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Today, we’re here to assess the current Olympics soccer odds, the most notable contenders, and analyze the value of the most appealing betting options.
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is set for Friday, July 26th. However, several disciplines start before, including both women’s and men’s soccer tournaments. More precisely, the men’s U23 soccer tournament’s group stage matches kick off on Wednesday, with the grand finals set for August 9th.
The biggest surprise surrounding the men’s soccer tournament is the absence of Brazil. Paraguay and Argentina qualified via the CONMEGBOL Olympics Qualifiers, which left Endrick and the co without a spot.
Olympic Men’s Soccer Odds
Before going any deeper, let’s asses the odds. The follow numbers are courtesy of KAWBET , but are likely to change as we approach the first whistle.
France | +225 |
| Argentina | +260 |
| Spain | +275 |
| Morocco | +1,000 |
| Paraguay | +2,000 |
| Egypt | +2,200 |
| USA | +2,200 |
| Ukraine | +2,500 |
| Japan | +3,300 |
| Mali | +3,300 |
| Israel | +4,000 |
| Guinea | +5,000 |
| Uzbekistan | +6,600 |
| Iraq | +10,000 |
| New Zealand | +12,500 |
| Dominican Republic | +25,000 |
France, Argentina, and Spain are the three main Olympic betting favorites coming into the event. Arguably, no other teams come close to their brilliance and attractive gameplay. But, this is a free country so we might as well name a few dark horses – mainly the likes of Morocco and Paraguay who’ve looked well over the last year or so.
Top Contenders
As mentioned above – France, Argentina, and Spain are the primary contenders. Here’s what makes them tick:
France (+230)
First things first, let’s talk about the host nation, France. It’s no secret they always have some of the world’s best young talents. But, in the case of international football, that might actually be a double-edged sword. You see, many of their youngsters who are eligible for the U23 Olympic team played the EURO and won’t be competing at the Olympics.
Still, Thierry Henry can count on the likes of Lukeba and Olise, two exceptional youngsters with bright futures. One quick look at the bench and you’ll see just how deep it goes. Henry will have a lot of sweet problems, that’s for sure.
France is the host nation so it’s only natural they’ll have a slight edge thanks to the fans. However, with that slight edge comes a big chunk of pressure too, and it will be interesting to see how these youngsters deal with it. I for one think they have all it takes to go all the way and clinch the Olympic gold in their own backyard!
- Historical performance and recent form.
- Key players to watch: Michael Olise, Alexandre Lacazette.
- Home advantage and group stage expectations.
Argentina (+275)
The Argentinians are serious about the 2024 Paris Olympics. Just like France, they’re in it to win it… and they’re not afraid to bring out their best guns to do so. By that, I’m mainly referring to the likes of Nicolas Otamendi and Julian Alvarez who will be among the star players on the competition.
Argentina could easily go all the way. They shouldn’t have much issues in group B with Morocco, Ukraine, and Iraq. After that, assuming they finish first, they’ll go up against the second-place group A team which is likely to be Team USA. No matter who they go up against, even if it’s France or Spain, the Argentines will be considered the favorites.
Spain (+260)
The Spanish youth system is unique. These guys have spent a big part of their teenage years playing together and that’s something that can (and will) be noticeable once the tournament kicks off.
But, don’t let the Olympics soccer odds fool you. Spain are deservingly the third name on the team sheet. They don’t have a single star that actively participated in the EURO-winning campaign. There’s no Lamine Yamal or Gavi or Pedri. By looking at the names, you might think this is some B-tier lineup. But, trust me, these guys’ tactics and teamwork allow them to punch well beyond their weight.
Dark Horse Teams
What about the dark horses? Could they create something notable at the Paris Olympics?
Morocco (+1100)
It’s no secret Morocco has a world-class Olympic team. It’s led by one of the best right backs in the world, Achraf Hakimi, who is their most important overage player. Besides him, Moroccans can also count on the likes of Bilal El Khannouss and Ilias Akhomach, who will be in charge of setting the tempo and creating space down the right wing.
Another important factor to consider is the ever-improving mentality of the Moroccans. They had a fantastic run in Qatar in 2022, going all the way to the semifinals, but ultimately losing that and the third-place match against the Croats. Now, their youngsters have a chance at taking one of the medals and I for one think they have realistic chances.
USA (+2200)
What’s there to be said about Team USA? The country keeps investing a lot of effort and funds into the youth system and is likely to be reward with a medal or two in the foreseeable future. Who knows – perhaps this is USMNT’s time to shine?! If the likes of Busio, and Robinson play at their best level in Paris, perhaps team USA won’t just qualify to the knockout stage but go a bit further too. Perhaps they’ll even contest for the medals.
The most important overage player in Mitrović’s side is Walker Zimmerman. But, we can’t forget about the 25-year-old Djordje Mihailovic which is likely to be an important cog in USMNT’s machinery.
If everything aligns correctly and US qualifies for the knockout stage as the second team in group A, they’re likely to go up against Argentina in the quarterfinals, which is going to be a huge uphill struggle for Mitrović’s men.
