PointsBet Invitational

PointsBet Invitational
Established2022
2025 host cityCalgary, Alberta
2025 arenaWinSport Event Centre
Purse$350,000 (2024)
Current champions (2025)
MenManitoba Matt Dunstone
WomenOntario Rachel Homan
Current edition

The PointsBet Invitational is an annual curling tournament put on by Curling Canada as one of its four "Season of Champions" events (along with the Scotties, the Brier and either the men's or women's World Curling Championships).[1]

From 2022 to 2024, the tournament was held as a single-elimination tournament, and featured the top ranked teams in the country, as well as the winners of certain national championships such as the Canadian Junior Curling Championships, the Canadian University Curling Championships, the Canadian College Curling Championships and the Canadian Curling Club Championships. The winning teams receive $50,000. [2]

The event began in 2022, and consists of 16 teams. It is broadcast on television on TSN[3] and is sponsored by PointsBet, an online gambling website. As a single-elimination tournament, it is meant to emulate the "March Madness" NCAA basketball tournament,[4] with round names being called the "Sweep 16", "Elite 8" and "Final Four".[5]

In 2025, the event transitioned to pool play, with a new format of 10 teams divided into two pools. It featured the teams playing in the 2025 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, the next best team on the Canadian Team Ranking System, the defending Canadian Junior Champion, and the top team in Curling Canada's "NextGen Under-27 program".[6]

The event replaced the Canada Cup and Continental Cup events on Curling Canada's season of champions calendar.[7]

Winners

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Men

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Year Champion team Runner-up team Host City
2022 Manitoba Reid Carruthers, Jason Gunnlaugson, Derek Samagalski, Connor Njegovan Manitoba Matt Dunstone, B. J. Neufeld, Colton Lott, Ryan Harnden Fredericton, New Brunswick
2023 Manitoba Reid Carruthers, Brad Jacobs, Derek Samagalski, Connor Njegovan Manitoba Matt Dunstone, B. J. Neufeld, Colton Lott, Ryan Harnden Oakville, Ontario
2024 Saskatchewan Mike McEwen, Colton Flasch, Kevin Marsh, Dan Marsh Newfoundland and Labrador Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, E. J. Harnden, Geoff Walker Calgary, Alberta
2025 Manitoba Matt Dunstone, Colton Lott, E. J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden Alberta Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, Ben Hebert Calgary, Alberta

Women

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Year Champion team Runner-up team Host City
2022 Manitoba Jennifer Jones, Karlee Burgess, Mackenzie Zacharias, Lauren Lenentine, Emily Zacharias Alberta Kristie Moore, Kate Hogan, Jessie Haughian, Taylor McDonald Fredericton, New Brunswick
2023 Ontario Rachel Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes Manitoba Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Harris Oakville, Ontario
2024 Ontario Rachel Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes Alberta Kayla Skrlik, Margot Flemming, Ashton Skrlik, Geri-Lynn Ramsay Calgary, Alberta
2025 Ontario Rachel Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes, Rachelle Brown British Columbia Corryn Brown, Erin Pincott, Sarah Koltun, Samantha Fisher Calgary, Alberta

References

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  1. ^ "UPCOMING EVENTS". Curling Canada. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  2. ^ "2023 PointsBet Invitational Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. September 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  3. ^ "PointsBet Invitational 2023: Dates, times, schedule and how to watch the kickoff Canadian curling event". The Sporting News. October 1, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Einarson, Gushue cruise to opening wins, Koe eliminated early at PointsBet Invitational". CBC Sports. September 27, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  5. ^ "2023 PointsBet Invitational - Scores/Schedule". TSN. September 29, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "World-class event for fans from across the globe to enjoy!". Curling Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  7. ^ "With high-performance review underway, Curling Canada hopes new quad yields results". CBC Sports. December 22, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2023.