, start times, and results by sport and date. This includes details on events from curling and hockey to alpine skiing and figure skating.
Which sports happen on what days at the Winter Olympics?
Key medal events, like Alpine skiing, ice hockey finals, and figure skating, are spread across the Games, with action packed from Feb 7 through Feb 22. Sports like curling and team tournaments often start earlier due to round-robin formats.
How do I find local start times for marquee events for the Olympics (e.g., hockey or skiing)?
Official schedules list start times in local Italian time (CET/CEST) — they’re published on the Olympics’ event grid and local TV guides. You can then convert these to your own time zone, or check daily broadcasts via streaming services.
What are the latest betting odds for the overall medal table at Milano-Cortina 2026?
Norway, historically dominant in Winter Games, is favored to win both the most medals and most golds this year according to major sportsbooks, with the U.S. and Germany also among strong contenders. Odds can vary by site but many futures markets focus on country medal totals.
Where can I find sport-specific betting markets for the Winter Olympics?
Most major sportsbooks now offer betting lines for individual Olympic sports, including ice hockey, curling, skiing, and snowboarding, with markets ranging from outright winners to head-to-head match odds and prop bets. These are updated throughout the Games.
Are there new events or sports in 2026 that affect the schedule or odds at the Winter Olympics?
Yes, ski mountaineering makes its Olympic debut in 2026, adding additional medal opportunities and markets for bettors alongside traditional events like speed skating and biathlon.
What’s the best strategy for live or in-play betting during the Winter Olympics?
Reddit and forum bettors often recommend focusing on sports with frequent events (like ice hockey or short track) for live wagering, and monitoring weather/athlete conditions closely, since unexpected delays or upsets can quickly shift odds.
