The betting markets on the men’s race at the Olympics sees Alex Yee and Hayden Wilde as the two clear odds favourites as they look to continue their absorbing rivalry.
But a little lower down the lists there has also been some significant support for a couple of other big names.
We’ve already ranked Yee and Wilde in detail – and here’s our verdict on who will come out on top in that duel.
Yee the clear favourite
Most of the firms have a large British contingent among their customers which should be factored in, but all favour Yee – who took silver in Tokyo to Wilde’s bronze.
The Paris Test Event winner as short as 11/10 in places (+110 US Moneyline), which means you’ll more than slightly double your money should he prevail. The top price on offer is 7/5 (+140).
Wilde can be backed at a general 3/1 (+300) – so you’ll get three times your stake back if he wins, plus the stake itself.
It was then 10/1 (+1000) and upwards about anyone else striking gold – but not anymore.
All aboard the Norwegian hype train?
For reigning Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt, who has been in the news in the last 24 hours in terms of a potential switch to cycling in 2025, is being backed to go out in style.
The Norwegian’s short-distance results over the last 12 months – by his own incredibly lofty standards – have been relatively uninspiring.
He was freely available at 18/1 (+1800) earlier this month to follow in the footsteps of Alistair Brownlee and successfully defend his title.
But he’s now as short as 13/2 (+650) in places and no better than 8/1 (+800).
Aussie rule?
Next come all three French contenders – Pierre Le Corre, Leo Bergere and Dorian Coninx, that trio all on the 12/1 mark (+1200) as is American star Morgan Pearson.
It had been 28/1 bar the leading seven but Matt Hauser has proved popular, especially at Boylesports who are betting each-way, meaning a fifth the odds first, second or third for the place part of the bet.
And Hauser, the winner of WTCS Hamburg, the last race before the Olympics and TRI247 Chief Correspondent John Levison’s pick for bronze, is now into 18/1 (+1800) with them.
Crunching the stats
So those are the odds, but where might the value lie?
Stats guru Graeme Acheson of Sports4Cast has done the deep-dive data analysis ahead of the Olympics and looking at his findings, there could be three men well worth keeping a close eye on.
He points out that Le Corre has the fastest swim time to his name and the quickest recent bike form, adding: “He also has the fastest average times overall over the last 18 months. He is clearly a force to be reckoned with and on home turf may be the one to challenge Yee and Wilde.”
“Hauser has the fastest average times in the water and on the bike while Coninx could be a real factor if he can minimise the time he loses in transitions.”
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