United States
United Kingdom
Canada
South Africa
Australia
Tokyo 2020 is finally here, a year later than originally scheduled due to travel restrictions and the Covid-19 pandemic. The games have still been affected, but simply have to take place, and unfortunately, that means they will do so without fans in attendance, which is very disappointing.
However, what we do have to look forward to is some competitive action, a few new sports at the games and excitement surrounding who will win the medals on offer.
We have a total of five new Olympic sports for 2020, which means brand new viewing for those who are Olympic regulars and a potential new fan base for the games too though we are still waiting for eSports to be recognised.
Baseball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing are the five new sports to look out for. In particular from these, sport climbing may be one to watch, with competitors aiming to race up the climbing wall as quickly as possible.
Best Sports Betting Site For Tokyo 2020
| Rank | Rooms | Expert Score | Signup Bonus | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
5/5 Read Review
|
 |
110 user ratings |
Deposit $25, Get up to $2500 (T&Cs apply, 18+) |
Get Bonus! |
|
2
4/5 Read Review
|
 |
93 user ratings |
50% up to $200 (T&Cs apply, 18+) |
Get Bonus! |
|
3
3.5/5 Read Review
|
 |
30 user ratings |
300% Casino Match / 50% Sports Match (T&Cs apply, 18+) |
Get Bonus! |
|
4
5/5 Read Review
|
 |
111 user ratings |
50% up to $250+$100 Welcome Bet (T&Cs apply, 18+) |
Get Bonus! |
|
5
4.8/5 Read Review
|
 |
109 user ratings |
100% up to $500 (T&Cs apply, 18+) |
Get Bonus! |
Tokyo 2020
Covid-19 Restrictions
Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all athletes are to be kept apart from others, and bubbles will be used on-site to ensure this remains in place. Testing will take place before and during the Olympics to ensure Covid-19 does not make its way into the Olympic village.
The biggest restriction though is certainly on fans attending the games. No one will be in attendance, which is a shame for those taking part, in what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them. They will have huge support from home, from those who love the games and their friends and family, but it is not the same, and fans will certainly be missed.
Tokyo 2020: Sports to Watch
Here we take a look at the biggest and most exciting sports to watch at Tokyo 2020.
* Odds have been provided by William Hill where not stated
We will be updating the sports with the latest odds nearer the final event days, so keep an eye out for them by bookmarking our site. Leave a comment if you want us to cover the odds on a particular sport, we are more then welcome to add.
Athletics
Athletics is the largest sport set to take place at the Olympic Games. With a staggering 48 events, this sport is sure to be a fan-favourite at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Athletics is divided into three sets of events: track events, field events, and road events. All 48 events are scheduled to take place between 30th July and 8th August.
The track events are enjoyable and popular for viewers. The rules are simple to follow and it is easy for viewers to identify the winner. The track events consist of long-distance running, middle-distance running, and sprints.
Examples of track events at the 2020 Summer Olympics include 100m for men and women, 100m hurdles for women, and 3,000m steeplechase for men and women.
In total, 14 track events will be held at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Track events involve all competitors running at the same time and the first to cross the finish line is the winner.
Usain Bolt is the current world record holder for the 100m sprint. Bolt was able to complete the sprint in 9.58 seconds, meaning that he was able to cover 10m in under one second. Although Bolt is not competing this year, competitors will be hoping to match or beat the impressive world record.
The field programme at the Olympic Games consists of jumping and throwing events. In total, there are eight events in field athletics. All events are split by gender. Examples of field events at the Olympic Games include high jump, shot put and javelin throw.
The road events at the Olympic Games involve a variety of long-distance events, with the most popular being the marathon.
The decathlon (for men) and the heptathlon (for women) feature events from all three categories of athletic sport. You can expect contenders to compete in the following events: high jump, hurdles, and either 800m or 1,500m sprint. The winner of this event is decided by a points vote and the competitor with the most points is the overall winner.
Ones to Watch
Look out for the men’s and women’s 100m, which put together the fastest runners in the world. Also look for the drama of the relay races, plus events such as the long jump and high jump that take place.
In the women’s 100m, look out for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Jamaican is (-110) favourite for the title.
Dina Asher-Smith (Great Britain)
Dina Asher-Smith, a British 25-year-old, is set to be a crowd-pleaser at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The impressive young athlete has recently won a gold medal in the 200m sprint at the 2019 World Championships.
