Swimming has featured at every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, meaning the first Olympic swimming medals were awarded all the way back in 1896. However, betting on swimming at the Olympics is a relatively new thing.
Thanks to the leading online sportsbooks, you can now wager on a variety of different Olympic swimming markets. In this guide, we go over the most popular Olympic swimming betting markets, discuss some props and look at all the events on the schedule.
How to Bet on Olympic Swimming Races
Let’s start by looking at the most common markets for betting on swimming at the Olympics. With lots of different options to choose from, it pays to learn about the most popular swimming betting markets.
Betting on the Race Winner
This is one of the most common Olympic swimming betting markets out there. All you need to do is pick a race, assess the field and back a swimmer to win the race.
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Winning Time Totals
You can also bet on the time of the race winner. Sportsbooks usually provide a handful of winning times, giving you the option to select “over” or “under” a specific time.
Nationality of Winner
As the name suggests, this market enables you to wager on the nationality of the winning swimmer. It is worth noting that many races feature more than one athlete from the same country.
Betting Olympics Swimming Props
In the lead-up to a Summer Olympic Games, sportsbooks always serve up exciting swimming prop bets. These unique wagers give you the chance to bet on markets like medal totals and which swimmer or country will win the most medals.
Over/Under Total Medals
Not only can you bet on how many medals a swimmer will win, but you can also bet on how many medals a country will win. Again, the sportsbook will set the bar and you have to select “over” or “under”.
Which Swimmer Will Win the Most Medals?
One of the most exciting ways to bet on swimming at the Olympics is to predict which swimmer will win the most medals. Many athletes take part in multiple events, meaning they have the chance to compete for multiple medals.
Which Country Will Win the Most Medals?
Like the previous option, this market enables you to predict which country will win the most medals. You may find options for total medals and gold medals at some sportsbooks.
Olympic Swimming Events to Bet On
Swimming featured a record total of 37 events at the previous Olympics, presenting plenty of betting opportunities. In addition to 18 events for each gender, the mixed 4 x 100 medley relay debuted in Tokyo.
Here are all the Olympic swimming events that you can bet on:
Freestyle – 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m
Backstroke – 100m and 200m
Breaststroke – 100m and 200m
Butterfly – 100m and 200m
Individual Medley – 200m and 400m
Relays – 4 x 100m free, 4 x 200m free and 4 x 100 medley (men’s, women’s, mixed)
Marathon – 10k
The shortest race is the 50m freestyle, while the longest race is the 10-kilometer marathon. With multiple backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, medley and relay races on offer, there is no shortage of options.
