- The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games are set to begin on July 23.
- The event was postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The event will continue as scheduled despite much of Japan being under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus.
Despite considerable controversy over their status amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games are set to begin on July 23, 2021. The International Olympic Committee has defiantly gone ahead with plans for the Olympics despite a continuing state of emergency in Japan and against the wishes of the public. The Japanese media is now grudgingly starting to accept that the Olympics will take place–like it or not. And there’s plenty of people who *don’t* like it. In late May, Japan’s Asahi Simbun newspaper called for the games to be cancelled–even at the late date:
“We cannot think it’s rational to host the Olympics in the city this summer. Distrust and backlash against the reckless national government, Tokyo government and stakeholders in the Olympics are nothing but escalating. We demand Prime Minister Suga to calmly evaluate the circumstances and decide the cancellation of the summer event.”
Asahi Simbun is a major nationwide newspaper and–significantly–are a sponsor of the Tokyo Olympics. About the same time as the Asahi Simbun story a recent poll indicated that 83% of the Japanese population want the games to be cancelled. So too do Tokyo doctors (the Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association) and a growing chorus of Japanese business leaders. Despite all of this opposition, the International Olympic Committee has been unwavering–ironic, given that public sentiment is reportedly a factor in considering which cities are awarded the games in the first place.
There have been a growing number of protests in the streets of Tokyo. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tokyo residents were not only losing interest in the prospect of hosting the Olympics but showing alarm over the high cost and general bureaucratic mess. The absurdity of holding the games amid a resurgence of COVID-19 has further galvanized opposition.
The only apparent concession is that much of the live event component has been scaled back. International spectators are not being allowed though domestic fans will be allowed to attend. This isn’t a huge deal from a financial standpoint since the real money is in the broadcast rights. The IOC earned $4.5 billion USD for the broadcast rights for 2018 and 2020. Even the ‘concession’ ends up screwing the host city and country–the real upside for them is the worldwide exposure and even more so the revenue from international fans. Since they’re not coming, some estimates suggest that Japan could lose as much as $23 billion USD. As a TV product, the financial benefit accrues almost exclusively to the International Olympic Committee–who are planning to add crowd noise to the broadcasts a la the NFL during the 2020 regular season to simulate an enthusiastic live crowd where none exists.
Even amid the controversy, the Olympics–Summer and Winter–always offer some unique betting opportunities. BetOnline.ag has posted some medal count Over/Under odds.
TOKYO SUMMER OLYMPICS MEDAL COUNT PROPS
AUSTRALIA TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 12.5 Medals -135 Under 12.5 Medals -105
AUSTRALIA TOTAL MEDALS
Over 39.5 Medals -140 Under 39.5 Medals -100
BELGIUM TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 1.5 Medals -180 Under 1.5 Medals +140
BELGIUM TOTAL MEDALS
Over 7.5 Medals -135 Under 7.5 Medals -105
CANADA TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 4.5 Medals -130 Under 4.5 Medals -110
CANADA TOTAL MEDALS
Over 19.5 Medals -120 Under 19.5 Medals -120
CHINA TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 36.5 Medals -135 Under 36.5 Medals -105
CHINA TOTAL MEDALS
Over 85.5 Medals -140 Under 85.5 Medals +100
COLUMBIA TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 0.5 Medals -120 Under 0.5 Medals -120
COLUMBIA TOTAL MEDALS
Over 6.5 Medals -140 Under 6.5 Medals +100
DENMARK TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 1.5 Medals -135 Under 1.5 Medals -105
DENMARK TOTAL MEDALS
Over 8.5 Medals -135 Under 8.5 Medals -105
FINLAND TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 0.5 Medals +700 Under 0.5 Medals -1600
FINLAND TOTAL MEDALS
Over 0.5 Medals +145 Under 0.5 Medals -190
FRANCE TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 12.5 Medals +145 Under 12.5 Medals -190
FRANCE TOTAL MEDALS
Over 39.5 Medals -155 Under 39.5 Medals +115
GERMANY TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 13.5 Medals -115 Under 13.5 Medals -125
GERMANY TOTAL MEDALS
Over 34.5 Medals -120 Under 34.5 Medals -120
GREAT BRITAIN TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 13.5 Medals -205 Under 13.5 Medals +155
GREAT BRITAIN TOTAL MEDALS
Over 42.5 Medals -150 Under 42.5 Medals +110
ITALY TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 8.5 Medals -135 Under 8.5 Medals -105
ITALY TOTAL MEDALS
Over 32.5 Medals -120 Under 32.5 Medals -120
JAPAN TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 27.5 Medals +120 Under 27.5 Medals -160
JAPAN TOTAL MEDALS
Over 59.5 Medals -120 Under 59.5 Medals -120
NETHERLANDS TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 12.5 Medals -120 Under 12.5 Medals -120
NETHERLANDS TOTAL MEDALS
Over 34.5 Medals -120 Under 34.5 Medals -120
NORWAY TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 2.5 Medals -120 Under 2.5 Medals -120
NORWAY TOTAL MEDALS
Over 7.5 Medals -135 Under 7.5 Medals -105
POLAND TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 4.5 Medals +160 Under 4.5 Medals -225
POLAND TOTAL MEDALS
Over 14.5 Medals -120 Under 14.5 Medals -120
SPAIN TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 6.5 Medals +100 Under 6.5 Medals -140
SPAIN TOTAL MEDALS
Over 19.5 Medals -155 Under 19.5 Medals +115
SWEDEN TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 3.5 Medals +135 Under 3.5 Medals -175
SWEDEN TOTAL MEDALS
Over 9.5 Medals -135 Under 9.5 Medals -105
USA TOTAL GOLD MEDALS
Over 42.5 Medals -125 Under 42.5 Medals -115
USA TOTAL MEDALS
Over 110.5 Medals -135 Under 110.5 Medals -105
We’re still a month out from the start of the games so look for more handicapping analysis as it gets closer.