Asher-Smith is also one of the four women to compete in the relay for Team GB. The Brit is one to watch in the upcoming 200m sprint on 2nd August.
100m: Semi-Final 1, 3rd
200m: Withdrew
4 x 100m Relay: Bronze Medal
Thiago Braz (Brazil)
Thiago Braz, a 27-year-old Brazillian Athlete is set to compete in the pole vault event at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The talented Brazilian is the current holder of the Olympic Gold medal which he earned at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
With the current Olympic record of 6.03m in the pole vault event and the current world champion Sam Kendricks out due to a positive covid test, Braz provides an exciting betting opportunity with long odds ahead of the event.
Pole Vault: Bronze Medal
Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukraine)
Representing Ukraine at the 2020 Olympic Games, Yaroslava Mahuchikh will be competing in the high jump event for women. At the mere age of 19, Mahuchikh is ranked 2nd in the world for women’s high jump.
She will be making her first appearance at the Olympics despite recently completing the highest indoor jump in the world for nine years. The young Ukrainian is set to break records and take home medals at this year’s Summer Olympics, making this a great betting opportunity.
High Jump: Bronze Medal
Our Pick
If you’re looking for interesting odds, Dina Asher-Smith could provide some value at 9/2. The GB star is currently the fourth favourite to take home gold in the women’s 200m.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a popular sporting event that has been staged at the Olympic Games for 125 years. Tokyo 2020 is set to be a big year for gymnastics with a variety of young, promising athletes competing.
The 2020 Olympic Games, held in Tokyo, is set to stage several gymnastic events. The events range from team and individual all-around sets, as well as specific apparatus-based routines.
The apparatus that will make an appearance in the women’s events include the vault, uneven bars, balance bars, balance beam and floor exercise. In the men’s events, you will expect to see routines featuring all of the above plus pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, and horizontal bars.
The women’s finals for team all-around will take place on the 27th of July with the men’s artistic individual all-around event scheduled to be completed on 28th of July at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.
Gymnastics is a crowd-pleaser because it is simple to follow and easy to understand, making it a good opportunity for betting.
The current female record holder with the most medals in the sport is Larisa Latynina with 9 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals, totalling 18 medals overall in gymnastics.
The current gold medal holder for women’s gymnastics is Simone Biles. She is set to compete this year and is hoping to take home the gold again.
The previous gold medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Kōhei Uchimura, has failed to qualify for the final of the horizontal bars event. The Japanese gymnast shockingly fell after his routine in the qualifying round.
Ones to Watch
Just like with athletics we have a combination of many different events that fall under the gymnastics bracket. These include various individual events to look out for, such as the drama of the rings and uneven bars, where a slight mistake can be the difference between gold and nothing.
Also, lookout for the team events, where multiple performers will compete together in a bid to win team gold.
In the men’s trampoline discipline, look out for Gao Lei who will be looking to build on his bronze medal in 2016 and win gold here. He is the (+140) favourite for the event.
Simone Biles (USA)
The four-time gold medalist is set to compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
With an impressive qualifying round, Biles is set to compete in the final of the individual artistic all-around gymnastics event on 29th July.
The 24-year-old is a heavy favourite to take the title, making this a fantastic betting opportunity.
Biles is the current world champion and is definitely one to watch throughout the Summer Olympic Games.
Artistic Gymnastics Team All-Around: Silver Medal
Individual Artistic Gymnastics All-Around: Pulled Out
Artistic Gymnastics Vault: Withdrew
Artistic Gymnastics Uneven Bars: Withdrew
Artistic Gymnastics Balance Beam: No Odds Yet
Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise: Bronze Medal
Dina Averina (Russia)
The young 22-year-old Russian gymnast is set to compete in the rhythmic gymnastic event in the 2020 Olympic Games.
Although she has not won an Olympic Games, Dina Averina is a three-time World Champion and an underdog to take the title this year.
Rhythmic Gymnastics Team All-Around: 1/10 (26/07/2021)
Individual Rhythmic Gymnastics All-Around: Silver Medal
Jessica Gadirova (Great Britain)
The British gymnast impressed many at the qualifying round of the artistic individual all-around event.
At only 16, Garidova has managed to earn a place in the four-person British women’s team at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Garidova has previously impressed at the Junior World Championships and is looking to make the step up this year.
