The Olympics is a year late and taking place with barely any crowds thanks to a fresh surge of coronavirus cases in Japan and particularly Tokyo. But that doesn’t mean fans from all over the world will be denied the chance to watch their heroes on TV and perhaps place a little bet on the events as they unfold.
Betting on the Olympics isn’t exactly a regular pastime for sports fans. A sporting event that comes around every four years means there are always developments in the betting markets that offer fresh takes and odds on events.
What’s more, many Olympics bettors make the mistake of not doing their research before diving in. This isn’t like football or horse racing betting where you might naturally know plenty beforehand – there’s a lot to familiarise yourself with at these Games.
So, Paddy Power is here to provide you with a guide on how to bet on the Olympics and where the best markets sit. You’ll learn the smart Olympics betting tips and where best to do your research.
How to bet on Olympics
Betting on the Olympics is pretty straightforward and the method is the same as placing a bet on football, racing or any other sport or event. Simply sign up to Paddy Power today and head over to the sportsbook, where you’ll find scores of Olympics bets. Click the odds you want to back, enter your stake and hit Place Bet to complete the process.
Boxing is one of 33 sports being held at the Olympics this summer (GETTY)
Best Olympics bets
If you’re seeking a quick bet on the Olympics but don’t know where to start then check out these three markets…
1. British medals table
The British team are expected to fare well at the Olympics this year but won’t be as successful as in 2012 or 2016. Still, a market for +/- 14.5 gold medals is worth looking at. Great Britain is hoping for 45-70 medals in total and has 51 former medalists within the team. They won 19 golds in Beijing in 2008 and that is considered the benchmark to beat.
2. 100m final
You can’t watch the Olympics and miss the men’s 100m final. It’s the showcase event and the first time since 2004 that Usain Bolt isn’t running. America’s Trayvon Bromell and Ronnie Baker are the favourites to win this event, while Canadian Andre De Graase is also in contention. Remarkably, the lowest-priced Jamaican here is Yohan Blake, the 31-year-old sprinter who won silver in 2012 and came fourth in 2016.
3. Cycling
Britain’s best hopes are, as always, on the bike. They are expected to win medals in the velodrome and compete on the road. Ed Clancy, the Kennys, the Yates brothers and mountain bike world champion Tom Pidcock are all tipped to excel. Be sure to keep an eye on the cycling events and don’t be afraid to ponder world record odds during the Olympic fortnight. Some will definitely be smashed.
You may watch some Olympics sports – such as mountain biking – for the first time (GETTY)
Smart Olympics betting tips
Becoming immersed in the Olympics will certainly help your bet choices and here are some tips to help you improve your knowledge of the games…
Check out live markets: Paddy Power offers live odds during the Olympics and these are perfect for tournament sports such as football, basketball and tennis. Live odds react to the action and are ideal for players seeking to take advantage of fluctuations while watching the sport unfold.
Follow from early rounds: In sports such as boxing, fencing and badminton, keeping abreast of results in the early rounds will help improve your bet choices when it comes to the medals. If a favourite has struggled to bypass their first- and second-round opponents then perhaps an upset is on the cards.
Brief yourself with the stats: Sometimes bettors suffer from stats overload but it’s always worth knowing who is on form heading into the Games. For example, understanding which athletes have set PBs in the weeks running up to the Olympics is an indication they are peaking. But, like in horse racing, if the form is bad then perhaps they’re not worth backing. Paddy’s sportsbook has plenty of stats to aid your choices.
Keep an eye on PP News!: We’ll keep you abreast of all the important stuff going on in Japan during the Olympics, with news and tips previewing upcoming events. Why would you go anywhere else?
Great Britain and Northern Ireland has plenty of medal hopes at the Olympics (GETTY)
When is the Olympics?
The Olympics in 2021 takes place between Wednesday, 21 July and Sunday, 8 August. The opening ceremony is actually scheduled for Friday, 23 July but before then sports such as football and softball get underway in order to cram their tournaments into the calendar.
How to watch the Olympics in UK
The BBC will show live coverage of the Olympics from across the Games this summer. The broadcaster will be showing all 33 sports and 339 medal events held across 42 venues. It’s basically wall-to-wall live coverage starting from midnight to 3pm each day.
Best Great British Olympics medal hopes
There are four big medal hopes for Britain in the athletics: Dina Asher-Smith (100m and 200m), Laura Muir (1500m), Holly Bradshaw (pole vault) and Katarina Johnson-Thompson (heptathlon). There are also hopes of Tiffany Porter and Cindy Sember threatening in the 100m hurdles, and Callum Hawkins surprising in the marathon.
Swimmer Adam Peaty is almost guaranteed to win the 100m breaststroke, sailor Giles Scott should claim the men’s finn gold, and the velodrome should produce a handful of gold medals for Great Britain.
But if you want a great outside pick that is unknown to the mainstream media then Seonaid McIntosh is your woman. The 25-year-old shooter will be competing in the 3×50m rifle and 10m air rifle events. She could well win two golds.
Olympics betting guides
- Olympics tips: Paddy Power’s guide to the 5 new sports in 2021
- Olympics tips: Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s 5 best gold medal hopes
- Olympics tips: Ireland’s 2 best medal hopes at the 2021 Games
- Olympics tips: How to bet on medal table when USA will likely win
- Olympics tips: Best bets for 2021 football tournament at Tokyo Games
- Olympics tips: 5 rowing best bets for Tokyo 2020 Games
- Olympics tips: 3 athletics best bets for track and field action at Tokyo 2020
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