Olympics Betting – Relay headlines Friday's track and field events
Posted on 8/20/2008 4:58:46 PM
By Braden Bailey
Olympics Betting: men's & women's 4x400-meter relay
The action is just heating up at the 2008 Olympic Games and BetOnline.com has everything you need to keep up with what's happening in Beijing. Both the men's and women's 4x400-meter relay get underway Friday morning and the Americans will be prominently involved.
Can Team USA add to their gold medal total? Or will Jamaica dominate the track yet again? Take a look at our preview:
Men's 4x400-meter relay
Friday, August 22 at 7:30 a.m. ET
With +250 Olympic betting odds, Team USA makes a great pick to win the relay. They're still considered the underdog, however, as odds makers expect the Jamaicans to continue tearing up the track. They finished fourth at the 2007 IAAF World Championships, but an impressive performance by their sprinters in Beijing – highlighted by 100-meter and 200-meter winning Usain Bolt – has catapulted them into favorite status with -275 odds.
But getting the Americans as underdogs is great value. Team USA has won every Olympic gold in the 4x400 relay since 1984, and they're also the defending world champions. Going with the favored Jamaicans is no safe bet.
Jamaica -275
USA +250
Trinidad & Tobago +1000
Great Britain +4000
Brazil +5000
Nigeria +6600
Canada +6600
Germany +6600
France +8000
Poland +10000
Japan +12500
Women's 4x400-meter relay
Friday, August 22 at 7:40 a.m. ET
Another sprint, another race expected to come down to America and Jamaica. The U.S. women are expected to bring home gold with -305 Olympic betting odds. The women are defending world and Olympic champions, and they're absolutely stocked with talent.
Jamaica won't be intimidated, however. Their women have been very impressive on the track at these 2008 Olympic Games, and the relay team claimed silver at the 2007 IAAF World Championships.
Unlike the men's side, this won't necessarily be a two-team race. Russia is considered a contender with +500 Olympic betting odds after finishing second at the 2004 Games. The British (+1600) are certainly competitive as well after winning bronze at the 2007 IAAF World Championships, though expecting them to secure gold is a huge gamble.
USA -305
Jamaica +350
Russia +500
Great Britain +1600
Belarus +5000
Germany +8000
Ukraine +10000
Braden's pick: I like Team USA to come out on top in both competitions. The women are as deep as ever and should be able to secure gold. The men have a big challenge in front of them, but they won't want to be the first team to finish without gold since 1984. They'll deliver.
Visit the BetOnline.com Sportsbook for the best lines, props and futures in online sports betting, and be sure to check out the Bettor's Edge daily for the hottest tips and info on Olympic betting.
Braden Bailey could whip you on the court, and he could do it with his picks, too. He has no patience for other sports ? it’s tennis, tennis, tennis for the Englishman. So, for everything tennis handicapping, keep reading Braden’s BetOnline.com articles. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