Artistic Gymnastics Team All-Around: Bronze Medal
Individual Artistic Gymnastics All-Around: 10th
Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise: 6th
Our Pick
Predicting a winner in gymnastics events can be tricky with so many high-quality competitors. Nevertheless, Simone Biles is fancied by many and with good reason. The American gymnast will surely pick up multiple gold medals once again at this year’s Olympic Games.
Swimming
The swimming events are set to take place from 24th July to the 1st of August at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, with the swimming marathon scheduled for the 4th and 5th of August.
The swimming competitions at the Olympic Games will feature 37 events that are split by gender.
Therefore, there will be 18 events for men, 18 events for women, and a single event that will feature both genders.
The main event categories that will feature at the Olympic Games for swimming are freestyle, individual medley, backstroke, relay, breaststroke and marathon. Most events are differentiated by distance and can range from 50m to 1500m.
The United States are the current record holder for the most medals won by any nation with a total of 549 medals in the sport (at the time of writing). Australia has earned the second-most medals in the sport with just 192 medals by comparison. You can expect the representatives of the United States to compete well in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, making this a great betting opportunity.
Ones to Watch
Previous gold medalists in the sport include Adam Peaty, who won gold in the 100m breaststroke for men for Team GB, who will not only be looking to win but he could be breaking world records this summer. He is a super talented swimmer, and anything other than multiple gold medals for him this summer would be seen as a disappointment, showing just how good he is. Ryan Murphy is another who took the title for the 200m backstroke event for men. You can expect both to do well at the 2020 Olympic Games which could make events they are involved in exciting betting markets.
Joseph Schooling (Singapore)
Joseph Schooling is a 26-year-old swimmer representing Singapore at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The Singaporean achieved a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, making him the first-ever Olympian to win a gold medal for Singapore.
Overall, Schooling has won 31 gold medals for his nation across all competitions. The swimmer is set to compete in the Men’s 100m freestyle event on 27th July, as well as the Men’s 100m butterfly event on 29th July. Schooling will be hoping to take home another medal for his nation.
100m Freestyle: Heat 5, 6th
100m Butterfly: Heat 5, 8th
Ryan Murphy (USA)
Ryan Murphy is an exceptional swimmer who has represented the United States since the 2016 Olympic Games hosted in Rio de Janeiro. With a total of 13 medals earned for his nation, Murphy is likely to win big at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The American specialises in backstroke and is the current world record holder for the 100m backstroke event for men. Murphy is set to compete in the 200m backstroke event on 28th July and is set to take home a medal this year.
100m Backstroke: Bronze Medal
200m Backstroke: Silver Medal
4 x 100m Mixed Medley Relay: 5th
4 x 100m Medley Relay: Gold Medal
Simone Manuel (USA)
Simone Manuel, a 24-year-old American, is set to be a crowd-pleaser at the 2020 Olympic Games. The young swimmer won two gold and two silver medals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Manuel specialises in the sprint freestyle event which features at the Olympic Games and is one of four members of the relay team. The American is set to compete in the Women’s 50m Freestyle on 30th July which is expected to be a big win for Manuel.
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay: Bronze Medal
50m Freestyle: Semifinal 2, 8th
Our Pick
Swimming events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be highly competitive and picking a winner won’t be easy. Luckily, this will make for some interesting odds and we’re backing Ryan Murphy to deliver at the games this year.
Football
If you’re missing football after Euro 2020 and the Copa America, make sure you tune into the Olympic football event. The big names may be missing, but this is still a very strong event, with some good names taking part and competitive football on show.
The Olympics may not be the pinnacle of the sport but it is still highly regarded among many fans and bettors.
FIFA have imposed rules to prohibit top-level professional players from participating in the men’s event at the Summer Olympic Games. In order for teams to participate in the Olympic Games, the squad must be made up of players under the age of 23, with the maximum addition of three senior players.
Standout results in the men’s event include a last-gasp equaliser for Spain against Ivory Coast before running out 5-2 winners and a 6-3 quarter-final win for Mexico over South Korea.
In the women’s event, GB were knocked out in extra time thanks to a 4-3 loss to Australia whilst tournament top scorer Vivianne Miedema went out on penalties despite scoring twice for the Netherlands against the US.
Men’s Gold Medal Match
Spain
Key player: Pedri
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Spain scored 2 goals in 3 games during the group stages. Then, Spain survived a scare against the Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals needing a stoppage-time equaliser before winning 5-2 in extra time. Another extra-time winner was needed in the semis as Marco Asensio gave Spain a 1-0 win over Japan.
