Winter Olympics 2026 and Betting Traffic: Your Playbook for February's Biggest Spike
The Winter Olympics are here, and all eyes are on Milano Cortina. It kicks off today, opening a new peak season for sportsbooks and media buyers. With the rise of the Olympics, as seen in the 2024 event, which saw an increase of over 20% in betting volume growth, as opposed to the Tokyo Olympics, we are projecting an increase of 20-30% for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, which will conclude on the 22nd of February. This is not just any other sporting event for the mediabuying teams running sports betting-related ad campaigns. This is a 17-day window where intent is high, and conversion rates are higher.
Here's how you can leverage that Olympic betting traffic and make these 17 days your most profitable February ever.
What Makes Milano Cortina 2026 Different
Italy hosts the XXV Winter Olympic Games across Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The preliminary rounds will begin two days before the opening ceremony on the 4th of February. This gives you two days of extra runway to attract early traffic. There will be 16 sports and 116 medal events.
Sports that will attract the most betting traffic:
Biathlon runs February 8-21, with the men's 10km sprint scheduled for February 13 and mixed relay on February 15. Historically, biathlon pulls massive European audiences – Germany, Norway, France, and Italy see betting spikes that rival football during Olympic weeks. The sport combines shooting precision with endurance racing, creating multiple in-play betting opportunities per event.
Figure skating spans February 6-21. The pairs short program hits February 15, ice dance rhythm dance on February 16, and the ladies' free skate closes the competition on February 20. North American and Asian markets drive serious traffic here. Figure skating's subjective scoring makes it ideal for prop bets on technical elements and artistic scores.
Ice hockey medal events happen on February 21-22. Bronze and gold medal matches happen consecutively over two days. North American traffic contributes significantly because of the presence of NHL players.
Alpine skiing delivers gold medals almost daily, starting February 8 with the women's super-G on February 12. European traffic dominates this category, particularly from Austria, Switzerland, and France.
Snowboarding takes place on February 8-21, featuring halfpipe, slopestyle, and the crowd-favorite big air events. Younger bettors dominate this event, and its unpredictability makes it a great marketing vehicle for advertisers targeting the 18-35 age bracket.
Why Betting Traffic Surges During Winter Olympics
There are three reasons why we're projecting a 20-30% increase in traffic:
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Casual Bettor Activation: There are people who don't bet on biathlon or curling but suddenly want to place a bet on their favorite athletes from their respective countries. They're searching for terms like "how to bet on the Olympics" and "Winter Olympics odds," which are highly intent-driven.
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Longer viewing times: The length of a football match is 90 minutes, whereas the Olympics have 12-14 hours of events per day. There are many venues, and the events don't stop at night. They're all day long, and that means more betting activity throughout the day, not just at night.
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National pride: People bet with their hearts during the Olympics. A French citizen who pays no attention to ski jumping all year may suddenly decide to place a 50-euro bet on a sportsman. The average order value is higher during the Olympics because of this type of betting.
The American Gaming Association found out that Americans spent $147 billion on sports wagers in 2024. The increase from 2023 is 23%. The FIFA World Cup 2026 is expected to produce similar spikes, and while the Winter Olympics won't produce the same numbers, the increase in niche sports betting will be significant.
Campaign Setup for Maximum ROI
EVADAV has been delivering high-quality traffic in the betting vertical for several years now, and here’s what works best for our advertisers:
GEOs to Target:
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US and Canada: Ice hockey and snowboarding are the main drivers for these GEOs. Target states where sports betting is allowed – 37 states as of February 2026.
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Western Europe: Biathlon, alpine skiing, and cross-country skiing are the main drivers. Top GEOs for Winter Olympics betting are Germany, Norway, Austria, France, and Italy.
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Eastern Europe: Lower CPCs for this GEO. Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia are strong for winter sports.
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Asia: Figure skating and speed skating are the main drivers for South Korea, Japan, and China.
High-response creatives
Skip basic "Bet on Olympics" messaging. Get specific:
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"Norway vs France in Biathlon – Live Odds Now"
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"Bet €10, Get €30 Free for Figure Skating Finals"
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"Claim Your Olympic Welcome Bonus Before Feb 6"
Use action shots from training camps, not stock photos. Bettors respond to authentic imagery of actual athletes competing. Show real betting slips or odds comparisons in creatives – the transparency builds trust. The scenery and Olympic symbols also attract the attention of the target audiences:
Time-sensitive offers really work. Create urgency without pushing: "48 Hours Until Opening Ceremony - Double Your First Deposit."
When making landing pages, make sure to offer bonuses – it motivates users to start betting right away:
Also, you can engage users through quizzes:
Where to find offers?
The most profitable and interesting sports betting offers can be found with major online bookmakers:
Stake is an online betting platform founded in 2017 and operating under an international license. It offers a wide range of sports, including Winter Olympic disciplines such as ice hockey and alpine skiing. It is valued for its cryptocurrency support and modern user interface.
Affiliate link 👈
William Hill is a bookmaker with a long history dating back to 1934, originally founded in the United Kingdom. The platform offers betting on a wide range of sports events, including ice hockey, figure skating, and skiing disciplines featured in the Winter Olympic Games. It has been on the market for decades and is trusted by tens of thousands of users.
