Can I bet on the Olympics? 2024 Paris Games gambling responsibly
Published:
Jul 8, 2024
,
09:52 p.m.
ET
With sporting events like Wimbledon and the British Grand Prix currently and recently taking place, there have been plenty of American fans with their sights outside the country. That will only increase with the upcoming 2024 Paris Games.
The Olympics bring out patriotism in sports fans, and it also brings out new betting markets from sportsbooks. Therefore, it’s important to understand how to keep that passion in check and know how to gamble on the 2024 Summer Olympics responsibly.
Is it legal to bet on the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics?
Location Considerations
While Team USA in the 2024 Paris Games will have representation from around the country, only certain locations can legally wager on the events. There are currently 38 locations in the U.S. where some form of sports betting is legal; however, there are five of those locations in which wagering on the 2024 Paris Games specifically will not be provided. Those five are Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C.
That leaves 33 states with legal sports betting that will also allow wagering on the 2024 Paris Games, which we’ve listed below:
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming
Age Considerations
Not only does your location determine whether or not you can wager on the 2024 Summer Olympics, but there are also age requirements. That is primarily 21 years of age, but that does not apply to all the locations above.
There are three of those states where the age requirement is just 18, which are Kentucky, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. However, keep in mind that sportsbooks within those states can still keep the 21-year-old age requirement. Similarly, even if you are 18, 19 or 20 and from those states, that does not mean you can legally place wagers in the other locations with legal sports betting.
Are all Olympic sports available for betting?
Along with meeting legal obligations for betting on the 2024 Paris Games, fans may also be curious as to which sports will have available betting markets. For the 2024 Paris Games, there are 32 sports and 329 events, so the options are vast.
It will depend on the sportsbook as to which sports and the variety of betting markets that will be offered. In other words, there are not Olympic sports that are outright disallowed for wagers, but the options will vary.
For example, betting on basketball, swimming and tennis will be among those with the most available betting markets, while you may struggle to find any focusing on trampoline, equestrian and breakdancing.
When are the 2024 Summer Olympics? Paris Games dates
With so many sports on deck for fans to enjoy, when does the action start? Well, the official dates for the 2024 Paris Games are July 26 through August 11. However, fans will actually be able to enjoy watching events as early as July 24 with preliminary rounds, but the Opening Ceremony will occur at 1:30 PM ET on July 26.
How to watch the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics
There are over two weeks of Olympic sports to enjoy, so it’s important to know how to do so. As you’d expect with so much going on, there will be a nearly countless number of options. Primarily, there will be action on NBC and Telemundo from 9 AM ET to 6 PM ET every day.
Of course, they won’t be able to air every event currently occurring, so other broadcasters that will share the action are USA Network, the Golf Channel, and CNBC. Along with those options is the E! Channel, and there will also be live streams on Peacock. In fact, with Team USA in basketball being one of the most exciting squads in the 2024 Paris Games, it’s worth noting that all of their games will be streamed on Peacock.
Dangers & risks of betting on the 2024 Summer Olympics
As many sports fans know, the Olympics don’t come around every day and are far from your standard sports season. That is part of the thrill of the games, but that also brings a unique risk to betting on the events.
First and foremost, the Summer Olympics occur in arguably the slowest time of year in the sports world. As for Americans, the NFL, NBA and NHL are all in the offseason, which alongside MLB and PGA TOUR are widely considered the most popular leagues.
Therefore, sports fans can get into a mindset of wanting to wager on the Olympics simply for the fact that it feels like the only significant set of events going on. Furthermore, these are events that are not generally followed outside of this two-week period.
While sports like basketball, tennis and soccer are followed throughout the year, events like badminton, diving, and water polo are not, generally speaking. That can lead to wagering on events with a lack of adequate knowledge, creating an increased risk.
Problem Gambling resources & treatment
Given what we just discussed with the inherent and increased dangers and risks of betting on the 2024 Summer Olympics, it’s just as important to be aware of the problem gambling resources available. Not only is it useful to understand how to wager on the 2024 Paris Games smartly and responsibly, but also that Birches Health is available for those in need.
Whether you or someone you know is either dealing with a gambling addiction or at risk, Birches can help. Their online service is led by licensed professionals that have been able to improve patients’ quality of life to the tune of 90%. Their proven services are readily available, as there are many options for taking an initial step toward help and recovery with Birches Health:
You can also simply call 833-483-3838 or email hello@bircheshealth.com to get in contact directly with the Birches team right away.
Sources:
Olympics Odds 2024: Paris Summer Olympic Games
Paris Olympics 2024 schedule: Complete time, dates for each event at Summer Games
