The 2024 Olympic Field Hockey odds have been released, setting the stage for some thrilling hockey action in the upcoming games. In the upcoming field hockey tournament, the men's competition is split into Group A, featuring Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France and South Africa, while Group B features Belgium, India, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland.
The women's Group A consists of the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Japan, China and France. Group B consists of Australia, Argentina, Great Britain, Spain, USA and South Africa.
The field hockey competition will take place in a truly historic location: the Yves du Manoir Stadium in Colombes.
This iconic venue was the site of the first Olympic Games to be held in Paris in 1924 and has played a pivotal role in French sporting history.
The schedule for the men's tournament at the Paris Olympics will get underway on July 27, with the quarterfinals on August 4, the semifinals on August 6 and the bronze and gold medal matches beginning on Thursday, August 8.
The women's tournament will also begin on July 27, with the quarterfinals on August 5, the semifinals on August 7 and the bronze and gold medal matches on August 9.
Oddsmakers consider the men's tournament to be fairly close, with short odds on four different teams and long odds on the remaining teams. The women's tournament looks much more uneven, with the Netherlands women's team the overwhelming favorite to win.
Let's take a look at the 2024 Olympic field hockey odds and see if there are any worthwhile hockey picks to prepare for these two Olympic tournaments.
Odds of winning a gold medal
Here are the 2024 Olympic Field Hockey odds:
Women's Hockey Gold Medal Winners:
| Country | Odds |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | -195 |
| Argentina | +700 |
| Germany | +950 |
| Australia | +950 |
| Belgium | +1700 |
| China | +2500 |
| England | +2900 |
| Spain | +3400 |
| Japan | +6500 |
| South Africa | +10000 |
| France | +10000 |
| united states of america | +10000 |
The odds for the men's competition are as follows:
| Country | Odds |
|---|---|
| Belgium | +290 |
| Netherlands | +350 |
| Australia | +350 |
| Germany | +410 |
| India | +1400 |
| England | +1600 |
| Argentina | +1700 |
| Spain | +2200 |
| new zealand | +5000 |
| Ireland | +6500 |
| France | +6500 |
| South Africa | +10000 |
Men's tournament: fierce competition
Belgium is the favourite to win gold again at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the Netherlands, Australia and Germany are also desperate to snatch gold medal glory. At the Tokyo Olympics, Belgium took home the gold medal after winning silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Australia won silver and India came third in Tokyo with a bronze medal.
Fresh off their 2023 World Cup victory, Germany enters the Paris Olympics as another contender for field hockey gold. But the road to glory won't be easy. Germany boasts an experienced and rebuilding squad, but their biggest asset may be the addition of star player Gonzalo Payatte. Payatte, who unexpectedly moved to Germany to win the World Cup after winning Olympic gold with Argentina in 2016, brings a wealth of experience and a winning mentality.
Germany are strong but face tough competition from defending champions Belgium, who boast a young squad. The Netherlands, with their young players under coach Jeroen Delme, and two-time champions Australia also pose major threats. India are the most decorated team, having won the tournament an astounding eight times and looking to end a gold medal drought that dates back to 1980. At +1400, India are a worthy long-shot option.
Great Britain is also a dark horse to watch, promising a nice return at +900 and having a solid performance in the 2024 Men's FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers despite losing 1-0 to Germany in the final.
Either Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands or Australia seems likely to win gold in Paris, but with four different teams vying for the top spot, anything can happen.
Will the Dutch women's national team's dominance continue?
The Netherlands women's hockey team will enter the Paris Olympics as the undisputed queens of their sport, with an illustrious resume that includes nine Olympic medals in ten appearances, including four gold medals across different age groups.
The 2004 Athens Games marked a turning point for the country, as it won its first silver medal there, followed by consecutive gold medals in Beijing and London, solidifying its position as an Olympic powerhouse. Although it narrowly lost in the final of the 2016 Rio Games, it again won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games, which proved to be a major blow.
Now, in Paris, the Dutch women's team, the team with the most Olympic hockey titles in history, is carrying high expectations and a strong hockey core. In the most recent FIH Hockey Pro League season, the team dominated their rivals with an astonishing record of winning 15 of 16 games and losing just one.
Their attacking prowess was unquestionable, scoring 31 goals in the first five games alone, and after securing the title early on, they continued to be relentless in their attacks and demonstrated their dominance.
This impressive performance follows an equally dominant 2023 season, in which they achieved a perfect record with 15 wins and one draw (decided by a penalty shootout loss). This recent history clearly shows that the Netherlands are a force to be reckoned with.
In the women's tournament, the bronze and silver medals will likely be contested between a few different teams. Germany, Argentina, Australia and Belgium are the four most likely to compete for the final two medals, but it may come down to who can avoid the Dutch women for the longest.
For more Olympic betting news, odds analysis and more, check out Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
