2024 Olympics: Analyzing Team USA Basketball Point Spread Betting Odds

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A group photo of the USA men's basketball team for the 2024 USA men's Olympic basketball odds.

With the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics fast approaching many sportsbooks have started to release early sports betting odds for the top basketball teams. The games are set to run from July 27 to August 11, starting in Lille, France.

With the US men's team having won 15 out of 18 Olympic tournaments and the women's team securing gold in 8 out of their 10 past appearances, the expectations are high for both to pursue gold once again, with the USA men’s team as the favorite with odds at -220 followed by Serbia at +400 and Canada at +600.

2024 Olympic Basketball: Key Contenders

For the Paris 2024 Olympic men's competition, the current Olympic basketball odds as of March 2024, indicate a competitive lineup with the USA in the lead by a large margin.

2024 Olympic Basketball Odds

Country Basketball Odds USA -240 Serbia +400 Canada +600 France +800 Germany +900 Australia +1,400 Spain +1,600 Slovenia +2,000

USA (-240)

The USA team is expected to make a strong performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite their recent bronze medal overtime loss to Canada at the last FIBA World Cup. Devin Booker’s famous willingness to adapt to whatever role is needed has become the shared mentality of the team, and this cements USA’s commitment to taking home the gold this year

Why Is The U.S. Heavily Favored?

If we are judging by past performances alone, the US has won Olympic gold 16 times out of their 19 appearances. This remarkable track record coupled with the largest pool of skilled basketball players in the world makes them the strongest contender his year.

We expect that Joel Embiid, originally from Cameroon, will make his Olympic debut for the U.S. High-profile players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry have also reportedly committed to playing. So, we can expect one of the strongest U.S. Olympic rosters in recent memory.

Serbia (+400)

Coming off a second-place finish at the World Cup, where they lost to Germany, Serbia has proven its strength on the international stage and marked itself as a strong contender for the upcoming games. The possible addition of Nikola Jokic could greatly benefit their odds of winning. His skill set, combined with the team’s existing NBA-level talent and consistent play, positions Serbia as a team to look out for at Paris 2024.

Canada (+600)

Canada’s shocking recent victory over the USA for the bronze medal at the World Cup as well as the potential involvement of players like Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Andrew Wiggins has proven that Canada is a formidable opponent and should not be underestimated on the international stage.

France (+800)

France is currently listed at +800 odds for the upcoming Olympic games. Their poor performance at the 2023 World Cup was mainly due to the absence of key players like Victor Wembanyama, who withdrew to focus on his first NBA season. If Wembanyama remains injury-free and decides to play in the Olympics, France's odds could see a substantial improvement. Beyond Wembanyama, the return of seasoned veterans such as Rudy Gobert, known for his defensive prowess, and Evan Fournier, whose scoring ability stretches defenses, could transform France's dynamics on the court.

Australia (+1100)

While Australia may have fallen short in their quest for a medal at the World Cup, they still demonstrated their potential to compete with some of the top teams in the world. Led by NBA superstars Ben Simmons and Joe Ingles, along with a talented supporting cast, Australia has proven to be formidable on both ends of the court.

Team USA Men

USA Basketball announced a selection of 41 Olympic athletes for the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team player pool today. The selection was made by USA Basketball Men’s National Managing Director Grant Hill, and is a mix of seasoned veterans and emerging stars.

