2024 Olympics soccer betting odds: U.S. women, French men favored to win gold – The New York Times

Two days before the opening ceremony, soccer kicks off at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The United States women are favored to win gold while the American men return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008 and open against the host French team on Wednesday.

The U.S. women start on Thursday against Zambia in what will be the first competitive match for coach Emma Hayes. Zambia won a match at the 2023 World Cup, claiming as many wins at that tournament as the U.S. women had, but is a massive underdog heading into Thursdays match. The USWNT is -2000 on BetMGM to win.

The American men are long shots to win gold in Paris, while France is the favorite. France is +225 on BetMGM to win gold, with the United States trailing behind at +2500 to claim the top medal. For the first match, France is an extremely strong favorite to win at -225 on BetMGM.

While Paris will host both gold medal matches, seven cities across France will host matches throughout the two tournaments.

All odds via BetMGMas of July 22.

USA

+175

Spain

+200

France

+500

Germany

+1400

Japan

+1700

Brazil

+1700

Australia

+2100

Canada

+2600

Colombia

+3400

Zambia

+9500

Nigeria

+9500

New Zealand

+11000

The U.S. women have completely dominated the Olympics. Since womens soccer was first added in 1996, the U.S. has medaled at six of the seven Olympics and won gold four times.

However, the worst two showings for the U.S. were at the last two Olympics. Couple that with the disappointing performance at last years World Cup, and the pressure is on the USWNT to have a strong showing in France.

This is a strong and deep field. Seven of the 12 teams made it to the knockout stage of the last World Cup. Its fair to question if the U.S. should even be favored in a field that includes reigning World Cup champion Spain and the host France.

Europe only has three spots, so some strong teams did not make it. England doesnt enter teams into the Olympics. All three European teams that the U.S. played, and failed to beat, at the last World Cup are not in France (Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden). Former gold medalist Norway didnt qualify either.

The U.S. is in a group with Germany and Australia in addition to Zambia. With the odd 12-team format, two of the three third-place teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals. There is some forgiveness in group play.

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France

+225

Spain

+250

Argentina

+300

Morocco

+1200

Paraguay

+2500

Egypt

+2500

USA

+2500

Ukraine

+2800

Japan

+2800

Mali

+3300

Israel

+4000

Guinea

+5000

Uzbekistan

+6600

New Zealand

+10000

Iraq

+10000

Dominican Republic

+10000

Mens soccer at the Olympics is an under-23 tournament, with three overage players allowed on every roster. There are 16 teams in four groups, and the top two teams advance to the quarterfinals.

While the American women have had tons of success in the Olympics, the American men are the complete opposite. Not only did the U.S. fail to qualify for the last three Olympics, but the U.S. has never really medaled in mens soccer (unless you count 1904 when only three teams entered; two of them were American clubs, and neither of those two won gold).

For the U.S., Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson and Djordje Mihailovic are the older players who have some name recognition for those who follow the full mens national team. Zimmerman was a starter last World Cup, and Robinson was a first-choice center back at the 2021 Gold Cup before an Achilles injury prevented him from playing in the World Cup. That duo will likely anchor the American defense.

The U.S. is in a group with France, Guinea and New Zealand. France is -500 to win Group A, but the U.S. has the second-longest odds at +500, implying the U.S. is favored to finish second in the group and advance to the quarterfinals.

France has tons of expectations heading into this tournament. Thats true of any host nation, but France has been a talent machine for the last several years. Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) are bigger names and overage players on a team managed by Thierry Henry.

Spain (+250) and Argentina (+300) are the other pre-tournament favorites before we start entering long-shot territory. Both nations just won continental tournaments this summer, but their Olympic squads are very different from those winning lineups. However, Argentinas Julin lvarez and Nicols Otamendi are on the Olympic squad after playing central roles in the Copa Amrica. Thiago Almada, recently transferred from Atlanta United, is also playing for Argentina.

lex Baena and Fermn Lpez were on Spains Euro 2024 squad and are set to play bigger roles during the Olympics. Neither started any matches at Euro 2024, and neither played at all in the knockout stage, but Baena made two substitute appearances in group play, and Lpez subbed on in one group match.

There are a lot of huge nations in the sport not at this tournament, including Brazil which won gold at the last two Olympics. European powers Germany, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands also didnt qualify. England won the European qualifying tournament (the 2023 European Under-21 Championship) but does not compete in the Olympics because England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate national teams, all competing as Great Britain in the Olympics.

(Photo of Trinity Rodman and Lindsey Horan: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)

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2024 Olympics soccer betting odds: U.S. women, French men favored to win gold - The New York Times