Softball is back at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, but just for one tournament. After leaving the event in 2008, softball and baseball both return to the Olympics in Tokyo, but neither will be part of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The softball tournament this summer will consist of six teams, playing in one group, with the top four making the semifinals. Japan qualified as the host nation while the United States qualified by winning the 2018 World Championships. Italy qualified through the Africa/Europe Qualifier while Australia won the Asia/Oceania Qualifier and both Mexico and Canada made it through the Americas Qualifier.
Softball kicks off the Olympics as Japan plays Australia on July 21. This marks the first time since 1996 that a soccer match doesn’t start the Olympics. The Gold Medal Game will take place at Yokohama Stadium on July 27.
History of the Softball at the Olympics
The last time softball was played at an Olympics was in 2008 in Beijing. The tournament consisted of eight teams, and Japan beat the United States 3-1 in the Gold Medal Game, with Australia taking bronze.
That win by Japan snapped a 22-game Olympics win streak for the USA. They had won every gold since softball was added to the Olympics in 1996. The US beat China in the final in Atlanta, knocked Japan in Sydney 2000, and beat Australia in Athens 2004.
Australia has also medaled at every softball event in the Olympics. The Aussies took bronze in 1996, 2000, and 2008 with a silver in 2004. Japan has silver in 2000 and bronze in 2004 to add to the 2008 gold medal.
Tokyo Olympics Basketball Betting Odds
The Favorites
With three golds and a 2018 World Championship, the United States enter the tournament as favorites at -125 on DraftKings. They announced a 15-player roster in October 2019 but could make changes before the Olympics begin.
Ranked #1 in the WBSC Softball World Rankings, the roster includes two Olympic veterans with pitchers Cat Osterman and Monica Abbott. The initial roster also includes 12 players from the 2018 World Championships and 13 from the 2019 Pan American Games in which Team USA won gold.
The Americans went 7-0 in group play at the World Championships in Chiba, Japan. In the Medal Round, they beat Japan 4-3 in 8 innings and 7-6 in 10 innings to claim gold. Canada took the bronze after beating Australia 12-0 in the semifinals but falling to Japan 3-0.
Japan is ranked #2 in the WBCS rankings, and they are the second betting favorite as well at +200. They will have the home crowd behind them at both the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium and the Yokohama Stadium. The latter will host the showdown with the USA on July 26, the final group game for both teams.
Professional Sports Handicappers
Other Contenders
Canada took bronze at the 2018 World Championships the silver at the 2019 Pan American Games, and they are ranked #3 in the world. They went 5-0 in group play at the Americas Qualifier, including a 3-0 win over #4 Puerto Rico.
Canada did get a win over the United States at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Peru before falling 3-1 to the USA in the Gold Medal Game. They are +700 to win the gold, which would be their first-ever Olympic medal in softball.
Australia is ranked #8 in the world, behind three teams who didn’t qualify for Tokyo: Puerto Rico, Taiwan, and China. They eliminated both Taiwan and China in the Asia/Oceania Qualifying Event in Shanghai, China, back in September 2019.
The Aussies made the medal round at the 2018 World Championships and have medaled in every Olympic softball event. They are +1500 to win gold in Tokyo.
Longshot To Keep an Eye On
Keep an eye on Mexico. The Mexicans are ranked #5 in the world, and they enter the tournament at +2000 to win it all, the fifth-best odds of six teams. Only Italy at +4000 has worse odds.
Mexico almost broke through at the 2018 World Championships. After beating Italy 1-0 on the first day of the Championship Round, they were eliminated 2-1 in eight innings by Australia in the last game to make the semifinals.
They won the Americas Qualifier with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico and a 2-1 win over Canada. However, the Mexican side failed to medal at the 2019 Pan American Games, their most recent international competition.
Start a Sportsbook for the Olympics
Softball Betting Odds for Summer Olympics
United States -125
Japan +200
Canada +700
Australia +1500
Mexico +2000
Italy +4000
Bet on how many medals Team USA will win and how many medals Team GB will win.
