The U.S. ladies’s nationwide soccer workforce is the overwhelming favourite to win gold for the fifth time in seven ladies’s Olympic soccer tournaments.

U.S. sportsbooks have the USWNT between -165 and -185 to win, when it is uncommon for any workforce to be at minus cash within the lead-up to a global soccer event. There isn’t any denying the U.S. ladies are dominant — they’re unbeaten in 44 straight matches coming into the Olympics — however event soccer will be unpredictable, particularly within the single-elimination knockout rounds. The USWNT discovered that out over the last Olympics in 2016 when it crashed out within the quarterfinals after a penalty-kick shootout in opposition to Sweden.

And with the expansion of ladies’s skilled soccer occurring all over the world, different international locations are more and more aggressive. For that purpose, there shall be loads of attention-grabbing methods to play the chances markets throughout the Olympic ladies’s soccer event.

Who will win Olympic soccer gold medal?

Under are the futures as they stand heading into the ladies’s Olympic soccer event, based on 4 U.S.-based sportsbooks.

After the USWNT, the Netherlands are deemed the following most definitely to win the gold (+500 to +650). The Dutch ladies have been 2019 World Cup runners-up after shedding the ultimate to the USA and the 2 nations may very well be on a collision course for a repeat remaining in Tokyo. If each groups win their respective teams, because the oddsmakers challenge them to, then they may solely meet within the remaining. In that case, a Netherlands futures wager would additionally current a hedging alternative.

The hardest match on the Netherlands’ projected path to a remaining would come within the quarterfinal spherical. Ought to the Dutch end tops in Group F (Brazil, China, Zambia), that will arrange a matchup in opposition to the second-place workforce in Group G, prone to be Sweden (if the USA end first). The Netherlands wanted further time to beat the harmful Swedes in a 2019 World Cup semifinal, however as groups start to tire within the knockouts with sapping climate circumstances anticipated, the Dutch possession recreation might show an edge in that showdown.

Nice Britain, Brazil, Canada and a new-look Japan workforce are within the subsequent tier of contenders dreaming for a shot at Olympic gold, however the USA and Netherlands are merely a minimize above and it’ll take a number of upsets to bump each off the highest of the rostrum.

Ladies’s 2021 Olympic soccer futures

Groups to win a medal

U.S. sportsbook PointsBet has odds on groups to win one of many three Olympic soccer medals, and unsurprisingly, the USA and the Netherlands are at minus cash.

Whereas Canada (+600) has gained bronze within the final two editions, the workforce’s scoring struggles are actual (six objectives in seven video games in 2021), regardless of fielding 38-year-old legendary ahead Christine Sinclair (under), who’s the world’s all-time objectives chief, males or ladies. If the Canadians can present they will manufacture harmful alternatives of their opener in opposition to Japan, the medal future may very well be value a flyer.

Host Japan (+400) may also be an intriguing play to win a medal and that first match in opposition to Canada will set the tone for what to anticipate. The Japanese have been a rising drive on the worldwide stage, advancing to medal-round matches in 2008 and 2012 and making an look within the 2015 FIFA World Cup remaining.

Though it missed out on qualifying for the 2016 Video games, Japan has been constructing a younger core that gained expertise on the 2019 World Cup, the place it was knocked out on a Ninetieth-minute penalty by eventual finalist Netherlands within the Spherical of 16. The Japanese, who’ve scored 28 objectives in 5 matches this yr, may very well be primed for one more memorable run.

Group winners

On the time of publication, three sportsbooks had printed odds on group winners.

The percentages present Group E to be essentially the most tightly contested between favourite Nice Britain and host Japan. Japan completed behind England in Group D on the 2019 World Cup thanks partially to a 2-0 England win in a head-to-head matchup that was nearer than the ultimate outcome signifies. The comparability applies on condition that 19 of Crew GB’s 22 gamers on the Olympics are English, however Japan has since made strides and star Mana Iwabuchi’s latest months of enjoying membership soccer in England is not going to harm when the groups meet within the second group match.

If Canada (+275 to +450) can discover its scoring groove, then it can be a reputable risk to win Group E. Nice Britain and Japan is not going to have a simple time breaking by means of the Canadian protection, and if Canada’s offense can get the fortunate bounces and do some harm on set items, then the Canadians might pip each favorites.

Olympic futures: Group winners

Group E

Group F

Group G

Ladies’s Olympic soccer high scorer

Amongst U.S. sportsbooks, BetRivers is providing odds on the highest scorer within the ladies’s event, with Australia’s Sam Kerr (+600) and the USA’s Alex Morgan (+600) because the co-favorites to win the Golden Boot.

However Kerr and Australia face powerful group-stage opposition within the USA and Sweden, which each are sturdy defensive outfits. Morgan is in a battle for the USA’s beginning ahead spot with Carli Lloyd, and the USA’s opponents are prone to park the bus, limiting scoring alternatives.

One different identify that would as an alternative be interesting: Netherlands beginning ahead Vivianne Miedema (+700) is a scoring machine with 18 objectives in 22 matches for Arsenal final season and 73 objectives in 96 all-time matches with the Netherlands. Miedema (above) scored three objectives on the 2019 World Cup on 2.6 anticipated objectives.

The Netherlands’ manageable group opponents (No. 7 Brazil, No. 15 China and No. 104 Zambia) and expectations of a deep event run give Miedema a pathway to the highest of the Olympic scoring desk.