The first medals of Milano Cortina 2026 are being decided on curling ice, before fans even see the Opening Ceremony, which makes this event a goldmine for sharp bettors willing to look beyond the obvious favourites. The 2026 Olympic curling tournament offers 19 straight days of action at ibet.
In this article we focus purely on our best bets for the 2026 Olympic curling tournament: where the numbers show real value, where the public is overpaying, and how you can build a smart outright and podium portfolio for both the men’s and women’s events.
If you want to understand the “why” behind these plays, such as core concepts like hammer advantage, steal efficiency, ice conditions, and live-betting angles, make sure you also read our full Curling Betting Guide 2026 on the ibet blog, where we break down curling strategy and betting theory in detail.
2026 Olympic Curling Tournament Key Event Details
Tournament Dates: February 4-22, 2026 (19 consecutive days)
Venue: Cortina Olympic Stadium, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (Dolomitic Alps, 1,224m elevation)
Time Zone: Central European Time (CET)
Competition Format
- Mixed Doubles: February 4-10 (8 ends, 10 teams)
- Men’s & Women’s: February 11-22 (10 ends, 10 teams each)
- Round-robin (9 games) → Top 4 advance to semifinals → Gold medal finals
Medal Schedule
- Mixed Doubles Gold: February 10, 6:05 PM CET
- Men’s Gold: February 21, 7:05 PM CET
- Women’s Gold: February 22, 11:05 AM CET (final Olympic curling event)
Why It Matters for Betting
- First Olympic event = fresh betting markets, slower line adjustments
- Daily action = 19 straight days of betting opportunities (no multi-day gaps like skiing)
- European time zones = Morning draws (9:00 AM CET) feature fresh ice trending Under; evening draws (7:00 PM CET) feature worn ice trending Over
- Home ice advantage = Italy’s mixed doubles defending champions competing at Cortina create exploitable line value
2026 Olympic Curling Tournament Best Bets Summary
Outright Winner Best Bets
Men’s Division
Best Bet: Great Britain to Win Gold at 2.00 (even money) – Fair price for top-ranked qualifier with elite steel defense. If this is an established squad, this represents solid value.
Women’s Division
Best Value: Switzerland to Win Gold at 3.30 – Top-ranked qualifier with excellent form. Superior risk-reward compared to overpriced Canada.
Top 3 Finish (Podium) Best Bets
Men’s Top 3
Best Value: Switzerland Top 3 at 1.65 – Consistent medal threats who never blow up. 1.65 for podium finish is outstanding risk-reward.
Women’s Top 3
Best Bet: Sweden Top 3 at 2.10 – Historically dominant nation (3 Olympic golds) at 2.10 for podium? That’s disrespectful. Should be 1.50 or lower.
Before you lock in these picks, maximize your value with ibet’s Olympic promotions and sports betting deals. Complete the Winter Olympics 2026 Free Bet Challenge (€10 free bet), protect your picks with ibet’s ACCA Insurance (up to €60 cash back daily), or start earning 5% weekly cashback (up to €200 every Monday). Check our promotions page to access the latest betting promos!
And if you’re interested in betting on other Winter Olympics events at Milano Cortina 2026, including men’s ice hockey and Alpine skiing, check out our betting news blog for comprehensive guides.
2026 Olympic Curling Tournament Favorites
Let’s start with what matters most right now: who’s winning gold at Milano Cortina 2026 and where the betting value lives. These odds reflect current markets, at ibet, as of February 5, 2026, with mixed doubles already in progress and traditional tournaments starting February 11th.
Men’s Curling: Great Britain’s Fair Price & Canada’s Massive Overlay
Great Britain at 2.00 – Outright Winner
Team GB enters as co-favorites at even money after earning top Olympic Qualification Points through the 2024-25 World Championships. At 2.00 decimal (even money, 50% implied probability), this is a fair price for the top-ranked qualifier.
For Top 3 (Podium) at 1.20 (83% implied), Great Britain represents the safest play if you want near-certainty, though the juice is heavy.
Key Question: Is this the same core group from recent championships or a new combination cobbled from different club teams? Scottish curling has intense domestic competition, and chemistry matters more in curling than any Winter Olympic sport except hockey. Research team composition before betting. If it’s an established foursome, the 2.00 line is solid value. If it’s a new skip with unfamiliar teammates, consider fading.
Canada is a perennial powerhouse with the deepest curling infrastructure globally, more Olympic medals than any nation (12 total, 6 gold), and a history of showing up when stakes are highest.
