LAS VEGAS — Bettors can’t wager on Simone Biles to make a triumphant return to the Olympics because gymnastics is a judged sport.
But you can bet on just about everything else at the Summer Olympics in Paris, where competition starts July 26 and ends Aug. 11.
Sportsbooks have posted odds on everything from archery to water polo, with men’s basketball and women’s soccer the most popular Olympic betting markets.
Team USA is a -500 favorite at the Westgate SuperBook to bring home a gold medal in men’s basketball for the fifth straight Olympics. Canada, led by NBA stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray, is the 10-1 second choice after losing, 86-72, to the Americans in Wednesday’s exhibition game at T-Mobile Arena.
“Most of these teams have one or two NBA players but nothing that should compete with Team USA, except maybe Canada,” SuperBook Olympics oddsmaker Joe Tatka said. “It’s not (1992) and (1996) where (the Americans) just show up and win. But they should still be able to bring home a gold medal.”
The U.S. women’s basketball team appears to be a lock to win its eighth straight gold as prohibitive -2,500 favorites, meaning a bettor must wager $2,500 to win $100.
“The entire team is All Stars, whereas there’s only one or two women from the WNBA anywhere else,” Tatka said. “It’s a complete walkthrough.”
The U.S. women’s soccer team faces much stiffer competition in its quest for its first gold medal since 2012. Team USA is a slight +150 favorite over Spain (+220) and host France (4-1).
“It’s not 20 or 25 years ago where Team USA is the only team out there,” Tatka said. “They probably still have the best team but it’s not a guarantee to win. Up and down the board, the entire world has definitely caught up to them.”
In men’s soccer, the U.S. is a 25-1 long shot to win gold. Host France is a slight 2-1 favorite over Argentina (+225) and Spain (+275).
Track and field
Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson is a slight +150 favorite over American Noah Lyles (+185) to win gold in the men’s 100 meters.
“We haven’t had any action on Lyles, which is surprising,” Tatka said. “Kishane Thompson ran amazing times at the Jamaican time trials. Most of the action’s been going his way.”
Lyles stirred controversy last year when he criticized NBA teams for calling themselves world champions.
“World champion of what? The United States?” Lyles asked after increasing his total of world titles to six at the track and field world championships. “That is not the world.”
