As already mentioned, the sporting events held as part of the Olympics are numerous and cover many disciplines. The total number of sports that make up the Summer Olympic Games will vary each year, sometimes different sports are added in and sometimes they decide to remove a sport. It depends a great deal on the popularity of an event and the number of sportsmen and women that want to take part.
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The Olympic Games is an event that takes place every four years. It is a showcase of a wide variety of sports, from athletics to BMX biking. Sportsmen and women from all over the world train for years in the hope of being selected to represent their country in what is the largest sporting event ever. It is organized by the International Olympic Committee and it is held in a different country every time.
The whole event takes place over approximately three weeks and dozens of sporting events can be seen each day. There is no prize pool for the players that take part.
Everything About the Summer Olympic Games
Why are the Olympic Games popular for betting?
Anyone who has an interest in sports betting will find that the Olympic Games is one of the major sports tournaments for betting. This is because it is an event that is only held once every four years so a lot of people take an interest in it even if they are not huge sports fans at any other time.
The variety of sports that make up the Summer Games is also an advantage. It could be that people have no interest in sports such as tennis, but they are happy to watch athletics and speculate on who might win a medal. There is something for everyone.
The ease with which a person can place a bet on the Olympic Games also makes it popular for those who are considering betting on sport tournaments. Online betting sites will list all the sports and provide odds on every aspect of the games so it is just a question of a few clicks online.
History of the Olympic Games
There are no direct financial rewards to winning the event, although being a medal winner at the Olympics carries a great deal of prestige and many medal winners will be able to take advantage of lucrative sponsorship and advertising deals.
The first known version of the Olympic Games dates back to 776 BC and the event takes its name from Olympia, the city where it was first held in ancient Greece. The first modern Olympic Games took place towards the end of the 19th century.
Fourteen countries took part with a total of 241 athletes in 43 different sporting events. Compare this to 2016 when more than 11,000 athletes took part representing more than 200 countries and it is easy to see how the event has evolved in less than 150 years.
In that time there are also other Olympics that have been created. The winter Olympic Games includes specifically winter sports such as skiing and skating. There is also a Paralympics Games equivalent of both the summer and Winter Olympics Games. These games are designed for athletes who have a disability and they always take place a few weeks after the main Olympic Games.
Years without the Olympics
The four year gap between games has always been adhered to but there have been exceptions for unique circumstances. In 1916 the First World War meant that the Games could not take place.
The same applied to the Games in 1940 and 1944 during the Second World War. In 2020 the global Covid-19 pandemic meant that the Games due to be held in Tokyo had to be postponed to 2021.
How to bet on the Olympic Games
The first step is to open an account with an online betting site. Each site is slightly different but the user will need to submit some of their personal information to set up the account. They will then need to make a deposit to the account.
This is usually done via a debit or credit card but each site is different. Other deposit methods include bank transfer and using e-wallets. Each site is different so any user that has a specific payment method that they prefer they would need to check in advance to see if it is accepted.
Once the deposit is made the player is able to place a bet. The sites will show the different odds on the various athletes taking part in the Summer Olympic Games and the chances of them winning one of the medals.
It may offer odds and betting options for different rounds and heats of each sport, so fans can follow their favorite sport throughout the event, placing smaller bets on each stage if they wish. Sports betting can be done with relatively small amounts of money so some bets can be just a few cents if the player prefers to keep things simple.
Sports betting strategies for the Olympics
There are no particular sports betting strategies for the Olympics. While the person placing the bet can take into account the athlete or team's performance in other events, taking part in the Olympic Games is very different and they may not perform as well. Every sporting event is different.
It's also not always possible to monitor an athlete's performance in a previous Games. Some athletes only take part in one and for those who take part in more than one, the four year gap in between means that their performance may not be as good the second time around.
However, one of the best tips for sports betting on the Olympic Games is to consider an athlete's performance in the heats before deciding whether or not to play a bet on the latter rounds such as the semi-final or the final of a particular sporting event. This will show how the athlete is performing and will give more information about their potential as a winner.