The current player pool includes 28 athletes who have previously represented the USA in the Olympics and/or FIBA Men’s World Cup competitions. Collectively, these olympic athletes have earned an impressive 23 Olympic or World Cup gold medals, and will be coached by Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs,

The 2024 USA Men’s National finalists include:

Bam Adebayo
Jarrett Allen
Paolo Banchero
Desmond Bane
Scottie Barnes
Devin Booker
Mikal Bridges
Jaylen Brown
Jalen Brunson
Jimmy Butler
Alex Caruso
Stephen Curry
Anthony Davis
Kevin Durant
Anthony Edwards
Joel Embiid
De’Aaron Fox
Paul George
Aaron Gordon
Tyrese Haliburton
James Harden
Josh Hart
Tyler Herro
Jrue Holiday
Chet Holmgren
Brandon Ingram
Kyrie Irving
Jaren Jackson Jr.
LeBron James
Cam Johnson
Walker Kessler
Kawhi Leonard
Damian Lillard
Donovan Mitchell
Chris Paul
Bobby Portis
Austin Reaves
Duncan Robinson
Jayson Tatum
Derrick White
Trae Young

This list is subject to change, and the final 12-member team that will compete at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris will be announced at a future date.

TEAM USA WOMEN

The USA women's basketball team features a mix of seasoned professionals and rising stars.

1. Diana Taurasi (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020)
2. Ariel Atkins (2020)
3. Chelsea Gray (2020)
4. Brittney Griner (2016, 2020)
5. Jewell Loyd (2020)
6. Kelsey Plum (2020, 3x3)
7. Breanna Stewart (2016, 2020)
8. A’ja Wilson (2020)
9. Jackie Young (2020, 3x3)
10. Shakira Austin (2022 World Cup)
11. Sabrina Ionescu (2022 World Cup)
12. Aliyah Boston (Previous Training Camps)
13. Rhyne Howard (Previous Training Camps)
14. Caitlin Clark (Contingent on NCAA; 2021 USA Women’s U19 National)

It was recently confirmed that Kara Lawson (Duke University), Joni Taylor (Texas A&M University), and Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) have been appointed as assistant coaches for the 2024 USA Women’s National Team.

Team USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Schedule

July 25: USA vs. France (8 a.m. ET)
July 28: USA vs. Iran (12:40 p.m. ET)
July 31: USA vs. TBD (8 a.m. ET)
Aug. 3: Men’s quarterfinals
Aug. 5: Men’s semifinals
Aug. 6: Men’s gold medal game
Aug. 7: Men’s bronze medal game

Team USA Women’s Olympic Basketball Schedule

July 27: USA vs. Nigeria (12:40 a.m. ET)
July 30: USA vs. Japan (12:40 a.m. ET)
Aug 2: USA vs. France (12:40 a.m. ET)
Aug. 4: Women’s quarterfinals
Aug. 6: Women’s semifinals
Aug. 7: Bronze medal game
Aug. 8: Gold medal game

Olympic Basketball Sports Betting Insights and Strategies

Now that you’re all caught up on which teams and players to keep an eye out for during this Olympics, let’s take a closer look at how you can maximize your wins with such information. Betting on Olympic basketball requires knowledge of the game's rules, an analysis of teams and players, and bet types and basketball odds.

How to Bet on Olympic Basketball: Bet Types and Odds

Olympic basketball sports betting involves a few primary types of bets.

Moneyline Bets: A moneyline bet is straightforward—it's a wager on which team will win the game.

Example: If you believe Team USA will beat Italy, you would place a moneyline bet on Team USA.

Point Spread Bets: Point spread bets concentrate on the margin of victory rather than simply the game's outcome.

How It Works:

For example, if Team USA is heavily favored to win against Italy, the betting line might be set at Team USA -12.5.
Betting on Team USA: The odds of -12.5 signifies a prediction that Team USA will win by 13 points or more.
Betting on Italy: The odds of +12.5, on the other hand, indicate the belief that Italy will either win outright or lose by fewer than 13 points, thus keeping the game closer than a 12.5-point margin.

Futures Bets : These bets are placed on events that will happen in the future, such as which team will win the Olympic Basketball gold medal.

Example: Canada is listed at odds of +1,600, implying that a $100 bet on Canada to win the gold could yield a profit of $1,600 if they succeed.

