The Olympic Games in Beijing will be taking up the bulk of television coverage during the next three weeks. 

All the major bookmakers are offering odds on the main athletics, swimming, tennis, cycling and rowing events as well as some of the more obscure events.

In athletics’ gold ribbon event, the mens 100m, Jamaican Usain Bolt is favourite.  The 21 year-old broke the world record back in May in time of 9.72 seconds.  He is 7/5* with sportingBet and Canbet.  Tyson Gay should be the best of the American challenge.  The current world champion is 21/10* second favourite with Sportingbet offering 28/11.* Asafa Powell is the bookmakers choice to get the bronze medal.  His odds of getting a gold are 9/4* with Betdaq.  Of the British challenge Betdaq are still offering odds on Dwain Chambers!  If you read the news or follow athletics you will know that he has been banned from competing in Beijing because of using drugs.  You will get odds of 189/1* on Chambers making a remarkable comeback to win the gold.  The best of the British challenge certain to compete is Marlon Devonish.  He is 239/1* with Betfair.

Britain’s best hope of gold in track and field is in the triple jump.  Phillips Idowu is 8/5* with Sportingbet to follow in Jonathan Edwards footsteps and become the second British man to win gold at the Olympic triple jump event.

In the women’s track and field events, Kelly Sotherton is Team Great Britain’s best chance of winning gold.  She will compete in the heptathlon and she is 11/2* with Betdaq to walk away with the gold.  Betfair are offering 3/11* that she will win a medal of any colour.

Paula Radcliffe is fourth favourite in the marathon, with Betdaq giving odds of 9/1* on the 34 year-old. 

In tennis it looks being another battle between Federer and Nadal for the men’s singles title.  Roger Federer is 39/19* with Betdaq to win the gold despite losing his Wimbledon title to Nadal in early July.  Rafael Nadal is 28/11* with Betfair. 

In women’s tennis Serena Williams is favourite to bounce back from her Wimbledon final defeat to older sister Venus and claim Olympic gold.  4/1 are the odds with Betfair and Totesport. 

In swimming Michael Phelps is aiming to win eight Olympic gold medals which will break Mark Spitz’s record of seven golds at the 1972 Olympics.  Ladbrokes are giving odds of 2/1* that he won’t and 4/11* that he will.

*Odds are correct as of time of writing. 

Print version