Kris Johnson iGaming Journalist
Kris Johnson is a Charlotte-based deputy editor. He joined CasinoBeats in July 2025 and oversees the daily news flow of editing and publishing. Kris also reports on all aspects of the gambling industry with a...
Read Full BioTeam USA begins its quest for a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics with an opening matchup against Latvia. Puck drop is set for Thursday at 3:10 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock.
The US team (+200) appears to be on a collision course with Canada (-105), with the two teams at the top of the men’s hockey futures board at FanDuel.
Latvia shouldn’t pose much of a problem in the opener. Latvia finished 10th (of 16 teams) at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, and Team USA won the event.
USA vs. Latvia Odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Check out USA vs. Latvia odds at FanDuel:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
| USA | -1.5 (-650) | -2800 | Over 6.5 (-114) |
| Latvia | +1.5 (+440) | +1160 | Under 6.5 (-106) |
Team USA is a prohibitive favorite at -2800 on the moneyline. You’d need to be $2,800 to win $100 at those odds. The spread odds, also known as the puckline, are equally unattractive at -650. Let’s focus on the total at more reasonable odds and pricing.
Best Bet USA vs. Latvia: OVER 6.5 Goals (-114)
The US is loaded with NHL stars, including Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, and Quinn Hughes. And yes, those last two are brother tandems, which provide an interesting storyline in Italy.
Latvia’s roster includes six NHL players: Teddy Blueger, Zemgus Girgensons, Sandis Vilmanis, Uvis Balinskis, and goaltenders Artis Urbe-Merzlikins and Arturs Silovs.
The US side has the offensive firepower to put this game OVER even if Latvia fails to score. That said, the Latvians have found ways to score and compete against Team USA in recent years. The most memorable performance came in the 2023 World Hockey Championship when Latvia beat the US, 4-3, in overtime to capture the bronze medal.
Still, with NHL players competing in the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, Team USA is stacked with 23 pro players in its bid to win gold for the first time since 1980. We’re not expecting this game to be particularly close, and the OVER should be well within reach.
Best Alternate Spread Bet for USA vs. Latvia
USA -3.5 (-154 at bet365)
Alternate spreads aren’t available for this game at DraftKings and FanDuel, but bet365 offers an acceptable price for the Americans to win by at least four goals.
This can be bet up to -160, and at odds of -154, you’ve got a 40.82% implied probability of winning. A $154 bet will return $100 in profit and your stake back for a total payout of $254 if it hits.