Factors Influencing Sports Betting Trends

There are several factors that bettors should consider when betting on basketball in the Olympics

Team Strength and Roster Composition: The abilities and depth of a team’s roster are critical. For instance, teams like the USA usually have the best odds of winning due to their NBA talent.
Historical Performance: Past Olympic basketball performances also greatly influence odds. It's best to back teams with strong track records.
Injuries and Player Availability: Changes in a lineup, especially due to injuries or player withdrawals, can significantly shift sports betting odds.

Understanding Olympic Basketball and NBA Rule Differences

Several rule differences between the NBA and Olympic basketball are crucial for bettors:

Game Duration: Olympic basketball games last 40 minutes, compared to the 48-minute NBA games. This difference can impact the total points scored in a game.
3-Point Line Distance: The 3-point line is closer in Olympic basketball (22 feet, 1.75 inches) than in the NBA (23 feet, 9 inches). This can have an impact on shooting percentages.
Fouls: Players are allowed five fouls in Olympic basketball before fouling out,which is one less than in the NBA.

Olympic Basketball: Historical Insights

Like we mentioned before, a big part of maximizing your wins while betting on Olympic Basketball involves analyzing past trends and patterns.

Previous Olympic Men's Basketball Winners

Since the debut of the USA’s 1992 Dream Team, the men's basketball team has always been primarily made up of top NBA players , and this is why they have consistently achieved top results winning medals in all 19 of their Olympic appearances including 16 gold medals.

2020: The United States took home the gold with France as the runner-up in Tokyo.
2016: The United States won against Serbia in Rio De Janeiro.
2012: The competition in London saw the United States defeating Spain.
2008: Again, the United States claimed victory over Spain in Beijing.
2004: Argentina broke the USA’s streak by winning against Italy in Athens.
2000: The United States secured a win against France in Sydney.
1996: The United States triumphed over Yugoslavia* in Atlanta.
1992: The United States defeated Croatia in Barcelona.
1988: The Soviet Union* won against Yugoslavia* in Seoul.
1984: The United States claimed victory over Spain in Los Angeles.

Most Olympic Men's Basketball Medals All-Time

It’s clear that United States emerges as the clear leader when ranking countries by their success in Olympic basketball:

United States: Total 19, Gold 16, Silver 1, Bronze 2
Soviet Union*: Total 9, Gold 2, Silver 4, Bronze 3
Yugoslavia*: Total 5, Gold 1, Silver 3, Bronze 1
Argentina: Total 2, Gold 1, Silver 0, Bronze 1
Spain: Total 4, Gold 0, Silver 3, Bronze 1
France: Total 3, Gold 0, Silver 3, Bronze 0
Italy: Total 2, Gold 0, Silver 2, Bronze 0

Largest US Olympic Point Spread Wins

Historically, the United States has won 15 games by 54 points or more in Olympic competitions. However, since NBA players began participating in 1992, the odds of such substantial wins have become less common, occurring only a few times since 1996.

Recent High-Margin Wins

2020 Summer Olympics (vs. Iran): Achieved a +54 point victory.
2016 Summer Olympics (vs. China): Secured a +57 point victory.
2012 Olympics (vs. Nigeria): Recorded the largest USA margin of victory in Olympic competition with +83 points.
1996 Summer Olympics (vs. China): Won with a +63 point margin.

This data indicates that while the USA team has the talent and ability to achieve large victory margins, increased competitiveness among international teams has made these outcomes less predictable.

Conclusion

As the 2024 Olympics approach, it's clear that the USA basketball team is poised to continue its tradition of excellence with its current team's blend of talent and strategic play remains a key factor in their potential for success. However, they will have to face the increasingly competitive international teams like Serbia and Canada, making it more challenging to maintain their dominance in the Olympics. One thing is for sure: the world will be watching with anticipation as Team USA takes on their opponents on the court and defends their legacy as one of the greatest basketball teams in history.

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Paul Richard is a professional sports betting and casino content writer with over three years of experience. He provides expert tips, strategies, and betting advice to help bettors succeed.