Athletics betting bigger than ever

From the opening event on August 15, the women's heptathlon, until the traditional final athletics event of the Games, the men's marathon on August 24, there will be 47 gold medals up for grabs, guaranteeing more athletics bets than in Athens four years ago.

Athletics odds will be available on most of the leading events, and none will be more eagerly awaited than the men's 100m. Many will be placing athletics bets on world record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica, but there will be plenty interest in the betting on his compatriot Asafa Powell - who has run the second-fastest time ever at 9.74.

Another event that captures more than its share of athletics betting is the decathlon, regarded as the contest to find the world's greatest athlete.

A competition that captured the attention of the whole of Britain in the days of double Olympic champion Daley Thompson, the event has seen Czech Roman Sebrle dominate the athletics odds in recent years. Sebrle set a world record of 9027 points in 2001 - which still stands - and followed the 2004 Olympic title with the World Championships gold in Osaka in 2007.

Jumpers hard to split in athletics odds

The event that has been the tightest in terms of athletics odds in recent times has been the men's high jump. In 2007 four athletes cleared a season's best 2.35m, three of them doing so in the World Championships final, including winner Donald Thomas of the Bahamas.

Hopes are high in Beijing of a home winner in the 110m hurdles, with Liu Xiang having upset the athletics odds when he came from behind to beat American Terrence Trammell in last year's World Championships.

American athletes have traditionally been at the top of the world list and athletics odds, as seen in the World Championships when their winners included Bernard Lagat, who doubled up with golds in the 1500m and 5000m. Tyson Gay landed winning athletics bets in both the sprints, setting a championship record of 19.76 to win the 200m final.

Germany the focus of post-Olympics athletics bets

After Beijing, the vocus on athletics betting is Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadium in Stuttgart on September 13 for the IAAF/VT Bank World Final.

The athletics odds in Germany will bound to be shortest on the Olympic champions repeating their success, but many in the 55,000 strong crowd as well as those with bets, will be rooting for those who are after revenge for defeat in Beijing.

Germany will also be the scene for the second biggest athletics betting event in the world, the 2009 World Championships, between August 15-23.

On the domestic athletics betting scene, the ever-popular Great North Run in Newcastle and the Great South Run in Portsmouth will present a lighthearted opportunity for amateur runners to upset the odds against top names.

It will also offer a good opportunity for more athletics betting with leading competitors like 2007 Great North Run winner, Kenya's Martin Lel, poised to compete again.

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