The team at Sportsbet has been hard at it doing Olympics form, hunting for winners in sports from archery to weightlifting and everything in between. Here are Sportsbet’s Tokyo 2020 tips for Day 1 on Saturday with the feature tips in the Swimming, Beach Volleyball, Shooting, Weightlifting and Handball.
SWIMMING
Womens 400m Individual Medley – Gold
BET: Emma Weyant (USA) at $6.00
There is no doubt Katinka Hosszu is deserved of favouritism considering that she has dominated this event for six years but she is 32 now, ancient in swimming years, and her times in 2021 have not been outstanding. Weyant shaved two seconds off her personal best when posting the fastest time in 2021 to qualify.
Womens 100m Butterfly – Gold
BET: Zhang Yufei (CHN) at $2.88
Zhang surprisingly goes in second favourite behind American Torri Huske. Zhang has the third-fastest time ever – and posted that less than 12 months ago. That was 0.04s faster than Huske’s time at the Team Trials this year.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
BET: Alexander Brouwer & Robert Meeuwsen (NED) at $5.40
The Dutch duo nicknamed the ‘Bash Brothers’ medalled in Rio and come into Tokyo playing well having won a recent four-star tournament. Have an experience edge over the top seeds and are 5-3 in qualifying against teams in their group.
SHOOTING
Mens 10m Air Pistol – Gold
BET: Javad Foroughi (IRI) at $7.50
No shooter in the men’s 10m Air Pistol comes into the Games in better form than Iranian Foroughi. He won this event at World Cup events in Osijek and New Delhi this year. Looks the be on the up.
Womens 10m Air Rifle – Gold
BET: Laura-Georgeta Ilie (ROU) at $8.50
The women’s 10m Air Rifle is a wide open affair. Happy to go with the consistent Romanian Laura-Georgeta Ilie. She has been in very good form in her best event with wins in the 2019 and 2020 European Championships and medals in the 2017 and 2019 World Cup finals.
HANDBALL
Mens Team – Gold
BET: Denmark at $3.10
The best side in the men’s game having won gold in Rio and at the 2019 and 2021 World Championships. While other teams have injury concerns to key players, Denmark go in with the best scorer and best goalkeeper both in full health. They look excellent value to win gold in Tokyo.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Womens 49kg – Gold
BET: Hou Zhihui (CHN) at $1.08
One for the multis as too short to get heavily involved in straight out. Hou Zhihui is the world record holder and her main competitor is not here as there is only one representative per country. She lifts at least 7kg better than her primary Olympic competitor. Will win.
