2026 Olympic Luge Team Relay Prediction & Preview
Updated July 9, 2026
The men’s and women’s luge team relay at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics is one of the more interesting sliding events of these Games. Held at the Cortina Sliding Centre on February 12, this final luge competition caps off a week of speed on the icy Italian track, combining the times of four runs across women’s singles, men’s singles, women’s doubles, and men’s doubles. Germany enters this contest with a historic advantage that has made them the unquestioned benchmark in Olympic luge history. Will the Germans get it done, or will someone take them out? Before the sliding begins, continue reading for my Olympic luge team relay prediction.
Here are the major outright odds currently available for the mixed team relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics:
Germany’s dominance in luge is not a new story, but it remains central to any discussion about the team relay in Cortina. German lugers have historically owned the sport, winning 38 of 52 Olympic gold medals across luge disciplines dating back to its inclusion in 1964. That success includes every Olympic team relay contested since its inception in 2014, a streak they are favored to continue in 2026 based on both past results and recent World Cup performances. Their combination of elite women’s singles, men’s singles, and powerful doubles pairs gives them depth few nations can match.
Austria sits as one of Germany’s top competitors. Their strong World Cup campaign, where they finished close behind Germany in overall team relay standings, underscores the threat they are. Austria’s team has shown consistency across all relay legs, and they’ve posed the biggest challenge to German supremacy in recent international competition.
Italy is buoyed by home-track advantage and a passionate fan base. While Italy’s relay units have not dominated World Cups as consistently as Germany or Austria, their athletes, in singles events have posted competitive times and will be motivated to peak on their own ice.
Latvia and the USA add depth to the field. Latvia’s presence in the top tier of recent World Cup relay results, including podium finishes, signals their capability to disrupt the favorites. Meanwhile, the United States has pushed German and Austrian teams hard in World Cups and will not be dismissed lightly given their all-around team strength.
Germany – The Germans are favorites not just because of history, but because their athletes have shown elite form in this Olympic cycle. With multiple World Cup relay victories, including races in Winterberg and Oberhof, and top finishes at the 2025 FIL World Championships, Germany enters Cortina with the strongest statistical profile for victory.
Austria – Austria’s roster has the balance to challenge Germany. Their World Cup points and podium placements suggest that if Germany falters even slightly, Austria could pounce.
Italy – Track knowledge and home crowd energy could elevate Italy into medal contention, especially if weather or start order dynamics shift in their favor on race day.
Latvia – Latvia’s relay teams have demonstrated pace in international competition, capable of sneaking onto the podium if the top two slip up.
USA – Although longshots based on current odds, the Americans have shown moments of excellence that could see them finish in the top four or better, particularly if transitions and starts are flawless.
Pick: Germany ATS PRO
Confidence: 4 out of 5
Looking at recent team relay results on the World Cup circuit and the outcome of the 2025 World Championships, Germany’s dominance is clear as day. They have consistently finished first and second in nearly every major discipline leading into these Olympics, and their athletes have excelled across each component of the relay. Combined with their historic Olympic success in this event and the depth of talent across singles and doubles sleds, they are the team most likely to add to their already impressive medal tally and I'll take the Germans to grab gold.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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