Curling, an Olympic sport, originated in 16th-century Scotland. The earliest historical mentions of curling are found in monastic books dated 1541. In a curling match, two teams comprising four players take turns sliding heavy granite stones towards a target known as the "house".
A team must score more points to win the match by getting their stones into the "house" than their opponent.
Curling is a complex tactical sport, often dubbed "chess on ice." Bets on curling can be placed at Russian bookmaking offices. With a well-informed sports analysis, it's possible to turn a profit over the long run.
Curling is played on a rectangular ice surface ranging from 44.5 to 45.72 meters long and 4.42 to 5 meters wide. At opposite ends of the playing area are two target circles, each with a diameter of 3.66 meters. The curling stone used in the game weighs 19.96 kg, is made of granite, and has a cylindrical shape with a handle for delivery.
Each curling match consists of 10 ends (comparable to innings in other sports), during which players alternate in delivering a total of 8 stones.
The objective for the teams is to get their stones closest to the centre of the target, called the "button," while also attempting to knock out their opponent's stones from the scoring area. The team whose stone is closest to the centre after an end wins that end. They score one point for every stone closer to the centre than the opponent's best stone.
When a stone is delivered, it's thrown by one team member while three others move ahead of the stone's path, sweeping the ice with specialised brooms. This action, known as "sweeping," has a crucial role: it affects the stone's trajectory and distance by reducing friction between the stone and the ice.
The total points accumulated over the 10 ends determine the team's overall winner. If there's a tie at the end of these, an additional or "extra end" is played to decide the winner.
A team's most pivotal member is the "skip" or captain. The skip determines the direction for stone deliveries, devises tactical plays, and often delivers the final and potentially game-deciding two stones of each end.
For those interested in the competitive curling landscape and potential betting opportunities:
Every year, numerous curling competitions take place worldwide. The significant tournaments that draw the attention of bookmakers and bettors alike involve both men's and women's teams. Here are the most significant events:
Winter Olympic Games: Features 10 of the strongest national teams. Following the group stage, the top 4 teams advance to the playoffs to compete for medals.
World Championships: Held annually with 12-14 top national teams. The 6 strongest teams from the group stage advance to the playoffs. Teams finishing the group stage in 1st and 2nd place directly enter the semifinals, while teams ranked 3rd to 6th compete in the quarterfinals.
European Championships: An annual event featuring the top 10 European national teams. Based on the group stage results, the 4 best teams move on to the playoffs.
Canadian Championships: Consisting of 16 club teams, split into two groups of 8. The top 8 teams from the initial group stage advance to the second group stage, where the final four participants are decided.
Historically, the strongest national curling teams often include Canada, Sweden, Scotland, the USA, Switzerland, Russia, Norway, and Italy. Betting on these events, especially knowing the prowess of these dominant teams, can be an intriguing prospect for those invested in sports betting.
For those who are keen on sports betting in curling during major tournaments:
Many sportsbooks offer betting options on curling, especially during big tournaments. Here's a basic rundown of the types of bets typically offered:
For bigger tournaments, long-term or outright bets can also be found. These might include wagers on the competition's overall winner or bets on which teams will reach the finals.
When betting on curling, as with all sports, it's essential to do thorough research, understand team dynamics, and consider factors like historical performance and current form.
Among experienced curling betting enthusiasts, several practical strategies are widespread.
In women's curling, upsets happen more frequently, especially in the early stages of tournaments.
After the competitions start, bookmakers only sometimes accurately assess the balance of power. They may give inflated odds for underdogs, partly due to line shifts favouring the favourite.
According to the strategy, players study the movement of the bookmaker's line and bet on the undervalued underdog with elevated odds.
It's essential to place bets on promising underdogs, not to bet on teams with odds of 5.00–6.00 and higher.
Sensational outcomes in men's curling are rare – favourites win most matches.
According to the "Ladder" strategy, players bet on the favourite's victory with odds of 1.30–1.40. After each win, they need to place a bet of the total amount on a similar outcome.
They continue the game until they reach a set goal, for example, to win 1000 rubles with an initial bet of 100 rubles. It's important to set achievable goals, which require no more than 4–6 bets.
If bookmakers give odds for a strong team's win below 1.30–1.40, one can choose bets on victory considering a negative handicap.
In most curling tournaments, 3-4 clear favourites participate, one of whom is highly likely to win the competition.
According to the "Fan" strategy, players place long-term bets on the victory of the clear favourites with odds ranging from 2.00–2.50.
It is necessary to calculate the amount of each bet in such a way as to get an equal profit if any of the chosen teams win.
Experienced players place bets on each outcome in different offices to find the most favourable odds.
The "Fan" strategy is profitable but risky. All bets are lost if none of the chosen favourites wins the tournament.
Weak teams often offer minimal resistance in matches with clear favourites and underdogs. In uneven confrontations, teams often score 10-11 points at most, making bets on the total under 11.5 or 10.5 promisings.
In matches involving a well-played underdog and a favourite that has recently changed its lineup, one can place live bets on the trailing team's end victory. It is essential to assess the course of events in the first and second ends and bet on the underdog's win in the next inning.
The optimal coefficient for the game is 2.50. In case of a loss, the fan continues to place bets on the underdog using the 'Doubling up' system, increasing the amount of each subsequent bet to recover losses and make a profit.
Curling is a complex sport to analyse – the cunning and tactics of team captains significantly influence the match outcome.
The key in pre-match preparation is to analyse the form and statistics of the captains correctly:
It's important to consider team cohesion, dynamics of opponents' performances, indicators of coaches, and relationships within the teams.
Men's tournaments are more predictable than women's and mixed competitions.
You can find information for pre-match analysis on the World Curling Federation website – Worldcurling.org.
The pre-match analysis is the key to placing winning bets on curling.
Curling heavily depends on the strategies and tactics of team captains. Analysing a team's performance requires considering the form and statistics of the captains, including their recent performances, experience, achievements, physical and psychological conditions, playing style, and cohesion with current teammates.
Evaluating the captain's form and statistics is essential, looking at team cohesion, analysing opponents' performance dynamics, considering the coaches' indicators, and understanding relationships within teams. Using resources like Worldcurling.org can be beneficial for pre-match analysis.
Men's tournaments are more predictable than women's and mixed competitions. This is reflected in the betting strategies where one might avoid betting on favourites in women's competitions due to frequent surprises.
In games with a clear favourite and an underdog, weak teams often score below 10-11 points. Therefore, bets on totals less than 11.5 or 10.5 can be promising.
Comparing odds across different bookmakers can yield discrepancies, sometimes between 0.10–0.30, allowing for potentially better payouts on selected outcomes.
The main benefits include its availability in many Russian bookmakers, the potential to find favourable odds, and the high predictability of results in men's competitions.
The main challenges include several tournaments throughout the year and the need for a detailed and complex pre-match analysis.
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