Winter Olympics Betting Picks: Milano 2026 Best Bets Today

Men’s Curling: Switzerland vs. Norway +2.5 (-130)

Norway and Switzerland square off for the bronze medal in men’s curling, and this sets up as a much tighter contest than their earlier meeting suggests. With the spread sitting at +2.5, Norway offers strong value to keep this within a couple of stones.

Switzerland dominated the first matchup 10-4, but that result looks more like an outlier than the norm. Norway regrouped impressively after that loss, knocking off Canada 8-6 to close the preliminary round, a significant win considering Canada is the gold-medal favorite. In a later rematch with Canada, Norway fell just 5-4 in another highly competitive performance.

Switzerland, meanwhile, comes into the bronze medal game off an 8-5 semifinal loss to Great Britain. That defeat followed a narrow 7-6 loss to the United States in their final preliminary game, suggesting they’ve cooled off at the wrong time.

Motivation also plays a role here. Switzerland likely expected to compete for gold, while Norway now has a prime opportunity to finish the tournament on a high note with a medal. Given Norway’s recent form and ability to keep games tight against elite competition, +2.5 is too generous.

Back Norway to cover the spread in what should be a close, hard-fought bronze medal matchup.

Men’s Hockey: Slovakia vs. USA -2.5 (-130)

Team USA takes on Slovakia in the semifinals with a berth in the gold medal game at stake, and this shapes up as a strong spot for the Americans to assert their dominance.

Slovakia has had an inconsistent tournament. They earned a narrow 3-2 win over Italy and pulled off an impressive 4-1 victory against Finland, but their overall body of work suggests they’ll struggle to match the depth and pace of Team USA. While Slovakia has shown flashes, sustaining that level against a loaded American roster is another challenge entirely.

Quinn Hughes' game-winning goal gives the United States their first win over Sweden in the Olympics since 1960 😲 pic.twitter.com/BOlqr4eKjB

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) February 18, 2026

Connor Hellebuyck appears to be rounding into top form at the perfect time. He was sharp in the 2-1 quarterfinal win over Sweden, shutting down a far more dangerous offensive team than Slovakia. If he carries that momentum into this semifinal, it will be difficult for Slovakia to generate consistent scoring chances.

With superior depth, speed, and structure, the United States should control play and gradually pull away. A 4-1 type of result feels realistic, making the Americans on the puckline at -2.5 a strong play for your Olympic betting picks today.