The Olympics kick off on Friday with the Opening Ceremony on the Seine — live at 1:30 p.m. ET and replayed at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
There will be 206 countries and approximately 10,500 athletes competing in Paris with countless stories to follow. Here are some of the stories we’re watching heading into the Games.
Will Simone Biles add to her GOAT resume?
Biles is already the most decorated gymnast in history, with a total of 37 medals between the Olympics and World Championships, and she is one of the most recognizable athletes of these Games.
She made her Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio and won individual gold medals in the all-around, vault and floor as well as a team gold. However, she was forced to withdraw from most of her events at the 2020 Tokyo Games in 2021 due to a case of the Twisties. That being said, she still managed to leave Tokyo with a silver and a bronze, so even not at her best Biles proved to be one of the top gymnasts in the world.
Biles has been out to prove a point heading into the Paris Games, dominating the U.S. Gymnastics Championships en route to her ninth all-around title there before winning the all-around and the floor exercise at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Biles will be the fourth U.S. gymnast to compete in three Olympic Games.
Biles has the opportunity to become the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast of all time, needing only one medal to surpass current record-holder Shannon Miller (7) and if she can win five medals, Biles will rise to second place on the list of all-time Olympic medal winners in gymnastics. If the 27-year-old wins gold she will become the oldest female U.S. gymnast to achieve that feat.
Biles is currently a -500 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook in the all-around. Here is her likely schedule:
- Team Qualifying — Sunday, July 28, at 3:30 a.m. ET (Peacock)
- Women’s Team Fnal — Tuesday, July 30, at 12:15 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
- Women’s All-Around Final — Thursday, August 1, at 12:15 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
- Women’s Vault Final — Saturday, August 3, at 10:20 a.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
- Women’s Uneven Bars Final — Sunday, August 4, at 9:45 a.m. ET (Peacock)
- Women’s Balance Beam Final — Monday, August 5, at 6:35 a.m. ET (Peacock)
- Women’s Floor Exercise Final — Monday, August 5, at 8:20 a.m. ET (Peacock)
Will USA men’s basketball bring home the gold?
Since the Dream Team demolished the competition in 1992, the basketball world has closed the gap with the United States. But every time it seems like the rest of the world is ready to deny the Americans the gold (excepting the disastrous 2004 bronze-medal squad), Team USA gets serious. And after some lackluster performances recently in international play, it was time for the Avengers to assemble, or should I say the LeVengers.
The United States’ star-studded lineup includes:
- LeBron James
- Jayson Tatum
- Anthony Edwards
- Kevin Durant
- Steph Curry
- Jrue Holiday
- Bam Adebayo
- Anthony Davis
- Joel Embiid
- Tyrese Haliburton
- Devin Booker
- Derrick White
With this collection of NBA all-stars, champions and Hall of Famers, this should be basically a summer vacation, right? Well, not quite.
Team USA was taken to the absolute LIMIT by South Sudan, with only U.S. flag bearer LeBron James helping the Americans avoid a MASSIVE upset, and had to rally to beat Germany after falling behind in the second half. Tune-ups against Canada and Australia were no laughing matter either. So should we be worried about Team USA? Mike Golic Sr. didn’t seem too worried on Monday’s edition of GoJo and Golic.
The U.S. men are currently -500 favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, and have won four out of the last five Olympics tournaments and eight out of the last 10, so history is on their side. Team USA kicks off its Olympics schedule against Nikola Jokic and Serbia on Sunday at 11:15 a.m. ET on NBC as -12.5 point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Americans remaining Group C schedule after Sunday’s game vs. Serbia is as follows:
- Vs. South Sudan — Wednesday, July 31, at 3 p.m. ET (USA)
- Vs. Puerto Rico — Saturdau, August 3, at 11:15 a.m. ET (NBC)
The men’s basketball quarterfinal round begins on Tuesday, August 6.
