Chasing Gold in Italy: How to Read the Winter Olympics 2026

You get hockey and figure skating in a global fashion capital, and then a few hours away you have racing and ski jumps against the cliffs and forests of the Dolomites.

The Games run from February 6th to 22nd, and are being described as the most geographically spread Winter Olympics in history, with additional clusters in places like Bormio and Anterselva and a closing ceremony planned in Verona.

On top of that, NHL players are finally back in the men’s ice hockey tournament after a twelve year absence. The International Ice Hockey Federation, the NHL, and the NHL Players’ Association signed off on the agreement in 2025, clearing the way for full star participation in Milan-Cortina and again in 2030. That single decision changes the feel of the entire event, because hockey suddenly becomes a true best on best showdown again.

If you are trying to get a handle on form and betting angles, the challenge is obvious. There are dozens of sports, and hundreds of events running at the same time.  

The easiest way to make sense of it is to look at three things. First, how the last couple of seasons have gone in big winter sports. Second, which teams and athletes are arriving with genuine momentum. And third, how to bet on Winter Olympic Games XXV and translate all of that into a betting opportunity.  

The Santa Giulia ice hockey arena has had its own race against the clock. The building only opened with a test event in January 2026, hosting Italy’s domestic Final Four and cup games. There were still rough edges around hospitality and the media areas, and a brief stoppage after a small hole appeared in the ice, but the core verdict from the NHL and NHLPA was positive: the ice and the rink are safe, and the venue will be ready with more work.

This time Games are built to feel like a tour of northern Italy rather than a single Olympic park. Bettors took notice. Athletes and teams will deal with different altitudes, different types of snow, and sometimes long transfers between clusters. Fatigue from travel, small changes in snow texture and weather, and even the time of day can tip close competitions.  

What The Recent Seasons Tell Us

The safest way to look ahead to Olympic results is to treat the Games as the last chapter of a story that has already been written during the last two winters.

In alpine skiing, Mikaela Shiffrin has once again turned the women’s World Cup into something close to her personal playground. She is leading the 2025/26 overall standings and has dominated slalom in particular, winning six of the first seven World Cup slaloms this season and stretching her all time record above one hundred World Cup victories.

On the men’s side, Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt has been the reference point, taking the overall World Cup in 2024/25 with a big margin and repeatedly winning in giant slalom and super G.

Those patterns do not guarantee Olympic gold, but they do show who is most likely to set the pace.

Biathlon has quietly gone through major changes in the past couple of years with Sturla Holm Lægreid of Norway and Franziska Preuß of Germany winning the overall titles for the first time, taking over from famous superstars like Johannes Thingnes Bø and Lisa Vittozzi.

For years, Bø’s dominance gave men’s biathlon a “final boss” feeling. With him retired and the points race more open, Olympic events in Milan-Cortina could be more unpredictable, with several athletes genuinely in the mix on any given day.

Speed skating fans and punters who bet on Winter Olympic Games XXV on Stake.com will be keeping an eye on the new star, an American, Jordan Stolz. Since 2024 he has put together long winning streaks, sweeping multiple World Cup weekends and setting a series of track records.  

In figure skating, 21 year old Ilia Malinin has become the face of the sport. He remains the only skater to have landed a clean quadruple axel in competition and has repeated it many times while collecting two world titles.

Ice hockey’s story is partly about politics and logistics rather than results. The key fact is that the NHL deal is finally done and every franchise will send players, with all thirty two teams represented on Olympic rosters.

There have also been controversies and reminders that nothing runs perfectly. Canada’s skeleton team was recently cleared after US athlete Katie Uhlaender accused them of manipulating entries at a qualifying event, while Norway’s ski jumping program has been sanctioned for equipment tampering at the 2025 Nordic Worlds.  

Taken together, the last two seasons point toward a Games without a single all powerful nation. Norway will still be a medal machine in Nordic disciplines. Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden are strong across several sports. The United States and Canada are well positioned on ice and in sliding events. Japan has serious firepower in skating. This variety is important for anyone looking at medal table bets or “top country” markets at Stake.com, since the chances of one country picking up all medals is slim.  

Who Could Own the Spotlight in Milan-Cortina?

There are a handful of names and national teams that feel especially central to how these Games might unfold.  

In the technical alpine events, Shiffrin is still the gold standard. Winning six of seven slaloms in a World Cup season right before the Olympics is not just a nice stat, it is a clear signal that her timing is right.

