BIATHLON — CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND SHOOTING

Biathlon is an extraordinary winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. The sport is rooted in Scandinavian skiing traditions dating back to the 18th century, when a combination of skiing and shooting was used as a training exercise for the Norwegian military. The modern biathlon is a variant of the old military exercise; contestants ski through a cross-country trail with designated shooting rounds along the course. The shooting rounds are not always timed, but the sport is considered a race. Biathlon first appeared in the Winter Olympic Games in 1924 as military patrol, and was reintroduced to the Winter Olympics as biathlon in 1960. Punters interested in biathlon betting will find comprehensive betting markets with competitive odds at the LV BET Sportsbook — your one-stop destination for sports betting.

HOW TO BET ON BIATHLON

To bet on biathlon, you’ll need to be familiar with the basics! In biathlon, competitors cover distances of 7.5 to 20km (4.35 to 12.43mi), completing between two and four shooting rounds, standing or prone. The biathlete must hit five targets with a small-bore rifle at a distance of 50m (164ft) or receive a penalty for missed targets, which varies depending on the competition. The athlete with the shortest total time wins the competition.

There are multiple competition formats with different rules and distances. The official biathlon formats are individual, sprint, super sprint, pursuit, mass start, mass start 60, relay, mixed relay and single mixed relay. Team events also exist but have been obsolete at the World Cup level since 2004.

The sport is governed by the International Biathlon Union (IBU), which organises and oversees several major biathlon competitions. If you’re interested in biathlon betting, look into the IBU Cup, World Championships, BMW World Cup Biathlon and the Open European Championships. The IBU also hosts several youth and junior tournaments, like the IBU Junior Cup and the Youth/Junior World Championships. And don’t forget the quadrennial Winter Olympic Games!

BET ON BIATHLON WITH LV BET

Biathlon is one of the most popular winter sports, with a strong following in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France and Russia. At LV BET, you will find a range of betting markets on the biggest and most anticipated biathlon competitions of the year, including the IBU World Championships and the Winter Olympic Games.

At the LV BET Sportsbook, you’ll also find unbeatable odds on other sports and competitions, including esports like CS:GO and LoL, as well as entertainment events like Eurovision and the Oscars. Have a look and enjoy an unforgettable sports betting experience!

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Biathlon

Biathlon Betting

Cross-country skiing and rifle shooting are among the most daring sports ever — combine the two, and you get biathlon. Watch skiers race down gnarly slopes and hit targets as they go; there’s no time to admire the view with this sport! And, while you’re at it, why not pair this awesome sport with an equally epic Sportsbook experience?

At LV BET, we’ll give you everything you need to begin your biathlon online betting adventure. Whether you need help strapping in your ski boots or setting up targets, we’ll be there every step of the way — no cold shoulders at our Sportsbook! Whiz past unbeatable biathlon odds and comprehensive betting markets, and enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate to match our equally scorching promotions and tournaments.

If you want to leave your competition in the dust, our Sportsbook is the best place to start.

Biathlon Origins

To help you get a better idea of what biathlon betting is about, let’s take a quick look at how the sport came to be.

The first biathlon race was recorded in 1767. But, the combination of skiing and shooting was actually a traditional hunting tactic that dates back thousands of years, so you could say that the sport has been around for a while. With that said, biathlon competitions only picked up in the early 20th century.

Although nowadays, biathlon is a huge Olympic event, it was only contested because of how much traction it gained within military units, especially in Scandinavia. The sport made its first Olympic appearance in the 1924 Winter Olympic Games at Chamonix, France, but its inclusion did not last long. Post-war sentiments caused the sport to be dropped from the Olympic programme after 1948.

About 10 years later, Swedish members of the Union Internationale Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) advocated for the introduction of individual biathlon as an official Olympic sport. After several attempts to incorporate the sport into a winter pentathlon, biathlon was eventually reintroduced to the 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley, USA, in its current form.

The first men’s World Championships were held in Saalfelden, Austria, in 1958. The sport saw a few changes to the rules over time as the calibre of rifles were amended, reducing their cost, size and power for safety reasons. And, with the introduction of small-bore rifles, biathlon became increasingly popular among women and girls.

By 1978, Canada took a chilling step into the biathlon brigade and organised championships for both men and women by 1980. The women’s European Cup was established in 1982, and the first women’s World Championships were held in 1984.

While biathlon dominated the winter sports world, it wasn’t long before online casinos caught wind of the biathlon craze. Cross-country skiing and rifle shooting are already very interesting sports to bet on, but combine the two, and you have a sports betting experience that is out of this world.

