Overview of the Featured Sports
The Paris 2024 Paralympics will feature 22 sports, each providing unique betting opportunities. These sports include:
- Archery
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Boccia
- Cycling (Road and Track)
- Equestrian
- Football 5-a-side
- Goalball
- Judo
- Paracanoe
- Paratriathlon
- Powerlifting
- Rowing
- Shooting
- Sitting Volleyball
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- Taekwondo
- Wheelchair Basketball
- Wheelchair Fencing
- Wheelchair Rugby
- Wheelchair Tennis
Each sport has distinct characteristics and competitions. Athletics, with 164 events, offers a vast array of betting options. In contrast, sports such as football 5-a-side and wheelchair rugby have fewer events but are no less exciting or challenging to bet on. Understanding the structure and key players in these sports is crucial for making informed bets.
For example, swimming features 141 events, divided by classification to ensure fair competition. This creates a variety of betting markets, from individual races to overall medal tallies. Similarly, in cycling, both road and track events offer different betting angles, from time trials to endurance races.
Researching Historical Performance and Trends
To make informed bets, it’s important to examine historical performances and trends. Historical data can provide insights into which countries and athletes tend to perform well in specific sports.
Athletics has seen dominance from countries such as the United States, China, and Great Britain. For instance, athletes like David Weir from Great Britain have consistently performed well in wheelchair racing, making their events prime targets for betting.
In swimming, nations such as Australia, the United States, and China have produced many top performers. Swimmers like Ellie Simmonds from Great Britain have a track record of winning multiple medals, which can influence betting decisions.
Cycling events often see strong performances from nations like the Netherlands and Great Britain. Cyclists such as Dame Sarah Storey from Great Britain, with her numerous gold medals, are significant figures to watch.
Key Athletes and Teams to Watch
Anything can happen at the Paralympics, but the following athletes are widely considered worth keeping a close eye on.
Timothee Adolphe (France)
The silver medallist in the men’s 100m T11 from Tokyo 2020 is aiming for a first Paralympic gold at his home Games in Paris. Adolphe, a six-time World Championships medallist, brings not only his athletic prowess but also his flair as a part-time rapper to the Games, adding a unique dimension to his competitive edge.
Noemi Alphonse (Mauritius)
A rising star in the women’s T54 division, Alphonse was the first Mauritian to compete in a Paralympic final, achieving notable finishes in Tokyo 2020. At the 2023 World Championships in Paris, she secured silver and bronze medals, setting four new African records, making her a key athlete to watch in her events.
Sumit Antil (India)
Antil is a prominent figure in Indian Para sports, holding the title of reigning Paralympic and world champion in the men’s javelin F64. His world record throw of 73.29 metres at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games underscores his dominance in the sport.
Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland)
The reigning Paralympic champion in the women’s 400m T53 and a five-time world champion, Debrunner was named Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability in 2023. Her back-to-back Marathon Majors wins and four wheelchair racing world records in 2022 highlight her consistent excellence.
Petrucio Ferreira (Brazil)
Ferreira is the reigning 100m T47 Paralympic and world champion, known for his championship record of 10.37 seconds set at the Paris 2023 World Championships. With five Paralympic medals, including two golds, he is a leading figure in Para sprinting.
Ezra Frech (USA)
The American teenager set a new men’s high jump T63 world record of 1.95m at the Paris 2023 World Championships, securing gold. His transition from junior to senior competition has been seamless, positioning him as a strong contender for medals in Paris.
Fleur Jong (Netherlands)
Jong is a medal favourite in both track and field disciplines, having set new world records in the women’s 100m T62 and long jump T62 in 2023. She returns to Paris as the reigning Paralympic champion in the women’s Long Jump T64.
Vanessa Low (Australia)
The veteran Para athlete and reigning women’s long jump T63 champion aims to continue her successful career with a fourth Paralympic Games appearance. She returned to competition at the Paris 2023 World Championships after giving birth, showcasing her enduring talent and determination.