Affiliate link 👈
The online bookmaker bet365 was founded in 2000 in the United Kingdom. The website features both popular sports and Winter Olympic disciplines, including ice hockey, biathlon, and alpine skiing. It is valued for its advanced live betting functionality and stable technical performance.
Affiliate link 👈
Betway is an international betting platform founded in 2006 and operating across multiple jurisdictions. Both team and individual sports are available for betting, including ice hockey and alpine skiing. Its main strengths are a well-structured sportsbook and a focus on regulated markets.
Affiliate link 👈
The Unibet brand was founded in 1997 and has Scandinavian origins. The platform covers a wide range of sports events, including Winter Olympic disciplines such as ice hockey, biathlon, and cross-country skiing. Users note its systematic approach to sports analytics and betting markets.
Affiliate link 👈
1xAffiliates is an international bookmaker founded in 2007 and operating in many markets. The betting line includes various sports disciplines, including ice hockey, figure skating, and other Winter Olympic sports. The platform is valued for its wide selection of events and offers.
Affiliate link 👈
PM Affiliates is a betting brand founded in 1994 and represented in several regions. The platform offers betting on various sports, including ice hockey and biathlon, which are part of the Winter Olympic Games program. Users highlight the wide range of products and offers available.
Affiliate link 👈
Betfair is an online platform launched in 2000 in the United Kingdom and is part of the international Flutter group. In addition to a classic sportsbook, the service includes an exchange model and covers Winter Olympic disciplines, including ice hockey and alpine skiing. Its advantages include an alternative betting format and a market-driven approach to odds.
Affiliate link 👈
Megapari is an online bookmaker that has been developing since 2019 and is focused on an international audience. The sports line includes popular events, including ice hockey and skiing disciplines. The platform offers adaptation for different GEOs and a wide selection of markets.
Affiliate link 👈
888sport was launched in 2008 as part of the 888 Group. The service covers a wide range of sports events, including Winter Olympic disciplines such as ice hockey and figure skating. It is represented both in European markets and beyond.
Affiliate link 👈
DraftKings is an American betting platform founded in 2012 and primarily focused on the U.S. market. Among the sports offered is ice hockey, which is part of the Winter Olympic program. Its strengths include a focus on local leagues and compliance with regulated market requirements.
Affiliate link 👈
The Swedish group Betsson has a long history in the online betting industry. Its brand portfolio includes betting on various sports, including ice hockey, biathlon, and cross-country skiing. The platform is valued for its experience across different jurisdictions and a stable operating model.
Affiliate link 👈
VBET offers betting on a wide range of sports events, including Winter Olympic disciplines such as ice hockey and alpine skiing. The bookmaker has its own technological infrastructure and international sports partnerships.
Affiliate link 👈
How to get approval to work with offers?
Commonly, the above-mentioned platforms offer RevShare payment models for offers, but it’s possible to generate more profits when switching to the CPM model provided by ad networks. To get approved by the latter, an advertiser should present themselves from the start as a transparent and reliable partner. Clearly describing traffic sources and demonstrating a basic understanding of compliance significantly reduces network risk and simplifies the approval process. Here is advice from Valeria D, Head of Demand at EVADAV TRAFFIC GROUP:
Even with a properly completed application, personal communication with a personal manager often becomes the deciding factor, as it helps clarify traffic sources, formats, and scaling plans before launch.
Traffic formats for sports betting:
Push notifications – best option for live events. A user subscribed to sports updates will click a push that reads "Biathlon gold medal race starts in 10 minutes" with higher CTR than display ads.
In-page push captures mobile users, especially iOS traffic that traditional push can't reach. These run at $0.003 per click and scale quickly.
Native ads pre-sell the betting experience. Run advertorials with headlines like "5 Underdog Picks for Milano Cortina 2026" that link to a landing page with odds and sign-up flow.
Popunders cost less and generate volume for testing offers across multiple GEOs simultaneously.
⚽Check our sports events marketing guide – it covers pre-event buildup, live-betting strategies, and post-event retargeting.
Other Verticals Get a Lift Too
Streaming platforms see parallel traffic increases. For example, users search "watch Winter Olympics free" or "Milano Cortina 2026 live stream" when geo-blocked content or subscription paywalls appear. VPN offers convert great here – check our Utilities vertical breakdown for targeting strategies.
Streaming & VOD services also spike. Cord-cutters want Olympic access without cable subscriptions, creating opportunities for affiliate offers in that category.
Launch Now
Milano Cortina 2026 runs February 6-22, so your campaigns should go live this week.
EVADAV offers all four formats optimized for sports betting: push notifications for real-time engagement, in-page for mobile reach, native for educated audiences, and popunders for volume testing. Quick moderation allows you to launch your Olympic campaigns on the same day, with dedicated managers fine-tuning your targeting as events happen.
🏆Start your Winter Olympics betting campaigns with EVADAV and turn February's traffic surge into your strongest month of 2026
The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius," which translates to faster, higher, stronger. Your revenue in February should reflect that same growth! Create campaigns that are agile, target high-converting regions, and develop more effective funnels than your competitors, who are still in the planning stages while you're already active.
