Winter Olympics Betting Offers

The 2022 Winter Olympics is at the start of next year, and here will take a look at quality 2022 Winter Olympics betting offers. We present this chilling opportunity hosted by the UK's greatest online sportsbooks. Find your ideal betting platform and enjoy this sporting feast of action.

The 2020 Winter Olympics took place in Beijing, China, from the 4th of February until the 20th of February. Overall, there were seven sports and 109 events across the sixteen days for us all who enjoyed.

While the Winter Olympics might not be anywhere near as popular as its bigger brother, the Summer Olympics, it has gained a lot more popularity in recent years, with many people enjoying betting on it. In this Winter Olympics betting guide, we covered all you need to know about betting on it from the new UK betting sites.

Author: Annsley Payne , Last Updated on 04.12.2024

A Look at the History of the Winter Olympics

The first international competition with winter sports came into being just five years after the first Summer Olympics was held in 1896. The competition was called the Nordic Games because most of the athletes were from Nordic countries such as Sweden and Norway. This competition took place eight times from 1901 until 1926, with Stockholm being the host city all but one time.

In 1911, someone from the International Olympic Committee, known as the IOC, declared that Sweden should add winter sports to the 1912 Olympics that they were hosting or have a separate Winter Olympics later the same year. However, Sweden refused because they were concerned that this would jeopardize their Nordic Games. Germany, on the other hand, agreed with plans to stage a winter sports competition at the beginning of 1916 as a prelude to the Summer Olympics that were taking place in Berlin that summer. However, World War I led to the cancellation of the 1916 Olympics and made the question of having a Winter Olympic Games obsolete.

Despite many protests from the Scandinavian countries, winter sports were part of the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, where medals were handed out for ice hockey and figure skating. In 1922, an agreement was made to have an International Winter Sports Week. This took place in Chamonix, France, two years later and it was a big success. Norway finished at the top of the medals table with 17 medals, while the Nordic countries claimed 30 of the 49 medals that were available.

Due to their success, the Nordic countries dropped their objections for a specific winter sport tournament, and in 1925 the IOC came up with plans to create a Winter Olympics. In 1928, the Games took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and were known as the second Winter Olympics.

From 1928, the Winter Olympics were held once every four years in the same year as the Summer Olympics. However, due to logistic complications and high costs, the IOC decided to change the schedule. In 1992, the Winter Olympics took part in Albertville, France, while the next Summer Olympics was held in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994. The IOC then decided that a two-year gap between each one was perfect, and this is how it has remained ever since.

The Popular Sports You Will Find at the Olympics

There is a variety of sports at the Winter Olympics, which means that there is something for everyone. Individual sports such as cross-country skiing and biathlon test the limits of human endurance, while the likes of figure skating are a pure display of elegance and strength. Those who enjoy team sports are well catered for thanks to curling and ice hockey. Other sports that you will be able to enjoy at the Winter Olympics include the likes of luge, bobsleigh, ski jumping, and snowboarding. Below we take a closer look at the more popular winter sports for punters.

Curling

Ask the British what their favourite sport is at the Winter Olympics, and we are pretty sure that they will tell you curling. First introduced to the Winter Olympics in 1924 and then seen again in the 1932 edition, the sport would not make an appearance at the games again until 1988. In 2018, the British women’s team made up of Anna Sloan, Eve Muirhead, Lauren Gray, Vicki Adams, and Kelly Schafer made it to the semi-finals, but they lost 10-5 to Sweden.

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey was created in Canada at the start of the 19th century, and it has been played at the Winter Olympics since 1924. This is a popular sport due to how fast the action is as well as the fact that a fight breaks out every now and then. Canada dominated the early tournaments, but they were then surpassed by what was known back then as the Soviet Union. However, the Canadians have become the team to beat once again, winning gold medals in the games since 2012, with the only exception being when they came second in Pyeongchang in 2018.

