To Bet on Biathlon: Exploring Betting Opportunities in the World of Biathlon

Biathlon - a winter Olympic sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Every year, the discipline is gaining more and more fans in Nigeria and around the world.

The biathlon attracts with its spectacle, dynamism, and the availability of tournament broadcasts.

The goal of the participants is to cross the finish line first. During the race, biathletes pass shooting points and hit five targets. For each miss, athletes are penalised with additional time or extra laps.

Many fans of the discipline place bets at bookmaker's offices. Biathlon betting is attractive due to high odds on popular outcomes, frequent value quotes in the line, and relative predictability of results.

Bookmakers do not offer diverse options for biathlon - players have access to main and additional markets.

Race Winner

The fan bets on the winner of the race. Predicting the winner of the start is difficult - the number of race participants can reach up to 100. Even with the participation of a clear favourite, bookmakers will offer odds of success above 2.50.

Podium Finish

Bookmakers offer users to guess the top three leaders. It's easier to place a winning bet on making it to the top three - the player simultaneously bets on the chosen participant's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. In the case of a clear favourite's participation, the average odds for a sportsman to make it to the top three usually range from 1.30 to 1.50.

Most Missed Shots

The player determines which of the two chosen biathletes will rank higher at the end of the race. Bookmakers compare pairs of strong, average, and weak biathletes.

Other Options for Biathlon Betting

Additional betting options for individual biathlon starts include:

• most missed shots;
• total and handicap for missed shots;
• distribution of places in the top six;
• representative of which country will win the start.

Not all bookmakers allow betting on additional options. For example, in Russia, the bookmaker "Betsiti" offers a variable additional list for biathlon.

Long-Term Bets in Biathlon

Bets on long-term biathlon in the bookmaker's list are famous for:

• overall winner;
• top three based on the overall standings;
• overall winner without a particular favourite.

• The pre-race analysis is necessary for placing winning bets on biathlon and involves taking into account a large number of factors:
• The current form of participants - results of recent starts, shooting statistics, penalty laps, and minutes;
• Waxing - the choice of waxing materials for skis can be understood from the results of the pre-race warm-up or the last start;
• Motivation depends on the prestige of the tournament and the athlete's psycho-emotional state;
• Weather conditions affect the speed of skiing and shooting accuracy.

For example, in cold, windless weather, the most accurate shooters and technical runners gain an advantage - fast and enduring biathletes in snowy weather.

Compared to sports that have regular competitions, past victories are not highly valued in biathlon. Competitions occur several times a year, and an athlete's "gold" in last year's World Cup does not automatically make the biathlete the main favourite in the current season's tournament.

• High odds on race winners;
• Broadcasts on popular sports channels and in bookmakers;
• Predictability of strong biathletes' results over long distances;
• Frequent value odds in bookmakers.

An exciting feature of betting on biathlon is the individual approach: the ability to choose several athletes, follow the participants, and place bets on the results of biathletes.

• Seasonality of competitions - starts take place only on snow in cold weather;
• High margin - you can see bookmaker commission values from 20-30%;
• Smaller limits compared to popular sports;
• Rare availability of competitions for live betting.

Biathlon is a sport heavily dependent on weather conditions. It's difficult to predict the exact weather at the start of the race.

Betting on biathlon today in bookmakers includes offers on races of different types.

Individual Race

An individual race of 20 km for men and 15 km for women. Participants pass 4 shooting points; for each inaccurate shot, athletes receive 1 minute of penalty time.

Sprint

An individual race of half the scale - with a distance of 10 km for men and 7.5 km for women, with 2 shooting points. A miss adds a 150-meter penalty lap to the biathlete.

Pursuit Race

A continuation of the sprint, in which the top 60 participants of the start ski. The starting numbers and intervals of biathletes' lag are determined based on the sprint results.

Mass Start

A circular race with a standard start and the participation of the top 30 athletes in the competition, who start the race together in 10 rows of 3 biathletes. The mass start involves 4 shooting points and a 150-meter penalty lap in case of a miss. The race distance is 15 km for men and 12.5 km for women.

Relay Race

The relay is a team competition. Each team comprises 4 biathletes; participants go through one stage with 2 shooting points and pass the relay to the next athlete. The duration of the men's relay is 4 x 7.5 km, women's - 4 x 6 km. If a participant cannot close 5 targets with 8 rounds, the biathlete goes through one penalty lap for each unclosed target.

Mixed Relay

A team competition involving 2 men and 2 women in each team. Participants go through the distance with 2 shooting points, one penalty lap for each inaccurate shot, and pass the relay to the next partner.

The duration of the mixed relay is 2 x 7.5 km for men and 2 x 6 km for women, a total of 27 km.

Only some bookmakers accept bets on biathlon. Popular Nigerian bookmakers where you can place bets on biathlon include:

• 22Bet
• Betway
• Frapapa
• Betcity

Betcity offers the most variable list for starts and competition outcomes.

Betting on biathlon attracts players with its straightforward analysis, spectacle, and dynamism of races, as well as high predictability. However, considering biathlon as a constant discipline for betting is not rational due to the seasonality of the sport and high bookmaker margins.

Additional details to consider include:

• Weather conditions: As a winter sport, weather conditions significantly influence biathlon. This can add an element of unpredictability to the races, which can make betting more challenging.
• Athlete performance: Biathlon is a sport that requires both physical endurance and precision. An athlete's performance can vary from race to race, and factors such as health, training, and mental state can all impact the outcome.
• Limited betting options: Not all bookmakers offer a wide range of betting options for biathlon, which can limit the strategies that bettors can use.
• Knowledge of the sport: To successfully bet on biathlon, it's essential to have a good understanding of the sport, including the different types of races, the athletes, and the factors that can impact a race. This can require a significant amount of research and time.

Despite these challenges, betting on biathlon can be an exciting and potentially rewarding activity for those who enjoy the sport and are willing to put in the time to understand it.