Athletics Betting

When looking at the sport of athletics, betting is relatively limited in regards to betting markets and options. You find that the Olympic Games are the best time to bet on Athletics. Betting on Athletics has been popular since the original ancient Olympic games and it comes as no surprise as countries compete to be the most successful nation in track and field events. However, the Summer Olympics aren't the only time of the year where Athletics are popular as the World Athletics Championships see a large number of bets placed on them during tournament time. You can bet on a World Record to be set and winners at each of these events as well as which country will earn the first gold medal and which country will win the most gold medals at an event. Naturally, there are other sports at the Olympic games and not solely an Athletics competition but one of the largest competitive markets of the modern Olympics is the likes of the 100m.

Betting on 100m running

The 100m is mainly known for one man to the most recent generation and that is Usain Bolt, who holds the top three times for 100m racing with times of 9.58 (world record), 9.63 and 9.69 which is tied third with both Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake. In the modern day, some of the main runners to look out for are Micah Williams, Trayvon Bromell and Fred Kerley of the United States (USA) and then Oblique Seville from Jamaica (JAM) and Ferdinand Omanyala from Kenya (KEN). All of whom have run in the top 25 times of all time in recent years, none have come close to the 9.58 world record but their times are still very impressive.

Due to the small amount of time that the 100m takes place, live betting isn't really an option. However, you can bet in-between races, so when the preliminary round of racing is completed, you'll be able to find competitive odds for the final round of racing. Similar to betting on Formula One, our sports betting markets provide players with winner bets and actions for throughout the race.

Betting on distance running

When betting on running, short distance athletes are more likely to be in the focal point rather than an athlete who runs long distance. Mo Farah is one of the most decorated long-distance runners in UK history. However, his popularity in comparison to the likes of Usain Bolt is quite low but still outstanding in comparison to other athletes. So, knowing the competitors in a race is important but unless a competitor has dominated races in recent years, you likely will have to do some research when looking at who the winning athlete may be.

It is worth taking into account that athletes specifically train for particular lengths. The previously-mentioned Mo Farah and Usain Bolt, Bolt would likely but in a dominant performance in shorter distance but when it comes to long-distance disciplined racing, Mo Farah would likely win by a considerable distance.

So, it's worth looking at the runners in a race and make sure that the race you're betting on is their specialist race, meaning the odds for a win would be lower but you're expecting them to win.

Athletics FAQs

Can athletes bet on themselves?

No. No matter what sport is in-play professional athletes can not bet on themselves or the sport that they are involved in. This is because it is perceived that they may have influence on the performance of another athlete/team. This is the same for other sports such as football and tennis.

What is the most popular race for betting?

The most popular race in the United Kingdom for betting in Athletics is the 100 metres sprint race, this is likely due to the popularity of the race in comparison to other competitions, the possibility of placing a bet on these races isn't new to many people, betting on teams and athletes is as old as time itself.