Is The Beijing Olympics Set To Flop?
While for some time we have all been able to gamble on almost any sporting event in the world, the Olympics is a little different as it is not always clear that we are gambling on a level playing field. There are a number of reasons why you need to be careful when looking at a bet on the Olympics, which include:
Potential Call Offs
We are hearing more and more rumours about potential boycotts and call offs as we approach the 2008 Games, and while it seems unlikely that we will see any countries dropping out at this late stage, will the top athletes really be totally focused on the games?
Drug Cheats
The Olympics was for many years deemed to be one of the ‘cleanest’ sporting events in the world with comprehensive drug testing procedures and the like, but of late we have seen a number of athletes caught trying to enhance their skills. This now begs the question for those looking to bet on the games, are you putting your money on someone who will suffer because of the increased instances of performance enhancing medication.
Team Strategy
Over the last few years we have also seen a great move towards team play and team tactics which has seen many athletes give up their chances of victory for the ‘good of the team’. It is this trend which has prompted many gamblers to consider if they will get a true run for their money.
While the Olympics are one of the great sporting events of the world, as far as a gambling event it has been pretty much ignored by the majority of the gambling fraternity. There seem to be so many issues off the track and off the pitch for competitors to worry about, never mind that fact that they will be pitting their wits against the best athletes in the world. Great to watch, but very difficult to predict!