Sweden won Beijing 2022 silver (lost to Great Britain in final), Pyeongchang 2018 gold, and Sochi 2014 gold. They’re led by Niklas Edin, a three-time Olympic medalist and arguably the greatest skip in modern curling history. Their steal defense allows steals on only 12% of hammer ends. For example, elite threshold is 20%.
Switzerland never blows up, consistently shoots 88%+ as a team, and medals regularly without the volatility of other contenders.
Women’s Curling: Switzerland’s Value vs. Canada’s Public Tax
Canada’s women are the most decorated Olympic curling nation with 6 golds since Nagano 1998. They medaled at every single Winter Olympics since curling returned in 1998. The talent pool is unmatched.
So why fade them at 1.57? The “Canadian Tax” in action:
At 1.57 odds, the implied win probability is 63.7%. Canada’s actual tournament win probability based on Olympic history, current form, and competition strength? Closer to 50-55% in a 10-team field where:
- Great Britain won shocking 2022 gold
- Switzerland is top-ranked qualifier with excellent form
- Sweden has won 3 Olympic golds historically
- Republic of Korea medaled 2014 and 2018
You’re paying 10-15% premium to bet with the emotional crowd.
Switzerland: 3.30 (Winner) Best Value
The contrarian winner pick. Switzerland earned top Olympic Qualification Points through excellent World Championship form. They’re shooting 89%+ collectively in recent tournaments, just below elite 90% threshold but ahead of most competitors.
If you want a favorite, Switzerland at 3.30 offers superior risk-reward compared to Canada at 1.57. You’re getting 2x the payout for a team with only marginally lower win probability (maybe 25-28% vs. Canada’s 30-32%).
Sweden’s women have won 3 Olympic golds (2006, 2010, and they were involved in multiple other medal performances). Anette Norberg’s back-to-back golds (2006-2010) are legendary.
Yet they’re 8.00 for outright gold (12.5% implied) and 2.10 for Top 3 (48% implied).
Historical reality: Sweden reaches podium in women’s curling approximately 60-65% of Olympics they enter. At 2.10 (48% implied), you’re getting +12-17% overlay on a podium bet.
South Korea medaled in 2014 (silver) and 2018 (silver), both times losing finals to Sweden. They’re fourth-ranked in Olympic Qualification Points. Women’s curling shows more volatility than men’s, and Korea represents legitimate dark horse potential.
Top 3 Market Analysis: The Smart Money Play
The Top 3 (podium finish) market offers some of the best risk-adjusted value in Olympic curling betting. Here’s why sharp bettors often prefer this over outright winners:
Men’s Top 3 Best Values
- Switzerland 1.65 – Best risk-reward in entire market. Consistent medal threats, 65-70% podium rate, getting 1.65 (61% implied). 5-10% edge.
- Sweden 2.20 – Defending silver medalists with three consecutive Olympic medals at 2.20 (45% implied)? Should be 1.60 or lower. Massive overlay.
- Canada 1.30 – Near-lock podium play. Canada medals 85%+ of Olympics at 1.30 (77% implied). Small edge but high certainty.
Women’s Top 3 Best Values
- Sweden 2.10 – THE SINGLE BEST BET in women’s curling. 60-65% historical podium rate, getting 2.10 (48% implied). 12-17% edge.
- Switzerland 1.15 – Near-certain podium at reasonable price. Slight edge (87% implied vs. ~90% true probability).
- Canada 1.12 – If you want Canada exposure, this is how. Near-lock (89% implied matches ~90% historical rate).
Why Podium Bets Make Sense:
- Lower variance than outright winners
- Still significant payouts (especially Sweden at 2.10)
- Historical data more predictive for Top 3 than exact winner
- Multiple paths to win (don’t need to pick exact gold medalist)
Strategy: Mix podium bets (high probability, lower payout) with selective outright long-shots (low probability, high payout) for a balanced portfolio.
Final Thoughts: Build Your Curling Card, Then Learn the Edge
Milano Cortina 2026 gives you 19 straight days to put these picks to work, from early mixed doubles draws through the final women’s gold-medal game on February 22nd. Between this picks article and the strategy guide, you’ll be better prepared than most of the market when the first stone slides in Cortina!
All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and may have moved since the content was published. Betting markets shift constantly based on action and betting news. For the latest odds and current lines, visit the ibet Sportsbook.
