Speed Skating and Cycling: Dutch Winter and Road Markets for Fans Abroad

How do Dutch fans abroad fill the year between football seasons? Many follow speed skating from November to March and road cycling from the spring classics to the autumn, two sports where the Netherlands has a long record of success.

Both sports offer betting markets, though far thinner than football. Race winners, podium finishes and head-to-head match-ups make up most of the menu, and coverage varies widely between sportsbooks.

Dutch law sets the rules for residents, so it comes first. The markets for fans outside the Netherlands follow.

Dutch Rules Come First

Online gambling in the Netherlands became legal in October 2021, when the Remote Gambling Act took effect. Licences come from the Kansspelautoriteit, or KSA, which also pursues operators that target Dutch players without one.

People living in the Netherlands should use a KSA-approved site, and CryptoDaily's look at the KSA licensing picture explains how the system works. Fans living outside the Netherlands follow the law of their country of residence.

Two Sports, Two Seasons

Speed skating and cycling fit neatly around each other. The table shows when each sport peaks and which events draw the most betting interest.

Last verified: October 2026

Cyclocross bridges the two, giving Dutch fans a winter cycling season alongside the skating circuit.

Speed Skating Markets

Speed skating markets usually cover race winners at each distance, podium finishes and head-to-head match-ups between skaters. Dutch skaters often start as favourites, which pushes value toward head-to-heads and outsiders at shorter distances.

Ice conditions, altitude and the draw for inner or outer lane affect times. Rinks at altitude, such as Salt Lake City and Calgary, produce quicker times than sea-level venues like Thialf in Heerenveen.

Distances Matter

Sprint distances of 500 and 1,000 metres reward explosive starts and produce frequent upsets. Longer races over 5,000 and 10,000 metres favour endurance specialists and tend to follow form more closely.

Road and Cross Markets

Stage and race winners anchor road cycling betting, along with, overall classification and head-to-head match-ups. One-day classics such as the Amstel Gold Race reward punchy riders, while Grand Tours bring jersey markets.

Cyclocross offers a smaller menu, mainly race winners and head-to-heads, with Dutch and Belgian riders dominating the field. Mud, weather and crashes make the sport hard to price.

Winter sports with crypto follow similar patterns, as CryptoDaily's guide to the biathlon World Cup shows for another discipline.

Books That Cover Both

Coverage for speed skating and cycling varies more than for almost any mainstream sport. Some books list every World Cup race, while others offer only the championships and Grand Tours.

CryptoDaily's comparison of multi-sport coverage across six sportsbooks helps bettors check breadth before opening an account.

Dexsport and Dutch Sports

Dexsport names cycling among the 29 sports in its terms, and its winter list includes biathlon with seven market types and ice hockey with 21. Dexsport's published rules leave speed skating out, so check the live menu before a World Cup weekend.

Football fans get 39 market types at Dexsport alongside that winter list. Dexapp LTD operates Dexsport under an Anjouan licence, outside the Dutch licensing system, so it fits only supporters abroad where local law allows it.

Conclusion

Speed skating and cycling give Dutch fans abroad a betting calendar stretching from the first World Cup skating weekend in November to the last classics of autumn. Race winners, podiums and head-to-heads make up most of the menu in both sports.

Distance, ice and altitude shape skating prices, while terrain, weather and crashes drive cycling. Coverage varies sharply between sportsbooks, and many list only championships and Grand Tours, so a look at the menu before a race weekend saves frustration.

Dutch residents should keep to KSA-approved sites. Supporters elsewhere should look up their local rules, bet only at legal age and remember that KYC or AML checks may apply.

Disclaimer: The information here is provided for general purposes only and is not legal, tax, investment, or financial advice. Dutch regulation, event calendars, market menus and licences change over time and vary by country. Residents of the Netherlands should use operators licensed by the KSA. Betting involves risk, and rules vary by country, so check the law where you live. Please bet responsibly, within your means, and only if you are of legal age.