Can Diana Taurasi win her sixth gold medal and become the most decorated team athlete in U.S. Olympic history?
DT has done it all — NCAA champion, College Player of the Year, WNBA all-star, WNBA MVP, WNBA champion. But for our discussion at hand, it’s important to note that she’s a five-time Olympic gold medal winner.
If Taurasi, 42, can lead the U.S. women to victory she will break a medal tie with fellow UConn product Sue Bird and become the first athlete to win six straight gold medals in basketball.
Taurasi may be on the back nine of her career, but she is averaging 16.1 points per game for the Phoenix Mercury this season, along with 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Taurasi put up 14 points with five assists and six rebounds in 20 minutes in a 117-109 loss to the WNBA All-Stars. She followed that up with five points, two assists and two rebounds in an 84-57 win over Germany in Team USA’s final tune-up.
The U.S. women are -1800 favorites to win the gold on DraftKings Sportsbook and will kick off their Olympic journey on Monday against Japan as -19.5 favorites. Team USA’s Group C schedule is as follows:
- Vs. Japan — Monday, July 29, at 3 p.m. ET (USA Network)
- Vs. Belgium — Thursday, August 1, at 3 p.m. ET (USA Network)
- Vs. Germany — Sunday, August 4, at 11:15 a.m. ET (USA Network)
The women’s basketball quarterfinal round begins on Wednesday, August 7.
Can Sha’Carri Richardson complete her redemption story in Paris?
Richardson looked to be a potential breakout star of the Games in Tokyo back in 2021, but after winning the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Trials she was suspended and missed the Olympics after testing positive for THC. Despite widespread criticism of her suspension, including from U.S. President Joe Biden, Richardson was not allowed to compete in Tokyo. But she did make a promise.
Was she able to keep that promise? Oh, hell yeah! She was victorious in the 100-meter dash at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest with a time of 10.65 seconds and also added a gold in the 4 x 100 meter relay. She then went on to win the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Trials in a time of 10.71 seconds, giving Richardson two of the top three times in the world in the event in the last year.
Richardson is currently a -225 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook and her Olympic journey begins on Friday, August 2, at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock with the women’s 100 meter final following on Saturday, August 3, at 1:10 p.m. ET on USA Network. She may also compete in the women’s 4x 100 relay, with the first heats going down on Thursday, August 8, at 4 a.m. ET on USA Network with the finals going down on Friday, August 9, at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Will Katie Ledecky dominate in the pool once again?
Ledecky arrives at her fourth Olympic Games with seven gold medals out of her 10 total Olympic medals and could leave Paris as the most decorated female swimmer in U.S. Olympic history. Only Jenny Thompson (12) has more Olympic medals than Ledecky, who has created quite a lasting legacy for herself.
Ledecky burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at the Games in London in 2012, winning the 800-meter freestyle. Ledecky followed that up with four golds (200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay) and a silver (4x100m freestyle relay) in Rio in 2016. She then went on to add two more golds (800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle) and two silvers (400m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay) at the 2020 Games in Tokyo in 2021.
Ledecky, who has broken 14 world records and currently holds two (800m freestyle and the 1500m freestyle) will compete in four events in Paris:
- 400-meter freestyle (+350 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook), beginning on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC
- 800-meter freestyle (-400 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook), beginning on Friday, August 2, at 5:00 a.m. ET on USA Network
- 1500-meter freestyle (-3500 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook), beginning on Tuesday, July 30 at 5 a.m. on Peacock
- 4x200m freestyle relay, beginning on Thursday, August 1 at 5:00 a.m. ET on USA Network.
Besides all of the stories listed above, everyone will be watching to see which country will take home the most gold medals. Depending on your state, DraftKings Sportsbook users can bet on this market, with Team USA currently listed as a -750 favorite. China follows at +350 followed by the host country France at +6500.
Make sure to stay locked in on DraftKings Network for more Olympic coverage throughout the Games from Paris!
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
