How Will Team USA Perform at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

2026 Winter Olympics outlook graphic showing a snowy alpine ski venue with athletes racing downhill, packed spectator stands, mountain chalets, and a large ski jump in the background

Team USA is ready to represent the United States at the Winter Olympics this February. In 2022, the men and women in Red, White, and Blue finished third with 25 total medals, including nine golds. 

How will Team USA fare this time around? Keep reading to see updated odds for the 2026 Winter Olympics, including a look at the United States’ best and worst chances to win gold in Italy. 

Team USA’s Strongest Sports

Unlike the Summer Games, the US Olympic Team has struggled to dominate in winter sports. Last time, the US tied for the third-most goals with nine, and finished third overall in the medal count with 25. 

Norway led the way in both categories, bringing home 16 gold and 37 total medals. 

The events where the US claimed gold at the 2022 games included:

winter olypmics figure skating
  • Team Figure Skating
  • Men’s Singles Figure Skating
  • Women’s Snowboard Cross
  • Mixed Team Aerials Freestyle Skiing
  • Women’s Halfpipe Snowboarding
  • Mixed Team Snowboard Cross
  • Women’s 500M Speed Skating
  • Women’s Monobob (Bobsleigh)
  • Men’s Slopestyle Freestyle Skiing

Team US also won nine silver and 7 bronze at the 2022 Winter Games. 

For the 2026 games, the US should be a team to watch in figure skating, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding again. The US won seven of its nine goals in those three sports. 

Lindsey Jacobellis, who won two gold medals in 2022, officially retired and will be commenting on the event. Jacobellis provided many memorable Winter Olympic moments in her five appearances. To make matters worse, Nathan Chen, who claimed two golds in figure skating and is a three-time world champion, is also not competing.

On the bright side, the US is still a strong contender in figure skating, winning 17 golds and 54 total medals, the most of any country. 

Other events where the US has historically performed well include:

SportUS Total GoldsUS Total Medal Count
Speed Skating3071
Alpine Skiing1748
Snowboarding1735
Freestyle Skiing1133

The US leads all countries in gold medals for figure skating, snowboarding, and speed skating. 92 of the US’s 114 gold medals in the Winter Games have come in the figure skating, speed skating, alpine skiing, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing. 

Team USA’s Weakest Sports

Team USA is sending 236 athletes to compete in 16 sports for this year’s Winter Olympics. However, not every sport has been as friendly to Americans as speed skating or figure skating. 

Ski jumping and the luge have been two notable weak points on the US resume. The US has only one medal in the history of ski jumping at the Winter Olympics, a bronze. Similarly, the US has won six medals, three silver and three bronze, in the luge, but never a gold. 

Additional sports where the US has historically struggled at the Winter Olympics include:

SportUS Total GoldsUS Total Medal Count
Nordic Combined14
Cross-country Skiing14
Curling12

The US also has no medals in ski mountaineering, as the 2026 Winter Games will mark the sport’s Olympic debut. 

The Top Competition at the 2026 Olympics

The top competitors for Team US at this year’s Winter Olympics include:

Country2022 Gold/Total Medal CountAll-time Gold/Total Count
Norway16/37148/405
Germany12/27105/267
China9/1522/77
Sweden8/1865/176
Canada4/2677/225

Norway has dominated the Winter Olympics, including the 2022 Winter Games. It claimed 16 golds and 37 total medals, the most of any country. Norway also leads all countries historically with 148 golds and 405 total medals. 

Germany has also been a tough competitor in winter events. It won 12 golds last year, and has 105 golds all-time. If you include medals won by East and West Germany, then Germany has 155 golds and 416 total medals, the most of any country. 

Our Predictions for the United States at the Olympics

Continue reading for a closer look at some of our 2026 Winter Olympic betting predictions, using odds from Bovada.  

Will the US Win the Most Gold Medals?

CountryOdds to win the Most Gold Medals
Norway-155
Germany+450
USA+600
Canada+700
Italy+1600
Switzerland+2200
Netherlands+2500

Norway won the most golds and most total medals at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, and it holds the most golds and most total medals all-time. So, it is not surprising that Norway is the -155 favorite to win the most gold medals at the 2026 games. 

The US (+600) has the third-best odds at top Olympic betting sites, just behind Germany (+450). Canada and Italy, the host nation, round out the top five at +700 and +1600, respectively. 

Team US has dozens of talented athletes, but America still has a way to go to catch Norway in winter sports. Norway will repeat as the top gold medal getter in 2026. 

Prediction
  • Norway wins the most golds -155

Hockey

Men’s Hockey Gold OddsWomen’s Hockey Gold Odds
Canada (+140)USA (-135)
USA (+200)Canada (+120)
Sweden (+550)Czechia (+2500)
Finland (+1000)Finland (+3000)
Czechia (+1200)Sweden (+6600)

Hockey is a sport that the US team knows well, so it is no surprise that America is listed at +200 and -135 to win the gold in the Men’s and Women’s brackets, respectively. 

Canada is also a top contender in both brackets. However, both the US and Canada were eliminated from the Men’s bracket in the quarterfinals in 2022. Team USA Women’s team lost to Canada in the gold medal game. 

Despite the loss, Team US’s women’s team is the -135 favorite to win gold in 2026. With four years to learn from their mistakes, I think Team US will win gold in Women’s Hockey. 

Prediction
  • Team US wins gold in Women’s Hockey -135

Curling

Men’s Curling Gold OddsWomen’s Curling Gold OddsMixed Curling Gold Odds
Great Britain (+100)Canada (-200)Italy (+100)
Switzerland (+175)Switzerland (+325)Great Britain (+425)
Canada (+200)Sweden (+700)USA (+500)
Sweden (+1600)South Korea (+2000)Canada (+650)
Germany (+2000)Japan (+2800)Sweden (+800)

As mentioned above, curling has been a tough sport for Team US. Americans have won just one gold medal in Olympic curling. 

With that in mind, it is not surprising that the US is a long shot to win gold in any curling event in 2026. Team USA is listed at the following odds to win gold in Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Curling events:

USA team Curling Winter Olympics
  • US wins gold in Men’s curling = +10000
  • US wins gold in Women’s curling = +10000
  • US wins gold in Mixed curling = +500

Canada leads the way with six golds and 12 total medals in curling. However, Canada won only one curling medal last year, a bronze.

Sweden was the only country to medal in all three events, making it the safest bet in any curling category this time around. 

Prediction
  • Sweden wins Men’s curling gold +1600

Where to Bet on the US Olympic Team in 2026

Team USA has its work cut out heading into the 2026 Winter Olympics following the retirements of Lindsey Jacobellis and Nathan Chen. Their absences will be tough to overcome, but it will open the door for new US Winter Olympic stars to emerge. 

My top bet for Team US is for the American Women’s Hockey Team to win gold (-135). You can bet on your predictions for the US Olympic team at Bovada. New members who deposit with crypto can get up to $750 in bonus funds using the sites 75% deposit match welcome promotion.

Author Avatar
About the Author

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at Gambling Nerd. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.

arrow up Back to Top