Winter Olympics: Team USA Faces Steep Odds In Medal Race

The 2022 Winter Olympics set to begin next week in China. How is the U.S. Olympic Team looking? Not that great if we go by the Olympic betting lines. Team USA is currently at +1500 to capture the most gold medals and +1200 to win the most medals in total.

Given Team USA’s recent performances, we can’t fault any patriotic fan for taking this opportunity to bet online on their country while their odds remain this long.

Medal Odds: Team USA Fourth at Best?

Team USA

• To Win The Most Gold Medals: +1500

• To Win The Most Medals: +1200

• Best Sports: Figure skating, snowboarding, skeleton

• Number of Athletes: 223

When it comes to winning, Team USA usually gets it done through quantity and quality. The nation has generally sent the most athletes to the Winter Olympics and this year is no different as the U.S. one of only two nations to have over 200 participants.

Performance-wise, Team USA has only finished with the most medals in the Winter Games once since 1932: the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where it was only third in gold medals. Team USA did finish as a runner-up to the medal tally in 2002, 2006 and 2014.

As a nation that tends to celebrate winning above everything, the U.S. team has not finished with the most gold medals since Lake Placid in 1932. It came close in 2006 with the second-most. The U.S. Olympic Team will be competitive through most of the competition but finishing “close” to first won’t cash any bets here.

Norway

• To Win The Most Gold Medals: -500

• To Win The Most Medals: -700

• Best Sports: Cross country skiing, Nordic combined, Ski jumping

• Number of Athletes: 73

Norway leads both outright medal odds by a significant margin. The Nordic nation has won the most medals and gold medals in the history of the games with 368 and 132, respectively. In the last three Winter Olympics, Norway averaged 29 medals and 11 golds.

The Norwegians finished with the most medals in 2018, setting a national record with 39. They were second in 2014. Norway also tied for the most gold medals in both Olympics, and it’s not just a recent trend for this nation.

The Norwegians brought home the most medals from Salt Lake City in 2002 and Grenoble in 1968. In fact, in the last eight Olympics, Norway finished top-three in the medal count six times. They were fourth in 2010.

As far as “safe” bets on the BetUS online sportsbook, Norway has plenty of influence due to its prolific performances across almost every classic winter sport. They traditionally dominate events like skiing.

Germany

• To Win The Most Gold Medals: +500

• To Win The Most Medals: +900

• Best Sports: Biathlon, Luge, Bobsleigh

• Number of Athletes: 151

Death. Taxes. Germany being competitive in an international sporting event. Yes, Deutschland is one of the Winter Olympic powers. Since returning to compete as a single nation in 1992, Germany has finished in the top three in the medal count in all but one Olympics (2014). Germany captured the most gold medals in 2006, 1998 and 1992, and tied for the most in 2018.

In terms of sheer number of athletes, Germany has doubled Norway’s this year, staying consistent in how many participants they’ve sent. Norway has dropped from 134 in 2014 to 109 in 2018 and down to 73 in 2022, which is the fewest they’re sending since 1988 (they finished 12th in the medal table).

As far as underdogs go, Germany has plenty of betting appeal. They have won the third-most medals and average more medals per Olympics (20) than Norway and Team USA. At 9-1, they may just upset the betting lines.

It’s a stereotype, but when it comes to consistency and excellence, you can do much worse than Germany.

ROC (Russian Olympic Committee)

• To Win The Most Gold Medals: +1000

• To Win The Most Medals: +900

• Best Sports: Cross country skiing, figure skating, biathlon

• Number of Athletes: 212

The Russians will be, once again, dark horses in this year’s Olympics. Dark horse couldn’t better describe a nation that has been mired with controversy and secrecy. Prior to the fiasco at Sochi, Russia did finish with the most medals in 1994 in Lillehammer and had the third-most in 1998.

But since the doping scandal, the Russians have not been quite as dominant. In 2018, participating as the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR), the group won 17 medals (two gold), good for 13th overall.

Like Team USA, the ROC will be sending over 200 participants. They’ll be a gold medal threat in events like figure skating and skiing, but also in ice hockey with the NHL players are sitting out.

China

• To Win The Most Gold Medals: +5000

• To Win The Most Medals: +10000

• Best Sports: Short track speed skating, freestyle skiing

• Number of Athletes: 171

The “home team” is down the odds table as China has never been much of a competitor in the Winter Games. This will be their 11th participation and they’ve accumulated 62 medals, an average of just under six medals per Winter Olympics.

Even with an all-time high of 171 participants, China is not favored to win any of the events. This nation won one gold medal in 2018 and has won no more than five, which it did back in 2010.

If we didn’t know better, we’d say that the “home-ice advantage” may lead to China winning more medals than they’re expected. But we’re not alluding to anything. Carry on.