Biathlon Betting Events

Before you’re ready to cruise through the trees, you first need to get a good understanding of the biathlon events you can bet on. Becoming a sharpshooter isn’t as easy as you think! But that’s what we’re here for.

Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics is probably the biggest event of the year. Biathlon made its official Olympic debut in the ‘60s after being dropped in 1948. This event was an individual men’s 20km race; women’s races weren’t organised until 1922. The women’s event was a 3×7.5km relay (4×7.5km during 1994-2002, and 4x6km in 2006), and included a 7.5km sprint. In 2002, a pursuit race (12.5km for men and 10km for women) was included in the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Biathlon World Championships

The first World Championships were held in 1958. Back then, this tournament was an all men’s competition, featuring both individual and team events. An all women’s event was introduced in 1984, and the competition hosted a joint event for men and women during the 1989 World Championships.

Biathlon World Cup

While on the topic of high-calibre biathlon events, the Biathlon World Cup deserves an honourable mention. This competition takes place all season long in November and ends in March, excluding holidays and the season’s major championships (World Championships and Winter Olympics). Throughout the season, there are about nine to 10 meetings with relay competitions held four to six times per season.

IBU Cup

The IBU Cup is the second-ranked tournament after the Biathlon World Cup, and was known as the European Cup until the 2007-2008 season. The season lasts from November/December to March, as in the World Cup, with events held in different venues almost every week. This competition has been held since 1982 for both men and women.

Biathlon Bets

Are you ready to upgrade from snowploughs to parallel turns? Great! Let’s get into your betting options. Different sportsbooks may offer different biathlon betting markets and odds, but we’ll cover some of the most common wagers you’ll find, so you won’t freeze up when you get down to it. Some bets are more difficult than others and a lot riskier, but if you have a solid grip on how they work, then you’re already a step ahead of the curve!

First up, we have outright betting on the winner. This wager is probably the most common bet you’ll encounter, being a highly popular choice for both beginner racers and expert skiers. As its name suggests, all it requires is predicting the winner of a race — not much knowledge required and perfect for kicking things off.

If you want to dial it up a few notches without going straight to tournament betting, then you might want to check out betting on the top three. Again, it is a pretty common bet and a safer option than over/under bets for example, yet still provides a great level of entertainment. Some say this wager is even easier than betting on the winner, as it allows you to predict a top athlete without having to actually pinpoint the champion. Some sportsbooks may offer variations of this bet, including ‘top countries’ or ‘top six biathletes’.

On that note, head-to-head betting on which athlete finishes with a higher point tally is one of the most popular selections in biathlon betting. Bookmakers may offer up to 30 comparisons in World Championship races!

Betting on mistakes is where things really get interesting. It is not too common in sportsbooks, but it is worth giving it a gander if you cross paths with this type of wager. Betting on mistakes is reserved for punters looking to level up their betting, so if you’re not ready to take the plunge, it would be best to stick to the beginner runs.

If you’d rather keep to more widely known betting options, handicaps, parlay bets and proposition bets will probably make a few appearances. But, only go for these wagers once you’ve gathered enough market knowledge to make good, informed betting decisions. If you want to explore new areas of betting, bookmakers may also offer individual total misses wagers, double total misses and other unconventional choices.

Biathlon Betting At LV BET

Whether you’re taking the trail through the backcountry or are picking up speed on the slopes, LV BET is the place to be. You won’t need to waste time hunting down the perfect sportsbook experience, as we’ll bring the action straight to your door.

From outstanding biathlon events to comprehensive markets and unbeatable biathlon odds — it’s the perfect snowball effect. What’s better is that we’ll be cruising alongside you and give you all the best biathlon betting tips and tricks. But wait, there’s more!

Our Sportsbook is a hotspot when it comes to all things sports. While you wait for your favourite biathlon races to kick off, browse through the other sports events. We’ve got ice hockey, alpine skiing, ski jumping, or if you’d rather catch some rays, enjoy beach volleyball, baseball or rugby. You can even spawn into totally new realities in esports tournaments! High-profile events of games like CS: GO, League of Legends and Dota 2 are but a few things we’ve got brewing.

While it all seems like a lot to handle, the best part about betting at LV BET is that you won’t have to break a sweat trying to stay up to date with everything — our Sportsbook mobile app will do that for you. Stay in tune with all your favourite sports while benefiting from prematch betting and Live Match Tracking. You might also encounter Sportsbook bonuses like the Acca Boost, Safe Bet offer, Operation Esports or the Enhanced Odds bonus. Until then, we’ll keep your seat nice and toasty while you enjoy the best of what biathlon betting has to offer.