Large-scale Sports Wagering at 2024 Olympics: French Gamblers Place €360 Million on Athletic Events
Record-Breaking Sports Betting at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The Olympic Games 2024 in Paris witnessed a significant surge in sports betting, with a total of 360 million euros wagered, marking a threefold increase from the 2021 Games in Tokyo. This rise was attributed to several factors, including the legal and regulatory environment, technological advances, enhanced market offerings, local interest, and global market trends.
The French gambling authority, Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), reported that tennis and football were the most popular sports for betting. The men's football team's impressive run to the final and winning the silver medal, as well as the outstanding performance of French swimming superstar León Marchand, further fueled betting activity.
León Marchand made history by setting new Olympic records in all four events he won gold in, and he went on to win a total of five medals at the 2024 Games, including four gold medals. Over 450,000 sports bets totaling nearly 4 million euros were placed on León Marchand in the first week of the Games alone. A staggering three-quarters of all swimming bets during the Games were placed on this remarkable athlete.
However, predicting the sports betting situation for the upcoming Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA, is challenging due to a 9-hour time difference. This could potentially impact European fans' sports betting, as many competitions are likely to take place in the late evening or night in Germany.
The turnover from sports betting at the Paris Games did not reach the numbers of the European Championship 2024, where a staggering 650 million euros were bet. Despite this, the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris resulted in a notable increase in sports betting in France, with the first week alone seeing 125 million euros in sports bets, rising to 360 million euros by the end of the Games.
Despite the specific sports that received the second-highest bets remaining unclear, it is evident that the Paris 2024 Olympic Games ignited a passion for sports betting among fans, setting a new standard for future Olympic Games.
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