Figure Skating

Those who are old enough will always remember the legendary figure skating performance from Brits Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill that saw them claim a gold medal and a place in Britain’s heart. Their routine wowed the judged who gave their performance twelve perfect scored of 6.0 and six 5.9s. No fewer than 24 million British people watched their performance on live TV.

Bobsleigh

Few winter sports can excite as much bobsleigh can. Hurtling down a steep ice track in a tiny metal can at speeds of 85mph is something that is definitely not for everyone, which is what makes this sport so thrilling. Danger is something that is synonymous with bobsleigh as 17 people have died during the history of this sport. Bobsleighing saw a huge spike in popularity in 1993 when Cool Runnings was first released. This classic movie tells the tale of the Jamaican bobsleigh team that took part in the Winter Olympics in 1988.

Speed Skating

In the Summer Olympics, the 100m sprint is the event that grabs most of the headlines, but the Winter Olympics has sprint events that are just as exciting. Along with sprint races, speed skating also has team pursuit and mass start races. Those who follow cycling at the Summer Olympics will be pretty familiar with these. The Netherlands have been the dominant country in the men’s speed skating events thanks to their 121 medals. The next closest country to them is the United States, who have 68 medals.

How do we choose the best betting sites for the Winter Olympics?

There are numerous bookmakers out there that sports betting fans in the United Kingdom can create an account with in order to place bets with enticing welcome bonuses.

For new sports gamblers, choosing can be quite a challenging task, but we have done all the analysis for you.

Below we will explain the different aspects of a sportsbook that we analyse when we are deciding whether a particular bookie or online casino is worth recommending to our readers.

Winter Olympics 2022 Betting Tips

With so much to place bets on at the Winter Olympics 2022, you might find yourself getting a bit overwhelmed and might start to think that coming up with a useful strategy is not possible. However, this is where we come into play. Ultimately, the Winter Olympics is collection of different sports and like with most other sporting events, you can tackle it through careful consideration and solid logic.

Most of what makes up your Winter Olympics betting strategy would depend on the sport, but since there are many different sports and events that you can put your money on and also win free bets, we shall focus on some general advice that can come in handy when you are betting on the Winter Olympics.

Spread Your Winter Olympics Betting Wings

Our first suggestion for betting on the Winter Olympics is pretty simple. Do not shy away from all that the Winter Olympics offers, try to embrace it. Apart from being one of the biggest sporting showcases in the world, the Winter Games is a great place for you to find new favourite sports and we do not want to take that opportunity away from you by suggesting that you just stick to what you know. Keep in mind that if you think that you do not know enough about a particular sport to make an informed bet, then a general bet could be the perfect option for you.

Use Accumulators to Create Intrigue Across Different Events

Big events such as the Olympics are great for accumulator betting. An accumulator is great for such big events as it allows you to create different points of interest across multiple events, which will help you to get more interested in the Winter Olympics as a whole. If your main point, apart from making some extra money, of Olympic betting is to increase your enjoyment of different sports, then an accumulator bet is perfect. Also, the huge odds that are on offer means that you will not have to bet an awful lot of money in order to make huge profits.

Research What You Can

Most of the sports and the athletes that take part in them are not generally well known, which means that the research that you usually do to make smart sports bets can be tougher. However, it does depend on the event in question. Therefore, we suggest that you find as much information as you can, and if you feel that you have not found enough information in order for you to place a competent bet, then forget about it and look for something else to bet on.

Make Use of Promotions

When huge sporting events are on, sportsbooks will often provide their punters with a variety of promotions. With this in mind, our advice to you is simple, whenever there is a bonus that adds value, and you should always take the time to read the T&Cs to make sure that they do, use it. We talk a bit more about bonuses later on in this guide, so be sure to check that out.

Do Not Only Back Your Home Country

We know that a big international event such as the Winter Olympics 2022 can create patriotic pride in people, but being patriotic does not lead to winning bets. Let us be honest, your home country, whatever it is, will not win all the medals that are on offer. With this firmly in your mind, you have two options that are available to you. You can put your money on other countries when it is wise to do so, or if you really must bet on your home country, you should only back them in events that you are sure they are going to do well in.

