Curling at the Olympics: How does scoring work, and how heavy are the stones?

WASHINGTON — The Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Olympics isn’t until Friday, but the competition in Italy officially begins Wednesday with mixed-doubles curling.  

Every four years, the sport of curling draws curious viewers who may wonder why sliding stones across ice is included among Olympic events. But curling has a long history as an established sport. Here are a few fast facts about the centuries-old winter game. 

According to the Olympics, curling dates back to the 16th century, making it one of the oldest team sports in the world. 

Originating in Scotland, the game evolved from a fun, recreational pastime that involved sliding stones across frozen ponds, into a regulated, internationally governed sport with standardized rules, equipment and elite competition after gaining popularity in the 18th century. 

It became an Olympic sport at the very first Olympic Winter Games in 1924.

Curling is played on a long sheet of ice with a target called the “house” at each end. Two teams take turns sliding heavy stones made of granite toward the center of the house, known as the button. Players can sweep the ice in front of a moving stone to control its speed and direction. 

Each end functions like an inning, with teams scoring points based on which stones finish closest to the button. If neither team’s stone touches either house at the end of a round, neither team receives any points. That’s called a “blank end.” 

Traditional men’s and women’s curling games are played over 10 ends, though some competitions use eight. Mixed-doubles matches are typically eight ends. If the score is tied after regulation, extra ends are played until one team wins.

As a result, strategy plays a major role in the game, as teams must decide when to guard, draw or remove stones. 

A regulation Olympic curling stone weighs about 44 pounds. 

Each stone is made from a rare, dense granite quarried from Ailsa Craig, a small island off the coast of Scotland. It’s apparently the only place in the world where granite with the right properties for curling stones is found.

Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse will represent the U.S. in mixed doubles curling and have their first games on Thursday, Feb. 5.