Behind her, Paula Moltzan is becoming a regular on the podiums across the world, and the form of skiers like Camille Rast, hint at deeper fields rather than one woman shows. In the speed events, expect Italy to pour emotional energy into home favorites, especially in downhill and super G on familiar slopes.

On the men’s side, Marco Odermatt goes into almost every giant slalom and super G as the man to beat. His points total from the 2024/25 World Cup tells you how often he converted big races into wins. If you are looking for an anchor in alpine betting markets, he is one of the first names to circle.

In biathlon, Lægreid and Preuß are obvious headliners because of their overall crystal globes, but you cannot treat them like guaranteed winners. The sport is brutal in how quickly a penalty loop or a missed last shot can turn a lead into heartbreak. Events where we have mass starts are so appealing from a viewing and betting perspective because there’s always a potential chaos lurking in the background.  

Speed skating at Rho is almost built around Jordan Stolz. His World Cup record over the last two seasons includes long, undefeated stretches and a pile of track records. He will be fighting for gold in several distances from 500m to 1500m, with Dutch and Japanese skaters pushing him hardest. On the women’s side, Miho Takagi and sprinters like Femke Kok will be central figures.

Figure skating is expected to be a true spectacle with Malinin’s attempts to turn the technical revolution into Olympic gold.

In men’s ice hockey, the tournaments will revolve around how quickly national coaches can mold NHL stars into functioning teams. The US has a young core of speedy forwards and powerful defenders who could thrive, while Sweden and Finland usually compensate for having fewer global superstars with tactics that punish mistakes and lean on disciplined teamplay. Canada will also be one of the contenders for the podium, possibly for the gold medal.  

Turning All of This into Betting Ideas

How to use a pile of information and turn it into a successful bet?  

The first rule is to know the game. You do not have to bet on everything just because it is on television. Pick the sports where you actually understand the rhythms and the variables. If you watch biathlons all winter, you will spot when the wind on the range is becoming a key factor. If you follow NHL teams closely, you will read matchups and line combinations better than someone who only knows the superstar names.  

The second rule is to balance futures with daily markets. Futures can be fun and give you something to follow across the whole Games, but they also tie up your bankroll and are exposed to injuries and bad luck. Daily markets, such as one slalom race or one hockey game, give you fresher information about form, conditions and line ups.

Timing is of the essence. Right now, in the build up to the Games, there is sometimes a small edge in early lines if you have been paying attention to World Cup results. Shiffrin’s recent slalom streak or Stolz’s World Cup dominance may not yet be fully reflected in public perception or in some more casual markets.  

Live betting can be useful in certain sports if you are disciplined. In biathlon, you can wait to see how an athlete handles the first shooting bout before stepping in. In hockey, watching the pace of the game, the special teams, and which goalie looks sharp can help you decide whether to back a team on the moneyline or the next goal. The danger is chasing losses because there is always another event starting. Setting a strict daily limit or capping your in play stakes as a percentage of your total budget is an easy way to avoid that spiral.

Finally, always keep an eye on the news. A lot of things could happen in seconds, like injuries or changes in team rosters that can affect the results. Weather forecasts can change expectations in outdoor events. In a short, intense tournament like the Olympics, reacting quickly to new information is often more valuable than any fancy model.

Final Thoughts Before the Flame Is Lit

The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are going to be a mix of old and new worlds. Historic venues, like San Siro and the mountains of Cortina, combined with modern experiments such as the temporary rink in Rho, will make these Winter Olympic Games unique.  

We have familiar champions like Mikaela Shiffrin and emerging superstars like Jordan Stolz and Ilia Malinin, along with Norway’s biathlon machine and North America’s hockey heavyweights, but also rising programs in places like Germany, Japan and Italy.

From a betting point of view, the most sensible mindset is to treat the Games as the climax of two long winters rather than a stand alone event. Trust what recent seasons have shown you. It’s still early for sportsbooks to show exact odds, but if we analyze the previous seasons some athletes stand out. Early betting can be great if you manage to lock in the odds. Live betting is also going to be intense since many sports are played out in the open, and weather conditions could change in the heartbeat. Respect numbers and trends, but leave space for the unpredictability that always defines the Olympics. Stick to the sports you know, and manage your bankroll with care. That’s the only way to enjoy the Games while watching your wagers.  

Milan-Cortina is giving away the feeling of being more than just another stop in the winter calendar, but rather a festival where every downhill, every jump, every hockey game and every final lap means a little bit more, whether you are backing an obvious favorite and previous champion, or quietly cheering on a long shot that you spotted before everyone else.