Popular Betting Markets for the Winter Olympics 2022

Above we gave you some great tips that you can put to good use when you are placing bets on the Winter Olympics, and now we shall take a look at some popular betting markets that you will encounter. When it comes to Winter Games betting, you can find more than enough to keep you highly entertained.

The Race for Gold

Unlike with the Summer Olympics, which is an event that is usually dominated by around three countries, the “Top Dogs” at the Winter Olympics is a title that changes hands quite regularly. This uncertainty regarding who will finish at the top of the medals table come the end of the event that makes this market so popular. The last four Winter Games has seen four different countries finish with the most golds, which means that you will always encounter decent odds for such a market.

Over/Under Betting

There are some bet types that work with all sports, and the Over/Under betting market is a fine example of this. The idea behind this type of bet is pretty simple – the bookie will set you a target number for points, time, or goals (this depends on the sport), and you then just have to decide whether the final tally will be higher (over) or lower (under) than the number that the bookmaker gave.

For instance, a very popular Under/Over betting market is trying to predict how many golds a team will pick up throughout the tournament. The bookie you have an account with will assess the different teams based on their previous performances and what their current form is like, and they will then provide you with estimate of golds that they think they will win.

Head-to-Head Betting

Rivalries are what sporting events are all about, and betting on which team, person, or country will win against the other is a really popular market for the Winter Olympics. Figure skating made the front pages of the newspapers in 1994 when Nancy Kerrigan, the favourite for the gold medal, was hit in the knee by the ex-husband of Tonya Harding, her bigger rival for the gold.

Winner of the Event Excluding the Favourite

It is not much of a surprise that Nordic countries do well at the Olympic Games, since snow and ice appear regularly in such countries. However, even places such as Germany has great ski resorts scattered around the country such as Arber, Alpsee-Grünten, and Ochsenkopf. Therefore, sometimes it is wise to ignore the favourite and place your money on the best from the rest. Many bookmakers will give you the chance to bet on an outcome with the favourite excluded.

Ladbrokes

Coral might be an old sportsbook, but Ladbrokes is even older as they have been in existence sing 1886, which means that it can class itself as the oldest bookmaker in the world. The fact that it has last so long is a clear sign as to just how good they are. They are very popular because of the number of the number of markets that they provide, the fact that they have very good odds, and because they have one of the most impressive live streaming services around. In the table below we give our ratings for this bookmaker.

Pros

✅ Extensive live streaming

✅ Variety of markets for a variety of sports

✅ They have very enticing odds

Cons

❌ Payment methods might be limited for some

Best Bonuses and Free Bets for the Winter Olympics 2022

There are many competitive industries out there, but it is safe to say that there are not many that are competitive as the sports betting one. While the competitive nature of this industry is a burden for bookies, it is great for us sports betting fans since this is basically what forces bookies to provide enticing welcome bonuses as this is one of the main ways that they can stay one step ahead of their nearest rivals. Bookmakers know that if they offer a sub-par bonus that they will lose custom to those bookies that offer great bonuses.

Bonuses will differ depending on the sports betting site that you register with, so it is vital that you take a bit of time to do some research before you sign up with a bookmaker that you like the look of. Below we take a quick look at four bookmakers that are, in our humble view, offering punters the best welcome bonuses at this moment in time. We are not forcing anyone to register with these bookmakers, but we guarantee you will have a pleasant sports betting experience if you heed our advice.

Bet365: If Bet365 is the bookmaker for you, then you will receive up to £50 in credits when you open an account with them. You can use these bet credits on any sport that you feel like, but we recommend you use your credit on the Winter Olympics if you happen to open a Bet365 account when the Winter Olympics 2022 is taking place.

TonyBet: If you read our review and feel that TonyBet is the perfect bookie for you, then they will happily 50% match your first deposit up to a value of £50. Therefore, if you deposit £50 in your account to start with, you will receive £75 in your new account. As you can probably guess, this extra money can be used on whatever sporting event you like.