There are plenty of Euro 2020 stars in this squad but the likes of Pedri may well be suffering from burnout at the end of a long season.
Result: Silver Medal
Brazil
Key player: Richarlison
Brazil went unbeaten in the group stages of the Summer Olympic Games, topping their group with seven points. They beat Germany, thanks to a Richarlison hat-trick the first Premier League player to do so, and put three past Saudi Arabia before salvaging a 1-1 draw against the Ivory Coast.
The South American nation navigated the quarter-final with a 1-0 win against Egypt thanks to a goal from Matheus Cunha. Brazil then won on penalties against Mexico and will break the Olympic men’s record for the number of matches played by a single nation when the final kicks off.
Brazil are also one goal off equalling Italy’s record of 125 Olympic goals scored in the men’s tournament. They are slight favourites for this evenly matched contest.
Result: Gold Medal
Men’s Bronze Medal Match
Japan
Key player: Takefuso Kubo
The host nation was eliminated in the semi-finals after scoring seven goals in the group stage of the competition.
Japan began the tournament with a win against South Africa and continued their good form in their next two games against France and Mexico.
The Asian side only conceded one goal in the group stages which is the fewest in the competition.
Result: 4th Place
Mexico
Key player: Alexis Vega
Mexico took Brazil all the way to penalties in the semi-finals having blitzed through the previous games.
No side had scored more goals than Mexico in their run to the semi-finals with five different players each scoring two or more. Mexico’s only defeat came in the group stages – a 2-1 loss to Japan.
Result: Bronze Medal
Women’s Gold Medal Match
Canada
Key player: Jessie Flemming
Having knocked out the heavy tournament favourites the USA, Canada will enter the final on a high. Even so, it will be a very tough task facing a fancied Sweden side, especially given Canada have won just two of five games in 90 minutes.
Result: Gold Medal
Sweden
Key player: Magdalena Eriksson
Sweden are favourites to take gold having won all five games so far, conceding just three in the process. A surprise matchup against Canada tips the odds in their favour and a Sweden victory looks likely at under evens.
Result: Silver Medal
Women’s Bronze Medal Match
USA
Key player: Rosemary Lavelle
The US women’s team are likely to take the Olympic bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. They ranked the best in the world but crashed out in the semis to Canada. It’s not the medal they wanted but it’s hard to see another outcome.
Result: Bronze Medal
Australia
Key player: Samantha Kerr
Australia scraped through the groups as one of the best-ranked third-placed sides. They took just four points from three games before edging past GB in the quarter-finals and narrowly losing to Sweden in the semis. It would be a shock to see them take bronze against the Americans.
Result: 4th Place
Basketball
Basketball is a popular sport which is enjoyed by many. The sport has been included in the Summer Olympics since 1936 but only for men. It wasn’t until 1976 that a version of the sport for women was added to the Summer Olympic schedule.
Overall, there are four events in basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics. All events are split by gender meaning that men do not compete against women.
The events you can expect to see at the 2020 Summer Olympics include the men’s tournament, women’s tournament, and 3×3 basketball (men’s and women’s).
With a total of 15 tournaments won, the United States men’s team holds the most gold medals in basketball. The US dominate this sport and are highly likely to take the title again at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
A total of 24 nations entered the qualifying stage in hope of taking the title. The basketball events are scheduled to take place between 24th July and 8th August.
The 3×3 basketball event has already taken place with the Latvian men’s team and the United States women’s team taking the title. The 5×5 basketball tournament is yet to take place with nations such as the United States, Germany and Australia set to compete for the title.
Ones to Watch
Basketball is a familiar sport to many, and a great Olympic sport to watch, with stars on show and regular games to enjoy.
USA
The United States recently won gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The current champions have won 15 of the 18 Olympic tournaments that they have competed in, making the United States men’s team the overall champions of the sport.
The American superstar, Kevin Durant, will lead the United States men’s basketball team who face some uncertainty before the games had begun have made it into the semi-finals.
Following the United States impressive performance in the preliminary round of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Durant is now ranked the most successful US men’s basketball player in history.
There is little value in the women’s basketball outright market as the USA are heavy favourites and priced at 2/13.
