The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina captivated the world with breathtaking athleticism, where figure skating emerged as a highlight of grace under pressure. Hosted in the stunning Milano Ice Skating Arena, the events unfolded from February 6 to 22, drawing millions of viewers to witness spins, jumps and emotional narratives on ice. Amid the fierce competitions, several unexpected outcomes led to extraordinary financial windfalls for savvy bettors who trusted their instincts on underdogs and dramatic turnarounds.
Figure skating at these Games featured intense rivalries across disciplines, with athletes pushing technical boundaries like quadruple jumps and intricate footwork. One notable instance involved a bettor who, after analyzing pre-event odds, placed a wager on an emerging talent from Kazakhstan in the men's singles, turning a modest stake into a life-changing sum at Spinpin the uproar of the final scores.
The Underdogs Leap to Gold: Mikhail Shaidorov's Historic Men's Singles Victory
In the men's singles event, held on February 10 for the short program and February 13 for the free skating, Mikhail Shaidorov from Kazakhstan stunned the arena with a total score of 291.58. Starting in fifth after the short program with 92.94 points, he unleashed a flawless free skate scoring 198.64, featuring elements like a triple Axel combined with a quad Salchow and multiple quads that earned him top technical marks. Shaidorov, coached by Alexei Urmanov and Ivan Righini, performed in Confessa and The Diva Dance, showcasing artistic depth that resonated with judges.
His win marked Kazakhstan's first Olympic gold in figure skating, edging out Japan's Yuma Kagiyama at 280.06 and Shun Sato at 274.90. Kagiyama led early with a strong short program of 103.07 but faltered slightly in the free, while Sato climbed from ninth with a solid 186.20 free skate. One remarkable betting win came from a European enthusiast who bet $500 at 25-to-1 odds on Shaidorov's podium finish, pocketing $12,500 when the underdog claimed gold, defying expectations dominated by Japanese favorites.
American Resurgence: Alysa Liu's Women's Singles Triumph
The women's singles competition, spanning February 17 for the short program and February 19 for the free skating, saw Alysa Liu of the United States secure gold with 226.79 points, ending a 20-year drought for American women in individual Olympic medals. Liu placed third in the short with 76.59, then dominated the free at 150.20, executing triples like Flip plus Toeloop and Lutz combinations under coaches Phillip Diguglielmo and Massimo Scali to MacArthur Park Suite. Her technical prowess shone in elements scoring 77.74, complemented by high program components.
Japan's Kaori Sakamoto took silver at 224.90, leading after a short of 77.23 but settling behind in the free, while teammate Ami Nakai earned bronze at 219.16 despite a strong short lead of 78.71. A standout win involved a North American bettor who risked $1,000 at 3-to-1 odds on Liu's overall victory, reaping $3,000 as she overcame Japanese dominance in a nail-biting finale that highlighted her comeback story.
Pairs Perfection: Miura and Kihara's Dominant Win
On February 15 and 16, the pairs event delivered thrills with Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan clinching gold at 231.24 points. They recovered from fifth in the short at 73.11 to top the free with 158.13, displaying seamless lifts and throws that earned superior program components. Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava grabbed silver at 221.75, leading early with 75.46 but unable to hold off the Japanese surge.
Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin rounded out the podium at 219.09, strong in both segments. A massive payout occurred when an Asian bettor staked $2,000 at 4-to-1 odds on Miura and Kihara's gold, collecting $8,000 as their precision and chemistry outshone veterans like Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who finished 11th.
Team Event Upset: United States Collective Glory
The team event, kicking off the figure skating on February 6 to 8, saw the United States claim gold with 69 points, featuring stars like Ilia Malinin in mens, Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn in women's, Ellie Kam and Danny OShea in pairs, and Madison Chock with Evan Bates in ice dance. Japan secured silver at 68, led by Yuma Kagiyama, Kaori Sakamoto, Riku Miura with Ryuichi Kihara, and Utana Yoshida alongside Masaya Morita. Italy earned bronze at 60, bolstered by Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri in dance. This collective effort emphasized strategic selections and consistent performances across segments. One epic win featured a bettor who placed $10,000 at 8-to-1 odds on the US team gold, walking away with $80,000 after their cohesive display overturned predictions favoring Japan.