Unibet: If you decide that Unibet is the bookie for you, you will be able to take advantage of a nice £40 money back welcome bonus. With this type of bonus, you just need to make a wager that goes up to £40, and if it loses, then your stake shall be returned as a free bet. You can use this free bet on any sporting event, but once again we suggest you use it on the Winter Olympics if it is on when you decide to sign up.

N.B. Online betting sites are constantly having to change their bonuses around because they know that they have to keep things innovative and fresh if they want to stay ahead of their competitors. A sportsbook that has an attractive welcome bonus is one that will get more customer than a bookie that offers a poor welcome bonus since we all love value for money at the end of the day. Therefore, due to the fact that they are constantly changing bonuses, we can obviously not guarantee you that the above bonuses will be the ones on offer when/if you go to register with one. This is an inconvenience we know, but we just cannot spend all our time looking for bonus changes.

There is something else that we want to quickly speak about before moving on with this guide of ours and that is how important it is to read the T&Cs that apply to any bonus you are considering claiming. By taking a bit of time out of your day to read the different terms, you will find out important information such as what wagering requirements are in place, the min deposits you need to make to claim the bonus, and how many days you have to spend your bonus money. You need to read each T&C very carefully as this is how you decrease your odds of forfeiting a bonus.

Where to Find the Best Winter Olympics 2022 Betting Odds

People like to think that bookmakers all practically have the same odds, but this is actually not the case. The reason for this is that bookies know that offering better odds is something that can help them stand out from their rivals. A bookmaker that offers consistently high odds to their customers for the markets that they have on offer is one that people will be glad to sign up with, while a bookie that consistently offers low odds is one that will go out of business because no new customers will open an account with them.

Therefore, before signing up with a bookie, you should take a bit of time to do some research that you are certain that your chosen bookie is offering odds that provide you with value. You can only get value for your hard-earned money by making use of good odds. When you are looking to purchase something online, we are certain that you do some research before finalizing your purchase so that you ensure you are getting the best deal, so it makes sense that you should do exactly the same thing when looking for a sportsbook to register with.

We are now going to highlight an example that prove how just a slight difference in the odds can make a big difference over time. Let us say that the Winter Olympics is on, and you have found an outcome that you want to bet on – Russia to finish at the top of the medal table. You take a look at the odds that one bookie is offering for this, and see they have odds of 7.00, while another bookie has odds of 8.00 for the same outcome. If you place a £5 bet on this market with the first bookie, you will make a profit of £30, while the same bet with odds of 8.00 will see you land a £35 profit. Now, missing out on a fiver might not sound like a huge deal, but if you miss out on a fiver with every winning bet, come the end of the year you would have missed out on a decent chunk of money.

So, what bookmakers do we recommend you have a look at when it comes to Winter Olympics 2022 odds? Well, in our humble opinion, the following bookmakers will not disappoint you when it comes to their odds on offer:

• Betiton

• Bwin

• Ladbrokes

• BetVictor

Winter Olympics 2022 Live Betting

Placing a bet on sports is something that became a lot simpler in the 90s when bookmakers made the transition from land-based bookies to the Internet. While this move was great because it meant that sports betting fans could place a bet on their favourite sporting events without having to leave their house, there was an important element of sports betting that was missing, and this was the option of placing live bets. If you are new to sports betting, then there is a chance that you do not quite understand what live betting is. Well, to put it simply, a live bet is a wager that you make when the sporting event you are going to bet on is still being played. Live betting might not have been available then, but since then technology has come a long way and most bookmakers have live betting platforms.

Bookmakers know that most of their players like to make a live bet, so they are aware that if they fail to provide a good live betting platform, then they will miss out on potential custom. While most bookmakers have some type of live betting available, some bookmakers have better live betting options than their competitors. If you enjoy making live bets on various sports, then check out the following four bookmakers or check out our live casino guide.

• Ladbrokes
• NetBet
• BetBull
• Karamba

This Winter Olympics 2022 betting guide has given you more than enough information to think about, and we hope that you will put it to good use and win some extra money.