Potential Underdogs
There are three more teams which could create an upset or two and clinch a medal:
Paraguay (+2000)
Paraguay is the reason we don’t have Brazil in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Paraguayans beat them fair and square with a late goal that pushed them to the top spot of the CONMEBOL qualifiers. Now that they’re here, though, many are questioning their readiness.
I for one don’t, because I know just how clinical Enso Gonzalez and Julio Enciso can be. Let’s not forget about Inter Miami’s Diego Gomez, a prolific attacking midfielder who’s bound to make an impact in Paris.
Japan (+2500)
Japan’s Olympic football team is all about tactical gameplay, togetherness, and discipline. Even though they have two exceptional young stars in Koki Saito and Kodai Sano, their gameplay is all about playing like a proper team.
They might surprise everyone by qualifying for the playoffs from Group D and heading far into the playoffs. It’s not impossible, that’s for sure!
Egypt (+2000)
Egypt is coming in hot with Mohamed Elneny and Ahmed Sayed Zizo as the two overage players for their Olympic team. Combine that with a handful of exceptional youngsters in Ibrahim Adel and Ahmed Kouka and you’ll get yourself a fine first eleven.
Another big plus is the fact Egypt is in group C with Spain, Dominican Republic, and Uzbekistan. The Dominican Rep. shouldn’t be a major issue, so beating Uzbekistan is practically all that separates them from the playoffs.
Long Shots
According to the latest Olympic soccer odds, the following teams are proper long shots:
Ukraine (+3000)
Ukraine’s team doesn’t breathe too much confidence coming into the competition. Sure, they might have extra motivation because of the ongoing war. Pride and tenacity often go hand in hand. This is a very young team too, with the oldest players being Shakhtar’s Dmytro Kryskiv and LASK’s Maksym Talovierov.
This is Ukraine’s first Olympic appearance and that ought to mean a lot too. We’ll see them compete against Argentina, Morocco, and Iraq in the group stage. Need I remind you, only the top two teams proceed to the playoffs… and I for one am eager to see if Ukraine can spoil the party for someone in this group (cough, Morocco, cough).
Mali (+4000)
Mali isn’t exactly a big Olympics country. They have just 23 competitors at the 2024 Paris Olympics, 18 of which are in the football team. They have a promising young team, though, one that captivated the audiences with thrilling third-place finish at the CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations last year. In fact, that’s how they qualified for the Olympics.
Last time out, in 2004, Mali reached the quarterfinals. This time around, it will be quite difficult since they’re in group D with Japan, Paraguay, and Israel.
Uzbekistan (+6500)
Even though you might not think so at first, Uzbekistan is actually a solid team. They won the bronze medal on last year’s Asian Games thanks to a tactically impressive collective. The key individuals are Fayzullaev, Urunov, and Roma’s experienced forward Eldor Shomurodov (Vlahović from Wish). If everything aligns properly, we might see Uzbekistan clinch the playoffs from Group C.
New Zealand (+10000)
Can Michael Boxall, Joe Bell, and Sarpreet Singh lead this young New Zealand’s team to glory? Define glory?! Sure! A trip to the playoffs! It’s definitely possible – France, Guinea, and the United States could easily leave just enough room for the Kiwis to squeeze through.
Guinea (+5000)
Guinea has 24 Olympics participants in total and 18 of them come down to the football roster. And while they do have plenty of experience in Abdoulaye Toure and Naby Keita, it will be difficult to reach the playoffs from group A with USA, France, and New Zealand.
Israel (+6500)
Israel is in group D with Japan Paraguay, and Mali. Their roster consists of several outstanding individuals. Oscar Gloukh is surely the first name on the team sheet. According to Transfermarkt, the talented 20-year-old attacking midfielder is already worth €25m. Other important individuals are Omri Gandelman and Liel Abada, both of which are destined for successful international careers. The competition in group D is quite tough, but I reckon Gloukh and the co could create an upset or two.
Iraq (+12000)
Not much is known about this Iraqi team. According to Transfermarkt, the most notable player is worth €600k, which tells you a lot about the state of affairs in their football scene. So yeah, steer clear from them.
Dominican Republic (+15000)
This will be the first Olympic appearance for the Dominican Republic’s soccer team. They’re a new name on the international scene and are yet to gather any proper experience. As such, there’s simply no way we see them do anything notable in Paris. A point in the group stage would be a good start, mind you.
Who Will Win the Gold?
Now that we know Olympics soccer odds and the most notable teams, it’s time to wrap this puppy up. Unfortunately, just like the odds suggest, the golden medal is likely to go to one of the top three contenders – France, Argentina, or Spain.
In my books, France has the biggest chance of snatching the title. Not only are they the hosts, but they have Henry’s experience at the coaching position, as well as Lacazette’s experience in the attacking third. Most importantly, though, they have 10+ outstanding players, destined for successful international careers. Unfortunately, no other teams have such depth, which could be the deciding factor in the end.
Conclusion
There you have it, lads and gents! You can’t make a mistake no matter which of the top three sides you opt for. For a laid-back Olympics experience, the Olympics soccer odds for France, Argentina, and Spain make perfect sense. It should go down between them.
However, if you’re looking for something a bit riskier, a low-stake bet on Team USA could be worth gold. It’s risky, it’s highly unlikely… but it’s possible. And, for some people, that’s just enough!
