The Winter and Summer Olympics are each held every four years , but they are staggered so that there is an Olympic Games (of some kind) every two years.

Quick Scoop: Basic Timing

  • Winter Olympics: every four years.
  • Summer Olympics: every four years.
  • Staggered schedule: Winter and Summer Games are usually two years apart, so you see “the Olympics” roughly every two years.

Example: Summer Games in 2024, Winter Games in 2026, Summer in 2028, Winter in 2030.

How It Got This Way

Originally, Winter and Summer Olympics were held in the same year, on a four‑year cycle. In 1986, the International Olympic Committee decided to separate them so they would alternate in even‑numbered years to spread attention and logistics.

Since 1994, this created the current pattern: Summer, then two years later Winter, then two years later Summer again, and so on.

Recent and Upcoming Games

  • Last Winter Olympics: Beijing 2022.
  • Next Winter Olympics: Milan–Cortina, Italy, February 6–22, 2026.
  • Winter Games after that: planned for 2030 in the French Alps and 2034 in Salt Lake City, USA.

This keeps the four‑year rhythm for each type of Games while giving fans a major Olympic event roughly every two years.

TL;DR:

  • Winter Olympics: every 4 years.
  • Summer Olympics: every 4 years.
  • They alternate, so some form of Olympics happens about every 2 years.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.