If you don’t have cable, you can still catch the biggest moments of the Winter Olympic Games for free. Finding an outlet that covers the 2022 Winter Olympics from Beijing, China is easier than last year’s Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
By Kathy Evans
- Where Can You Watch the Olympics for Free?
This year, NBC owns broadcasting rights to the Olympics, and you can view many of the major events on regular television using an antenna. NBC also owns the Peacock streaming service. You can watch your favorite Olympic games for free on the Peacock app without having cable.
Not having cable TV shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying the Winter Olympic events. All you need is a device, an internet connection and access to a streaming service. Check out the following five streaming apps and find out how to stream the Olympics for free.
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Where Can You Watch the Olympics for Free?
If you’ve cut the cable cord, here are five options for you to stream the Winter Olympics for free. Peacock even offers certain live events and rebroadcasts for free. Limited-time free trials are included with most streaming subscription services.
If you don’t intend to pay for a subscription, be sure to cancel before the trial period ends to avoid being charged. A limited-time free trial is a clever way to see the Olympic games you want for free, especially if your favorite Olympian is eliminated before the final day of the games.
Don’t worry, these services will usually send you an email before your free trial is over.
Best Streaming Apps To Watch the Olympics At a Glance
Here are some apps where you can stream the Winter Olympics for free, including the length of the free trial and the cost of a monthly subscription, should you decide to continue the service.
Apple TV
Starting at just $4.99 per month, with your Apple TV subscription, you can stream all Olympic events live and on-demand. If you also have cable, you can download the NBC Sports App on your Apple TV device, log in to the app with your cable subscription credentials and unlock the Winter Olympic events for free.
FubuTV
Are you a fan of ice skating and ice hockey? You can indulge in watching these Olympic events and more on FubuTV’s streaming service. Just turn on your TV or another device and download the free NBCUniversal app to see your favorite athletes competing on the ice. For just $64.99 a month, you can watch the Olympics and other live sports events on FubuTV for about half the cost of similar cable TV packages.
Hulu Plus Live TV
Hulu Plus Live TV offers live and on-demand video streaming of the Winter Olympics on the NBCUniversal app. If you don’t have time to watch an event live, Hulu lets you record your favorite Olympic events to the Cloud DVR storage included with your subscription. Then you can watch the event when you’re ready.
Some Hulu Plus Live TV programming is subject to device restrictions, blackouts and regional availability. Be sure to check Hulu’s terms before signing up for a paid subscription.
Peacock TV
You won’t be able to watch live Olympic events on Peacock’s free-only plan, but for only $4.99 a month, you can subscribe to Peacock Premium and unlock all of their content, including the Olympics. The Premium plan has ads, but you can upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus to view live programming without ads. Peacock Premium Plus costs $9.99 per month.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is not only streaming the Olympics live but also in 4K. The streaming service offers more than 85 channels for about $65 a month and is available across the U.S. Currently, there is a limited-time offer for new users to start a subscription for $54.99 a month for the first three months.
With YouTube TV, you can watch the Olympic Games without an annual contract and there are no hidden fees. Compared to other streaming services that offer seven-day free trials, YouTube TV’s free trial lasts for a whole 14 days.
You don’t need cable or to pay for a streaming subscription to know how to watch the Olympics for free. You can still enjoy the best highlights and compelling performances of the Winter Olympics. Tap into one of the free streaming services soon because the games end on February 20th.
Good To Know
You can watch the Olympics for free even without a subscription to a streaming service or cable. You can catch up on the Olympic Games watching regular YouTube and on other social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and Twitter.
Go to the NBC Sports page on these apps to watch highlights and clips, sometimes immediately after the events air live on TV.
Information is accurate as of Feb. 15, 2022.
- The Washington Post. 2022.
- “How to Watch the Winter Olympics Online on a Budget.”
