2022 Beijing Winter Games odds: Best bets and picks for alpine skiing, men's hockey and more from Olympics expert

American star's Mikaela Shiffrin missed out on another medal in alpine skiing when she crashed out of the giant slalom on Sunday night. But the three-time Olympic medalist's 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will go on, and she will get back on the slopes late Tuesday for the women's slalom. The gold-medal runs are set to begin Wednesday at at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning bring notable events like freestyle skiing's big air event finals (Tuesday, 10:45 p.m. ET) and men's 1,500-meter speed skating finals (Wednesday, 8:20 a.m. ET).

Shiffrin is the +125 second favorite in the women's slalom at Caesars Sportsbook, which has this as a two-athlete race in its latest 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics odds. Petra Vlhova of Slovakia is the -110 favorite, with Switzerland's Wendy Holdener (+1000) the next-best option behind Shiffrin.  

Before you lock in any of your Beijing Olympics 2022 picks or predictions, you need to see what SportsLine's Olympics expert, Mike Tierney, has to say. (Head over to SportsLine's 2022 Olympics page for more analysis and updates.)

A national sportswriter whose work appears in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Tierney has covered nine Olympic Games in person. For Rio in 2016, Tierney profited big-time. He told readers to bet Over on Team USA's gold medal count (41.5) and Over on Team USA's overall medal count (102.5). The result? 46 golds, 121 medals and two easy cashes.

For the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Tierney hit two of his three predictions: Germany (+200) to win the most gold medals and the United States winning Under 10.5 gold medals (+110). And at last year's Tokyo Games, he correctly predicted the United States would go Over 111.5 total medals (-110).

Now, Tierney has analyzed Tuesday's and Wednesday's action and identified three best bets. We can tell you he is picking Vlhova (-110), a specialist in the technical disciplines who is ranked No. 1 overall in the event, to win gold in women's slalom. Tierney expects Shriffin's tumble to have a lingering mental effect, and she "might need more time to regain confidence," he says.  

Tierney also has picks in men's ice hockey and the men's 1,500-meter speed skating skiing, with one that would pay off at almost 5-1! You ABSOLUTELY need to see what he has to say before locking in your picks. 

Who wins gold in women's slalom and 1,500-meter speed skating. Which hockey team could have a tougher time than expected, and which long shot has a real shot? Join SportsLine right now to find out who you should back, all from the expert who has crushed his Olympic picks!

Tierney's picks and analysis: 

Alpine Skiing, Women's Slalom (Wednesday, 12:45 a.m. ET) 
Petra Vlhova, Slovakia (-110)

Hate to go with the chalk, but what was projected as a duel between Vlhova and Mikaela Shiffrin (+125) of the United States shapes up more as a tap-in putt for the Slovak. Shiffrin must recover mentally from crashing out of contention in the opening run of the giant slalom. The customary pre-test runs were canceled because of the pandemic, and Shiffrin, a contender in five disciplines, might need more time to regain confidence. Vlhova is ranked No. 1. The next-closest challenger carries four-digit odds -- too high to seriously consider.
Odds: Caesars

Speed Skating, Men's 1,500 Meters (Wednesday, 8:20 a.m. ET)
Joey Mantia, USA (+475)
Why not the old-timer, 36, who made the successful transition from in-line skating? (Think rollerblading.) He nearly medaled in Korea four years ago. One co-favorite, Ning Zhongyank, is getting play as a representative of the host nation, but China is far from a speed skating power. Dutchman Tomas Krol is generally considered stronger in the shorter distances. Both are listed at +275.
Odds: Caesars

Men's Hockey (Wednesday, 3:40 a.m. ET) 
Switzerland puck line (+1.5 at +100)
No doubt the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) enters the tournament as the top choice, but this is a scary opener against the Swiss. The underdogs brought back most of their roster from last year's Worlds, where they finished sixth. It's largely the same bunch that earned silver at the Worlds in 2018. The Russians are adapting to a coaching change made less than a half-year ago. The elements could add up to a close call for the most talented team in the bracket.
Odds: FanDuel

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