Friday’s opening ceremony marked the official opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Winter Games run from Feb. 4 through Feb. 20. Betting on the Olympic Games is part of the draw and interest for gamblers, and especially for more recreational bettors who are getting the opportunity to bet on sporting events with the continued growth of legal sports betting in the United States.
Fans can follow the Games and get live updates and schedule information, along with medal count and Olympic Athlete profiles.
Olympic events will be held in 15 disciplines across seven sports at the Beijing 2022 Games, and 109 sets of medals will be awarded.
Popular Betting Props
FanDuel Sportsbook offers medal specials as part of their growing menu of options when wagering on the Olympics.
- Overall Medal Tally Winner
- Most Medals - Gold Silver, Bronze
- Country O/U Medals
- Competitor To Win a Gold Medal
- Competitor To Win a Medal
Norway (-430) is the clear favorite to win the most golf medals, followed by Russia Olympic Committee (+240), Germany (+380), Canada (+1400), the United States (+1800) and China (+1900). Norway’s odds to capture the most gold medals have increased from -370 with Russia and Germany’s odds more than cut in half since Feb. 1.
The United States over/under gold medal count is 8.5 (Over -130), and the U.S. total medals count is 22.5 (Under -116).
The popular men’s and women’s ice hockey gold medal odds favor Russia, Canada and Finland on the men’s side, and Canada and the United States in the women’s competition.
Men’s Ice Hockey
- Russia (+150)
- Canada (+340)
- Finland (+380)
- Sweden (+580)
- Czech Republic (+1000)
- United States (+1200)
- Switzerland (+1400)
- Germany (+1600)
Women’s Ice Hockey
- Canada (-120)
- United States (+100)
- Finland (+1900)
Women’s ice hockey has started, and the gold medal favorites won preliminary games with Canada over Switzerland 12-1 and the U.S. over Finland 5-2.
But the U.S. team lost one of the top players in the tournament with Brianna Decker’s injury against Finland.
The men’s ice hockey preliminary rounds begin Feb. 9.
Freestyle Skiing
One of the fun must-see events of the Winter Olympics is freestyle skiing. The combination of athleticism and showmanship by the young men and women performing acrobatics and aerial spins and flips through the air off jumps and rails is exciting to watch. It’s also a popular betting event.
The men and women’s events include:
- Aerials
- Freeski Big Air
- Freeski Halfpipe
- Moguls
- Freeski Slopestyle
- Ski Cross
The Moguls event has started and the finals are this weekend. Mikael Kingsbury of Canada was the favorite to win the men’s moguls event, and he advance to the finals. His odds to win the gold medal on FanDuel Sportsbook increased from -125 to -210. Ikuma Horishima of Japan was the main contender and he also advanced and is now +470 to win gold.
As you follow along, here are the favorites and top contenders to win the gold medal in each freestyle skiing event. Brief freestyle previews are provided for select events with athletes odds to win courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Odds are subject to change and will be updated on FanDuel Sportsbook following each round of competition.
Due to U.S. regulations, some events that are judged may not be available in all states where legal sports betting is allowed.
- Laura Peel (AUS): +270
- Xu Mengtao (CHN): +300
- Marion Thenault (CAN): +550
- Kong Fanyu (CHN): +600
- Danielle Scott (AUS)
Women’s Big Air
- Gu Ailing (CHN): -135
- Tess Ledeux (FRA): +320
- Mathilde Gremaud (SUI): +800
Women’s Halfpipe
- Gu Ailing (CHN): -190
- Kelly Sildaru (EST): +250
- Rachael Karker (CAN): +1300
- Gu Ailing (CHN): -125
- Kelly Sildaru (EST): +200
- Tess Ledeux (FRA): +340
Women’s Ski Cross
- Sandra Naeslund (SWE): -175
- Fanny Smith (SUI): +230
- Marielle Thompson (CAN): +900
Two of the best women freestyle skiers are considered the leading gold medal contenders in multiple events at the 2022 Winter Games. Eileen Feng Gu, alternatively known as Ailing Gu, is an 18-year-old star freestyle skier living in San Francisco and attending Stanford later this year. She chose to compete for China, as her mother is from Beijing. Gu is the favorite to win Olympic Gold in three freestyle events. One of her biggest challengers is 19-year-old Kelly Sidaru of Estonia.
Men’s Aerials
- Maxim Burov (ROC): -195
- Noe Roth (SUI): +1100
- Sun Jiaxu (CHN): +1100
- Nico Porteous (NZL): +130
- Aaron Blunck (USA): +380
- Alex Ferreira (USA): +550
- Brendan Mackay (CAN): +550
- David Wise (USA): +650
- Birk Irving (USA): +1100
Men’s Moguls (updated)
- Mikael Kingsbury (CAN): -210
- Ikuma Horishima (JPN): +470
- Walter Wallberg (SWE): +900
- Andri Ragettli (SUI): +210
- Alexander Hall (USA): +550
- Birk Ruud (NOR): +650
- Colby Stevenson (USA): +750
The 2022 Olympic Games features 13 medal events in freestyle skiing, and the big air and mixed team aerials make their Olympic debuts in Beijing.
In total, there are 327 medals available across the 15 sports at the Beijing Olympics.
Record Wagering on the Olympic Games
There is a lot of emotion and pride on display at the Olympics. And while professional gamblers don’t typically take betting on the Olympics too seriously due to more unpredictable elements of the Games, gamblers are still expected to wager a record amount on the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Betting on the futures or who will win a gold medal is a “fun bet,” says professional sports bettor Bill Krackomberger. Betting on the Olympic Games is more of a novelty bet, and ‘Bettor Bill’ offers caution with the Olympic Games greater unpredictability and judges scoring. “You want to bet America to win something. But I wouldn't recommend this for anybody.”
Sports betting is now legal in nearly 30 states, and mobile sports betting is making it easier to place bets. That’s adding to what will be the most bet Olympics ever.
“It’s a significant event, people are interested and they’re passionate about their country,” says Duane Colucci, race and sports manager at the Rampart Casino in Las Vegas.
The Athletes, Dollars and Drama
Beyond the strict COVID-19 protocols and a diplomatic boycott over human rights from several countries, including the U.S., there are several storylines surrounding the Beijing Olympics.
The value of an Olympic medal is priceless, as the achievement a medal represents is becoming one of the world’s best athletes in a sport. But 12 countries are offering their athletes six-figure cash prizes if they can ascend the Olympic podium.
There is plenty of controversy and corruption surrounding the 2022 Winter Olympics. But that won’t slow the spread of sports betting, or fans, families and friends enjoying the sensational skills of the awesome athletes.
You can bet on it.
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