The Summer Olympics are coming back to Europe. The world’s best athletes will compete in France from July 27 to August 11. The Olympic Games are distinguished by athletes competing in various sports. Some have many different branches, such as swimming, which has many different events.
Usually, there is little betting on athletics or swimming, but there is a much higher level of spectator involvement at the Olympics.
As a result, the number of bets on the various events increases significantly, allowing the spectators to have more fun while watching the Olympics. Below, we have highlighted the five most popular sports; here, you will find the best Olympics betting sites and an introduction to the main betting options.
Olympics Basketball Betting
While much talk is about taking basketball out of the Olympics or placing restrictions on it, like in football, basketball is still the biggest and most popular sport today. All the best basketball players want to come to the Olympics; even the US team is bringing the biggest stars to the Games.
If the last FIBA World Cup was without basketball’s brightest stars, Paris should see the likes of LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, and others.
Olympic basketball betting is almost no different from other tournaments. What is important to note is that every match has maximum significance.
One defeat can end the road to the medals, so concentration is at a maximum in every match. The most popular bets that players usually make in basketball matches are:
- Winner
- Handicap
- Total over/under
- Players’ personal statistics
We should take a closer look at player stats bets. These are quite difficult bets as there is a lot of volatility in such tournaments. Usually, the best players play for the national teams, so there are often no clear leaders like in club basketball.
Here, teams are more likely to be fighting for a common goal and the lack of consistency can make it difficult to make a fair bet on player statistics.
The exception to this may be teams that have one clear leader who will do whatever it takes to win the game.
For example, Luka Doncic is a key player in the Slovenian national team, and everything revolves around him, so you can expect him to give his all on the court in every match. Such players can be looked out for, but Olympic games betting companies tend to set high averages for such players.
We should also note long-term bets. They are quite popular in such relatively short tournaments. The most common bets are on who will win the group or who will win a medal. The USA has dominated the Olympics recently, but betting on who will reach the finals or win the bronze medal is worthwhile.
Olympics Football Betting
Although football is sidelined in the Olympics, it still has a large audience base. The Olympic teams are made up of players up to age 23, but you can also have three players older than that.
Since 2004, Argentina has won twice, Mexico won in 2012, and Brazil won the last two times. In the last two finals, they beat Germany and Spain.
The Olympic Games are a great opportunity to see young, talented players, but at the same time, to see well-known players, especially veterans. For example, Argentina is planning to come with Messi this year.
Olympic football betting is mostly the same as usual in this sport:
- Winner
- Handicap
- Total over/under
- Statistics bets – how many corners, how many yellow cards
- Long-term bets – who will win the group, who will win a medal
However, when placing bets on football matches, pay attention to the line-ups of the teams. If you see countries like France, Spain, Brazil or Argentina, it doesn’t mean that they will easily beat the lesser-known countries in the football world.
For example, at the last Olympics, countries such as Honduras, Japan, South Korea, Iraq and Mexico were among strongest.
Analysis at the Olympics can be a little more complex than other major championships because of the time needed to get to know the young talent. Consideration should be given to how they fared at the Junior European or World Championships.
Also, don’t be under the illusion that all the best under-23 footballers will be there. EURO 2024 is taking place this year, where most of the top football talent will be playing, including the under-23.
Olympics Volleyball Betting
Volleyball, especially beach volleyball, receives much attention at the Summer Olympics. Both indoor and sand volleyball are played here. These are pretty different sports, and they resemble basketball and three-on-three basketball.
Indoor volleyball is a common sport that receives a lot of attention during the season, and the bets are the same – match winner, handicap, total over/under. The best athletes come to the Olympics.
Spectators, meanwhile, are much more likely to watch beach volleyball. First and foremost, it’s associated with summer sports – good weather, sand, and dynamic play. Sand volleyball is played two against two. The games are designed for both women and men.
All the main markets are available on Olympic volleyball betting sites, but when analysing and preparing for betting on Olympics, the focus should not be on countries but specific players. It is arguably more of an individual sport.
Hence, you need to look at who represents the country at the time and the form of the players, as well as each player individually rather than the country’s past achievements.
Olympics Betting FAQ
🏅 Can you bet on the Olympics?
✅ Yes, you can bet on Olympics. The number of bets on various events increases significantly during the Olympics, with many popular sports and specific betting options highlighted.
🏅 How often does Olympics happen?
The Olympics occur every four years. This applies to the Summer and Winter Games, held in alternating even-numbered years, ensuring an Olympic event every two years.
🏅 How many Olympics sports are there?
There are 33 sports in the Summer Olympics and 15 in the Winter Olympics. The number of sports can change as the International Olympic Committee occasionally updates the list.
🏅 Why Olympics is important?
The Olympics are important because they unite athletes worldwide to compete, promoting international unity and sportsmanship. They also inspire global audiences and celebrate human achievement and cultural diversity.
🏅 How long Olympics last?
The Olympics typically last 16 days. During this period, athletes compete in various events, culminating in closing ceremonies celebrating their achievements.
Olympics Tennis Betting
Tennis doesn’t get as much attention at the Olympics as at the Grand Slam tournaments, but it still gets much attention. The fact that the participants included top tennis players also contributed to keeping the attention. For example, let’s look at the medallists at the last Olympic Games.
We see names such as Alexander Zverev, Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. In 2008, Novak Djokovic won the bronze medal.
The tennis players competing at this year’s Olympic Games were announced on 10 June. This was the day after Roland-Garros, and players will qualify for the Olympics based on their ranking. Tennis is an individual sport, so the form of the players needs to be taken into account when placing bets on Olympic tennis betting sites.
There are many different tennis tournaments during the summer, so you need to look at the players’ schedules. As it may sound, not all tennis players at the Olympics are at their maximum motivation, as we can see by the medallists of the last Games.
The same selections are being bet on at the Olympics – winner, handicap, and game totals. Before placing your bets, we want to remind you to look at the players’ chances. There are many unexpected outcomes, and the favourites do not always make it to the final.
Olympics Athletics Betting
It’s hard to imagine the Summer Olympics without athletics. This sport has countless different events, from the 100 m sprint to the discus throw. During the season, the European or World Athletics Championships are usually only watched by the biggest fans, but during the Olympics, the number of spectators increases dramatically.
Most events have a rather interesting format, with athletes competing in preliminary rounds, then semi-finals and finals. During this period, you can assess the athletes’ form and see how the main gold medal candidates are prepared for the competition.
The stakes are different in athletics. Here, you can normally only bet on the winner of the event. In the final round, there are medal selections – who will win a certain medal or finish in the top three. In athletics, the events that attract the most attention and bets are:
- 100 m, 200 m and 400 m races
- Sprint hurdles
- High jump
- Long jump
- Discus throw
- Javelin throw