USA vs. Latvia prediction, odds, time: 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey picks for Thursday, Feb. 12

The United States men’s hockey team will take the ice for the first time at the 2026 Winter Olympics when they take on Latvia on Thursday. This Group C match will pit the Americans, ranked first in the world, against the Latvians, ranked 10th. Team USA won gold at the 2025 World Championships and finished fifth at the last Olympics, as they seek their 12th Olympic medal. Latvia placed 10th at last year’s World Championships and finished 11th at the 2022 Winter Olympics, as the Latvians aim for their first Olympic medal.

The opening puck drop is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET from the Unipol Dome in Milan, Italy. The United States is the -2,100 favorite (risk $2,100 to win $100) on the money line in the latest United States vs. Latvia odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, with Latvia at +1,100. The over/under on total goals scored is 6.5. Before making any USA vs. Latvia picks, check out the 2026 Winter Olympics predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Mike Severance.

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Severance is a well-connected writer and high-volume handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. After joining SportsLine, Matt quickly established himself as a leading expert in several sports. He is the best pundit in the NHL according to SportsLine, going 28-12 (+1526) over his last 40 picks in the NHL Money Line. Anyone tracking their picks on sportsbooks and betting apps could have seen solid returns.

Now, Severance has set his sights on the United States vs. Latvia in men’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics. You can head over to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the latest Winter Olympics odds and hockey betting trends for Latvia vs. USA:

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Latvia vs. USA Men’s Hockey Preview

Both teams are in the top 10 in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) world rankings, with the United States ranked first and Latvia ranked 10th. Thanks to their ranking, the United States automatically qualified for the 2026 Games, while Latvia won all three of its matches in the final qualifying tournament to earn its bid.

There are currently six NHL players on the Latvian team, with the country’s best tournament finish being a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships. Latvia’s best finish in its previous six Olympics is eighth place (2014), and it lost all four of its games at the 2022 Winter Olympics. As for the Americans, their entire team is made up of NHL players, while the United States is aiming for similar success to the gold medal they won at last year’s World Championships. The U.S. team has won two Olympic gold medals (1960, 1980), but has not won a medal since winning silver at the 2010 Games.

These nations have faced each other 13 times before, either at the Olympics or the World Championships. The United States owns a 10-2-1 lead, with just one tie in its only previous Olympic match in 2006. The Americans won 6-3 when they last met in 2024, while Latvia’s only victory in the head-to-head series came at the 2014 World Championships. See Severance’s picks at SportsLine.

How to choose between the United States and Latvia

Severance has analyzed the USA-Latvia matchup and published its best bets, including puck line and over/under hockey predictions. You can only see them on SportsLine.

So who wins the United States against Latvia, and which team has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which team in the United States vs. Latvia game to support, all from the expert who crushed his past hockey picks, and find out.