“[…] it would be a major upset if they did not finish first!”

With the 2026 Olympic Games underway, we caught up with Nordic Commercial Sports Director Per Carlander on betting trends, punter behavior, and the race for gold!

Are punters behaving differently this time compared to previous Winter Olympics?

“Two key differences for us are the host city and the ice hockey tournament. The fact that the games are taking place in Italy, and in the same time zone as most of our largest markets, is significantly increasing activity. In addition, this year marks the first time in 12 years that NHL players will participate in the ice hockey tournament, which is a major factor. Connor McDavid will make his debut, and we are seeing particularly strong interest in player props across NHL stars.”

Are there any new betting trends or patterns for this tournament?

“These winter games are much more outright-heavy compared to our usual offering. We are seeing a significantly higher share of bets on markets such as Winner and Top 3, rather than traditional 1X2 or total goals. Overall, this means that customers are betting more on individual athletes than on teams, as they typically would. At the same time, as mentioned we’re seeing very strong interest in player props for the major NHL stars, many of whom are competing in the Winter Olympics for the first time, despite having been global superstars for over a decade.”

Sports are increasingly being digitised, and sportsbooks now have access to far more data than just a few years ago. Has this had any impact on betting patterns?

“Yes, it has enabled us to offer more live markets, which has also shifted betting patterns towards increased live betting. This is a general trend across major sports such as football and tennis, and we also expect to see a higher share of live betting during the Olympics compared to previous editions. This will be driven by a deeper live offering in ice hockey, as well as broader live coverage across other sports such as cross-country skiing and biathlon.”

Are punters placing bets with their hearts or minds?

“The Olympics are an event where we tend to see more heart-driven bets than during regular league seasons. People back their national medal hopes and may not always have detailed knowledge of the other competitors. That said, the Winter Olympics also present a real challenge for our odds compilers and traders, as there are many sports to price that are not part of our regular offering. An opportunity for our customers who are true winter sports enthusiasts!”

Will there be any wildcards?

“The biggest wildcard ahead of the games was undoubtedly Lindsey Vonn’s comeback, which unfortunately ended after just 13 seconds. More broadly, the Winter Olympics tend to deliver major surprises that few expect. Who can forget Steven Bradbury in 2002 or Ester Ledecká in 2018?”

Are you seeing any behavioural differences between punters using the Kambi sportsbook and our proprietary Tiger sportsbook?

“I would say it’s more about differing betting behaviours by country rather than the product itself, at least for now. In Brazil, the Winter Olympics are smaller for obvious reasons. In Denmark, interest is somewhat higher but is mainly focused on ice hockey and curling. Sweden is our largest Winter Olympics market, where we see the strongest interest in cross-country skiing and biathlon outside of the obvious number one sport, ice hockey.”

When the games conclude, which nation do you expect to win the most gold medals?

“Norway is, as always, the dominant powerhouse and clear favourite. They were outstanding at the last two Winter Olympics and were heavy favourites heading into 2026 as well. After just a few days of competition, they are already on top, and it would be a major upset if they did not finish first!”

Are there any spectacular sports or athletes to look out for?

“I would highlight Ilia Malinin, Connor McDavid, and ski mountaineering. Ilia Malinin, the ‘Quad God’, made history during the opening weekend by landing the first backflip at the Olympic Games in 50 years as part of the team event. It will be exciting to see whether he attempts that again, his famous quadruple Axel, or perhaps even both in the men’s singles later on.

Connor McDavid, widely regarded as the best ice hockey player in the world, is making his Olympic debut at the age of 29 for Team Canada. His exceptional skating, combined with a sixth sense for the game, is pure poetry for any hockey fan to watch.

Last but not least, we have a new sport at these Winter Olympics: ski mountaineering. It’s a visually impressive discipline that combines steep uphill climbs with skis on the athletes’ backs, followed by fast and technical descents.”