It should be an exciting final weekend of the Beijing Olympics, headlined by Friday’s action where Russia and Sweden are playing for a chance to play Finland in Sunday’s men’s hockey gold medal game. ROC is off to a 1-0 lead in the 2nd period and are -420 favorites live. 

There are a whopping 11 medals on the line Friday night/early Saturday and four more on Sunday, including the men’s hockey gold medal game, women’s gold in curling, and the 4-man bobsleigh. 

Let’s get to the Thursday recap and a rundown for Friday’s events so you can get ready to continue betting against the Olympics Odds.

Winter Olympics Betting Rundown for Friday, February 18th

What Has Already Happened 

Canada took down the United States 8-5 in men’s curling, winning the bronze and sending the Americans home without a medal after winning gold four years ago in Pyeongchang. It’s not a total surprise that the U.S. did not place, considering they were +1200 to repeat before the games started. 

Norway added to their leading medal tally with a dominant showing in the biathlon. They brought home four medals combined in the women’s 12.5km mass start and the men’s 15km mass start, with Johannes Thingnes Boe bringing home gold in the latter.

That is Boe’s fourth career Olympic gold medal and was the 15th for Norway in these games, breaking the record Germany set four years ago. 

Finland was a -345 favorite in their men’s hockey semifinal matchup with Slovakia and came home with a 2-0 win. 

Canada added another three medals outside of their bronze in curling, taking home the silver and bronze in women’s freestyle halfpipe skiing and another silver in the men’s 1000m speed skating. 

Friday’s Competition Rundown

Sweden and Great Britain will meet for men’s curling gold late Friday/early Saturday. Great Britain was the +185 favorite before the competition and are -125 favorites over the Swedes in the finale. 

The pair skating gold will be decided on Friday night with Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov, the +145 favorite despite going into the free skate in 3rd place after the short program.

Han Cong and Sui Wenjing have value at +159, considering they are two-time world champions chasing their first gold. They scored an 84.25 in the short program, breaking their own world record. 

The United States should have a solid chance at a medal in Friday’s men’s freeski halfpipe final, considering all four skiers advanced for the final three runs.

Aaron Blunck was 1st in qualifying, and he’ll be joined by Birk Irving, David Wise, and Alex Ferreira. Blunck is still +250 right behind Nico Porteous of New Zealand. 

Bart Swings of Belgium is the +215 favorite in the men’s 1000m mass start event but can Joey Mantia (+300) give him a run? 

Dutch speed skater Irene Schouten (-182) looks poised to run away with the women’s mass start final. She’s already set the Olympic record in the 3000m earlier these games, and Canadian Ivanie Blondin is expected to be her next closest competitor but at +500. 

Slovakia has made the men’s hockey gold medal game, and they played well against Finland despite the 2-0 loss. Expect them to be underdogs against either Russia or Sweden, whoever loses the semifinal game. 

Hopefully, it was a profitable winter games; see you in four years in Italy.

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