Odds: Gold Medal (Men) 1/7 (Women) (888Sport, 03/08/2021)
Spain
Spain have appeared in 13 basketball events at the Olympic Games. The Spanish national team are yet to win gold at an Olympic Games, however, the team have achieved three Olympic silvers and one Olympic bronze in their history.
The team have been more successful in other world competitions. With two gold medals in the FIBA World Cup and three gold medals in Eurobasket, Spain are set to compete heavily for the gold at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Result: Quarter-Finalists(Both)
Australia
The Australian Men’s Team successfully knocked out Germany in the preliminary round of the basketball tournament at the 2020 Olympic Games, securing a place in the quarter-finals.
In Olympic history, Australia have made 15 appearances in the basketball event but are yet to score a medal. In worldwide competitions, the Aussies have not been particularly successful.
However, with 19 gold medals in the FIBA Oceania Championship, the Aussies are set to provide healthy competition for the remaining teams in the tournament.
Result: Bronze Medal (Men) / Quarter-Finals (Women)
Our Pick
Due to their impressive track record, we fancy the United States Men’s Team to take home the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Their odds aren’t the most exciting but they should be a safe winner.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an exciting new event making an appearance at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Skateboarding has not been seen at the Olympic Games before and is one of four new sports added to the schedule.
There are four skateboarding events scheduled to take place at the Summer Olympics which are split by gender. The two categories are park and street.
There are 80 contending spaces available for skateboarding events.
Each of the four events will be made up of the following: one competitor from the host nation (Japan), three competitors from the World Championships, and 16 from the world rankings in the sport. You must first make it through several qualifying rounds before you can compete in the final.
Unlike many of the other sporting events at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, skateboarding is renowned for the young ages of the competitors. In the men’s street skateboarding event, look for Nyjah Huston, who is the strong (+100) favourite to win the gold medal. Some of the female competitors are as young as 13-years-old.
You can expect to see Misugu Okamoto, the gold medalist at the 2019 World Skateboarding Championship, competing this year. Okamoto is sure to earn herself a medal in the Women’s Park skateboarding competition on 4th August.
Ones to Watch
Riders will race at speed, but also have to perform tricks and skills to wow us and pick up points, so look out for some thrilling action, and perhaps the occasional spill.
Sky Brown (Great Britain)
Sky Brown is a 13-year-old British-Japanese skateboarder. Brown qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and is set to represent Team GB in the Women’s Park Skateboarding event.
The qualifying round is set to take place on 4th August and if the 13-year-old manages to qualify, the final is set to take place later that day.
Brown is the youngest professional skateboarder in the world and has previously achieved a bronze medal at the World Skateboarding Championships, despite being only 12-years-old. Brown is a solid contender this year and offers an exciting betting opportunity.
Women’s Park: Bronze Medal
Heimana Reynolds (USA)
Heimana Reynolds, a 22-year-old skateboarder from Hawaii, is set to represent the United States in the Men’s Park Skateboarding event at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The impressive young skateboarder currently holds the gold medal for his efforts in the World Skate Championships in 2019.
Reynolds will be competing in the park event which features a concrete course consisting of curved walls and grinding opportunities.
The 22-year-old will be hoping to impress the judges with some difficult tricks abundant with speed, flow, and power.
He is set to enter the Summer Olympic games as the world ranked number one in skateboarding, making him a promising contender and providing great betting opportunities.
Men’s Park: 13th Place
Sakura Yosozumi (Japan)
Sakura Yosozumi is a professional Japanese skateboarder. At only 19-years-old, Yosozumi has competed in several world competitions and won a series of medals.
Yosozumi is a talented skateboarder, winning a gold medal in the 2018 World Skateboarding Championships, and a silver medal in the same competition in 2019.
The Japanese skateboarder is scheduled to compete in the Women’s Park Skateboarding event on 4th August and is set to be a crowd-pleaser.
Women’s Park: Gold Medal
Our Pick
Given how young some of the favourites are and how many have never competed in an Olympic Games before, it can be tricky to pick out winners. However, Sky Brown has shown plenty of early promise in her career and is surely in with a great chance of nailing the top podium position.
David Nugent Editor
First off, I want to say hi and wish a warm welcome to all gambling aficionados out there! My name is David Nugent and I am editor-in-chief of LegitGambling.com. I have always enjoyed various sports, primarily soccer, as I am a die-hard Everton fan.
Over time, I learned more about sports betting and discovered the fascinating online gambling industry. Eventually,...
