Olympics Betting Tips
Making bets on the Olympics is increasingly difficult as the games progress. Injuries, dark horses, and upsets are present at every Olympic Games, so we expect 2024 to be no different. That is why we have created a dedicated page for Olympic betting tips. Below are some tips and tricks to help you avoid dud bets.
- Start Small: In the first few days of the Olympic games, most events are part of a larger series. Events like soccer, volleyball, and hockey include a group stage before the important games occur. Winning teams often start slowly, so ensure you are not on the wrong side of an upset on day one.
- Time the Accumulators: As the Olympics takes place over 16 days, do not include fixtures over a week apart in your accumulators. A lot can change in a short period at the Olympics. Making sure your accumulators pay sooner rather than later is often a safe way to go.
- Pace Yourself: While there is a temptation to secure odds now and lock in your bets, it can often be costly. Instead, we like biding our time and watching events before putting money on the line. Some big names fall victim to the first hurdle. Use this to your advantage by holding off on some wagers.
- Check and Double Check: Check the team news before placing a bet for team events like soccer and hockey. While we can make an educated guess, crazy things happen in the Olympic Village. Whether a player gets caught partying or sent home early, ensure you are on the right side of the breaking Olympic news.
- Live Betting is an Option: Placing a live bet is easier said than done, depending on the event. In athletics, there is often not enough time to place a live bet. But in team events, you can wait until the match starts before placing a wager. Delaying until the start of the event often gives you better insight into winning wagers.
- Shop Around: As the Summer Olympics only takes place every four years, it pays to shop around for unique bets. Each event in Paris will be drastically different from the last, opening up opportunities for bespoke wagers. Our online betting site is full of exciting markets for each event.
- Watch as Much as Possible: When betting on the Olympics, watch as many events as you can. Sizing up the competition is one of the best ways to avoid favourites who underperform. Seeing how an athlete approaches an event makes it a lot easier to put money on the line.
Olympics Predictions Today
Olympic predictions are difficult to get right, as you never know who will take home the gold. The United States of America looks the most likely to win, having sat on the top spot in the last three Olympic Games. Interestingly, there are fewer disciplines and events this year compared to Tokyo, could this affect the outcome?
Athletics Predictions
If you want to bet on the Olympic Games winner, the Americans are the favourites to win it all. Priced at 2/13, given the poor returns, it’s not worth a punt. A €50 bet will only return €57.50 if the USA comes out on top. China is the next most likely to win, but they haven’t won the Olympic Games since they hosted in 2008.
Looking at the 100m, Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson is the favourite at our online betting site. Thompson has odds worth 11/10, which is superb for a clear favourite. However, American superstar Noah Lyles is not one to ignore. The 27-year-old is the next most likely to win at 2/1. Lyles is the favourite to win the 200m and could surprise the Jamaican over a shorter distance. Could Lyles take a page out of the Usain Bolt book and dominate both disciplines?
For betting on the athletics, specifically the 100m Women’s, Sha’Carri Richardson is the most likely winner. At 4/7, Richardson seems like a sure thing, but Shericka Jackson is a dangerous second. At 30, her fastest days could be behind her. However, having been there and done it all before, she could snatch a surprise win. Jackson is also the second favourite to win the 200m at 19/10, not far off the favourite Gabrielle Thomas at 13/10.
Our Olympic prediction for the sprints is for America to pip Jamaica to gold in both the Men’s and Women’s 100m. At 200m, we predict Shericka Jackson will take home the gold for her country, but there is no chance we would bet against Noah Lyles for the 200m gold.
Rugby Sevens Prediction
Anyone betting on the Rugby Sevens at the Paris Olympics is in for a treat. While there is a clear favourite to win the entire competition, there are seven high-quality teams this year. France is the most likely, given their recent resurgence in rugby and their status as hosts. However, European countries are yet to win a gold medal for seven-a-side rugby at the Olympics.
Fiji is a two-time Olympic champion, but they enter this year as the fourth favourite with odds of 9/2. New Zealand and Argentina are more likely, and they share odds worth 16/5. Ireland is the next best nation with odds worth 9/1, and we fancy the boys in Green to exceed expectations. South Africa and Australia round off the list at 12/1.
We predict a medal is on the cards for Ireland. Their first game against South Africa will be a challenge, but they should walk through Japan. The match against New Zealand will be a genuine test, but if they can get a win, a silver medal could be on the cards.
Hockey Prediction
Ireland does not have many teams or athletes competing in Paris 2024 but do not forget the field hockey team. While most of us would rather watch Gaelic hurling or football, field hockey can be a fantastic watch.
Ireland is one of the least likely teams to win a medal this year, and that is reflected by the 66/1 odds. If you are betting on Olympic Field Hockey, then look no further than Belgium. They are the favourites at 3/1, narrowly ahead of the Netherlands at 16/5. Germany is a dangerous field hockey side, just like Great Britain.
Ireland's first game is against Belgium on July 27. Anything other than a Belgium victory seems incredibly unlikely. However, strange things can happen at the Olympics. Perhaps the Irish side can cause a monumental upset in round one.
Last 10 Winners of the Olympics
While it seems like a formality at the Olympics as to which nation will win, it never hurts to look at the recent winners and host countries of the Summer Games. Below are the ten most recent Olympic Games winners and the cities.
- 1984 Los Angeles, USA: United States of America
- 1988 Seoul, South Korea: Soviet Union
- 1992 Barcelona, Spain: Unified Team (Former Soviet Union)
- 1996 Atlanta, USA: United States of America
- 2000 Sydney, Australia: United States of America
- 2004 Athens, Greece: United States of America
- 2008 Beijing, China: China
- 2012 London, England: United States of America
- 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: United States of America
- 2020 Tokyo, Japan: United States of America
Olympics News
Novibet is a reliable source of Paris 2024 news. Our writing team has followed the Olympics intently over the past 20 years. Our expertise and inside information could help you make more successful bets. Check here throughout the summer games for the latest Olympic news stories and developments.
If this is your first time betting on the Olympics, read our predictions and betting tips throughout the tournament. Remember, you don’t have to bet on each event or every stage of the qualifiers. The most exciting wagers occur when there is a medal on the line.
