Tis the season to be betting on curling, and we have some under-the-radar betting advice for you. The Mixed Doubles National Championship is right around the corner, and not only do most bettors not know what it is, they have no idea how to bet it. Allow us to give you some expert betting picks on the 2024 Mixed Doubles National Championship right here!
- What: 2024 Mixed Doubles Curling National Championship
- When: February 27 to March 3
- Where: Traverse City Curling Club in Garfield Township, Michigan
2024 Mixed Doubles Curling National Championship Preview
We’re on the cusp of the 2024 World Curling Championships, and naturally, that’s hogging up a lot of the attention. This betting article is not about those events, it’s about the USA’s Mixed Doubles National Championship happening at the end of February. We’ll talk about our picks soon, but first, let’s preview the Mixed Doubles National Championship as a whole.
This is a Team USA-specific event. It’s not international so don’t expect to see Team Canada, Team Sweden, or any of those international contenders. However, the results of this event do have worldwide implications. See, the winner(s) will represent Team USA at the 2024 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships in Sweden AND earn highly coveted spots in the 2025 Olympic Team Trials. It’s a double-whammy so we expect a heated competition.
As for how the event is played out, it will be a 16-team field. The field will be divided into two pools — eight teams on each side. Of course, each pool will go at it in a round-robin-style group stage where every team plays one another at least once.
The top-three performing teams in each pool advance to the playoffs. A bye into the semi-finals round is reserved for the top finisher of each pool, but the other four seeds start a single-elimination tournament from there. This continues until a gold medal winner is decided in the finale. Of course, silver and bronze are also rewarded. Those who medal in the top-three earn berths in the 2025 Mixed Doubles Olympic Team Trials.
The mixed doubles event has seen in explosion in popularity since appearing in the 2018 Olympics for the first time. Unlike regular curling, this is a two-person game — not four. Obviously, it involves one male player and one female. Because of fewer players on the ice, this style of curling is way more faster-paced. Players also have to “do it all” on the ice so this event rewards more well-rounded competitors.
This marks the first-ever time the Traverse City Curling Club has hosted a national championship. Michigan is a common spot for Team USA-based events, but it’s mostly been for clubs in Kalamazoo, Detroit, and Midland. The Traverse City Curling Club opened its doors only a year ago so the facilities are top-notch.
Who To Bet To Win 2024 Mixed Doubles National Championship
Naturally, we’d love to lay out the current betting odds of Mixed Doubles National Championship. However, they’re not available at the best betting sites for curling — not yet, at least. We do expect that to change once the event gets more near. For now, we can only guess which doubles pairings will be favored to win, as seen below:
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Thiesse/Korey Dropkin | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Sarah Anderson/Andrew Stopera | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Becca Hamilton/Matt Hamilton | TBD | TBD | TBD |
When making a pick, it’s important to know how the 16 competing teams got to this point. Last year’s gold and silver medalists — more on them shortly — earned automatic bids. Another six spots came out of qualifying events (Colorado Cup, the Southern Mixed Doubles, and the MadTown DoubleDown). Four more teams got in based on their ranking on the World Curling Federation (WCF) Mixed Doubles Rankings, while the final four more gained entrance off the WCF World Team Rankings for four-person play.
Based on this, you have to think the 2023 gold and silver medalists have a leg up on the connection as they’ve “been there, done that.” The defending champions are Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin. Not only did they win the 2023 USA event, but the pair went on to take gold at the 2023 World Mixed Doubles Championship. It was the first time USA won the event, which began in 2008.
The road to a repeat title certainly won’t be easy though. Sarah Anderson and Andrew Stopera, who finished runner-up in 2023, are still in the mix. Elsewhere, Olympians Becca and Matt Hamilton are in the fold, as well as John Shuster (who has won more national championships than anyone in the United States) and Aileen Geving. On the surface, the field in 2024 feels more loaded than 2023.
Still, if we can make only one bet, then it almost has to be Thiesse and Dropkin. Until they’re defeated, it’s tough to argue against the reigning champions. We most recently saw them at the 2024 Rocky Mountain Mixed Doubles Classic in Banff, Alberta, and here again, they came out on top. We’re laying a sizable bet on the Thiesse-Dropkin duo cause they’re practically unstoppable at this point.
How To Bet On 2024 Mixed Doubles Curling National Championship
Get every type of bet related to this event at one of the bookmakers listed below. A niche sport like curling isn’t always bet-able at every bookie, but we can assure you these sites do support it. In fact, it’s this betting menu variety that they rated highest in our latest sportsbook reviews. Any one of has you covered for Mixed Doubles Curling National Championship betting once the event is closer.
Online Sports Betting © 2024