Lauritta Onye (Nigeria)
Onye, a multi-talented athlete and actress, is the former world record holder in the women’s shot put F40. She has medalled at every World Championships and Paralympics she has competed in, including golds at Doha 2015 and Rio 2016, making her a formidable competitor.
Betting Strategies for the 2024 Summer Paralympics
The key to all betting strategies is research. Here are areas that you should focus on:
- Performance Trends: Focusing on athletes with strong track records in specific events can be beneficial. For example, in athletics, tracking the performance of top competitors in qualifying rounds and previous competitions provides valuable insights.
- Team Analysis: In team sports like wheelchair basketball, understanding the team’s performance in recent competitions, their strengths, and weaknesses is crucial. For instance, a strong defensive team may have better odds of winning matches.
- Athlete Classification: The classification system in the Paralympics can significantly impact performance. Understanding how different classifications affect performance helps in predicting outcomes more accurately. For example, in swimming, different classifications compete separately, and knowing the top performers in each category is crucial.
- Event-Specific Insights: Each sport has its unique dynamics. In cycling, for instance, road events and track events require different strategies. Understanding the nuances of each type of event can enhance betting decisions.
- Weather Conditions: For outdoor sports like cycling and athletics, weather conditions can play a crucial role. Keeping an eye on weather forecasts can provide an edge, as certain athletes may perform better under specific conditions.
Example Paralympic Betting Markets
There are far too many betting markets available to explain them all here; however, these examples should give you a sense of what is available.
- Athletics: In athletics, you can place bets on individual race winners, the number of medals an athlete will win, and whether world records will be broken. For example, you might bet on whether a particular sprinter will win gold in the 100m and 200m events.
- Swimming: Swimming offers a variety of markets, such as betting on individual heat winners, final race winners, and total medal counts. Spread betting is also popular, where you bet on the margin of victory. For instance, you could place a spread bet on the winning margin in a 100m freestyle event, predicting that the winner will finish a certain number of seconds ahead of the runner-up.
- Cycling: For cycling road events, you can bet on stage winners, overall time trials, and even the number of medals a country will win. Track events offer markets on sprint winners, individual pursuits, and team performances. An example of a spread bet in cycling might involve predicting the time difference between the first and second place finishers in a time trial.
- Team Sports: In team sports like wheelchair basketball, betting markets include match outcomes, point spreads, and tournament winners. For example, you might bet on the USA team to win by a certain number of points in a basketball match. Point spread betting is popular in team sports, where you bet on the margin of victory. If the spread is set at -10.5 for the USA team, they need to win by 11 points or more for the bet to pay off.
- Paratriathlon: Betting on paratriathlon can involve placing bets on individual segment winners (swimming, cycling, running) or overall event winners. You can also bet on the winning time, predicting whether it will be over or under a specified time.
- Powerlifting: In powerlifting, bets can be placed on individual event winners, total lift weight, and even world record attempts. For example, you might bet on a specific lifter to achieve a new world record in their weight category.
- Shooting: Betting on shooting events can involve predicting the winners of specific events, total scores, and whether certain records will be broken. Spread betting can also apply here, such as predicting the winning margin in a shooting final.
- Wheelchair Tennis: In wheelchair tennis, you can bet on match winners, set winners, and total games won. For example, you might place a bet on a player to win in straight sets or predict the total number of games played in a match.
- Judo: Betting markets in judo include individual match winners, overall weight category winners, and total medals won by a country. An example might be betting on a specific judoka to win all their matches in a knockout format.
- Goalball: In goalball, you can place bets on match winners, total goals scored, and tournament winners. Spread betting is also an option, where you predict the margin of victory. For example, betting on a team to win by more than a set number of goals.
Go for Gold with Paralympic Betting at ZetBet
At ZetBet, we are proud to bring you everything you could possibly need to for an enjoyable experience betting on the 2024 Paralympics. Visit our sportsbook, explore the betting markets, do your research, and you may soon be celebrating your winning bets.