Curling Betting Guide: Placing Bets with Precision and Strategy

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:

• Match Outcome (Moneyline): This is a straightforward bet on which team will win the match. Depending on the bookmaker, this can be presented as Team 1 Win (P1), Draw (Х), or Team 2 Win (P2).
• Handicap (Point Spread): This bet involves giving one team a point advantage (or disadvantage). So, if you bet on a team with a -2 handicap, that team needs to win by more than two points for the bet to be successful.
• Totals (Over/Under): This bet is on the total number of points scored in the game by both combined or by one individual team. Bettors can wager on whether the score will be over or under a specified number.
• First End Result: Some bookmakers allow bets specifically on the outcome and total score of the first end.

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.

Betting on Underdogs in Women's Tournaments

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.

"Ladder" Strategy on Favorites in Men's Tournaments

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.

"Fan" Strategy on Tournament Winner

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.

Strategy on Under Total

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.

Doubling Up with an Outsider Strategy

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:

• results of the latest and recent performances;
• experience and achievements;
• physical and psychological condition;
• playing style and synergy with current teammates.

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.

• Analyse with particular attention to the form and results of skips, team cohesion, and synergy;
• Compare odds for the chosen outcome across multiple bookmakers – the difference in specific markets can reach 0.10–0.30 values;
• Watch video broadcasts of past matches to more accurately determine the form and playing style of opponents;
• Avoid betting on favourites in women's competitions due to the high frequency of upsets.
• In men's tournaments, it's better to prefer strong teams due to the greater predictability of results.

Advantages

• Possibility to find favourable odds.
• High predictability of results in men's competitions.

Disadvantages

• A small number of tournaments throughout the year.
• Complex pre-match analysis.