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Olympics — 7/11/24

MPICSParis 2024 Olympics odds: Early bird bargain shopping

By 
Joe Lago
WagerWire Contributor
Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

MPICS Paris 2024 Olympics odds: Early bird bargain shopping


In two weeks, the 2024 Summer Olympics will begin in Paris. Americans don’t pay attention to the Games until it’s time to plop themselves in front of the TV and watch the over-production and pageantry of the Opening Ceremony, which will be held along the Seine and not in a stadium.

Sportsbooks are slowly rolling out Olympic odds now that athletes have qualified to represent their countries. Medal count futures can be found at DraftKings and BetMGM, while a wide array of sports are displayed at FanDuel.

Early bird bettors can take advantage of some surprisingly generous odds. The following should be capitalized on sooner rather than later.

Track and field — Noah Lyles to win 200 meters (-210, Caesars)

The three-time world champion is the betting favorite. He demonstrated why at the U.S. Olympic trials, where he broke Michael Johnson’s meet record with a time of 19.53 seconds, also the fastest time in the world this year. Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, the bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships, has the second-best odds at +390.

Lyles and Tebogo are scheduled to face off Friday in a much-anticipated pre-Olympic showdown at the Monaco Diamond League meet, so if you’re already set on Lyles to win gold in Paris, you might want to lock in your bet now before Lyles adds to his gold-medal hype. Just in the past few days, his odds have shifted from -190 to -210.

An even better track bargain is reigning world champion Sha’carri Richardson to win the women’s 100 meters at -180. That number shifted from -160 favorite over the weekend.

Men’s soccer — France to win gold (+210, Caesars)

Argentina will be loaded with goal-scoring talent despite the absence of Lionel Messi, but the host nation, coached by France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, is a slight favorite over the Argentines (+240). Spain, which did not call up European Championship breakout stars Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, is +280.

The men’s soccer tournament is an under-23 competition that allows three overage players on each roster. France loaded up on offensive firepower with experienced forwards — former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, Crystal Palace’s 6-foot-4 Jean Philippe Mateta and Bayern Munich-bound winger Michael Olise. The trio gives the French, on paper, one of the most talented — and balanced — squads.

Tennis — Carlos Alcaraz to win men’s gold (+185, FanDuel), Iga Swiatek to win women’s gold (-195, FanDuel)

Both French Open singles champions will return to Roland Garros in pursuit of Olympic gold. They demonstrated their supremacy on the red clay in May, so it’d be a complete surprise to see anyone else standing atop the podium.

Alcaraz will still have to navigate a field that includes world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, the three-time French Open champion and 2008 Olympic gold medalist. Some of the top women’s players are skipping the Olympics for various reasons, mostly to play hard-court events in preparation for the U.S. Open, but rest assured, they also don’t want to face the top-ranked Swiatek, who’s won three-straight French Opens, on her favorite surface.

Men’s basketball — USA to win gold (-470, Caesars)

Olympic organizers may as well hand out gold medals to the U.S. women when they step off the plane. An eighth-consecutive title by the star-studded Americans is arguably the biggest lock of the Games, and it’s why the USA, even without WNBA rookie phenom Caitlin Clark, is listed as an overwhelming favorite at -1800.

It’s true that the world has caught up to America in the men’s international game. However, the U.S. is sending a true Dream Team led by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid. Don’t let viral video of Cooper Flagg cooking Team USA affect your better judgment. Steve Kerr’s squad should power its way to the U.S.’s fifth Olympic gold in a row.

Bettors agree. USA’s odds have already moved from -390 over the weekend.