For those of you who enjoy bargain shopping - a la our own transgender reporter Sparky Collins and his day long jaunts at Marshall's Discount Department Store - there is Michael Phelps and the 2008 Summer Olympics 100 m butterfly courtesy of the good folks at Betonline.com
Michael Phelps and betting value at the Summer Olympics? The guy who is supposed to win every single medal?
That's correct. A mere US$25.50 would promise the potential to pay out $10.00 (plus you would receive the initial $25.50 bet back if Phelps were to win). A $255 bet pays $100.
Considering Michael Phelps has looked nothing short of super human during these Olympics and he has been listed as much as a -5000 favorite in past events, this is one bet you might not want to pass up.
The Achilles heel in all of this: Ian Crocker, also of the USA.
Crocker has won gold medals in both the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics as a member of national team in the 4x100 medley relay. He is listed with near even odds, though with a payout of $15 for every $10 bet or $150 for every $100 bet.
To win eight, and eclipse Spitz's record for the most won in a single Games, Phelps must overcome the man - Ian Crocker - whom he has denied Olympic and world titles and who has denied him ownership of the world record for 100 metres butterfly for three years according to Neil Wilson of the Daily Mail.
While Crocker rests for his first competition, Phelps is more than halfway through 17.
'I'm eating a lot of pasta and pizza, a lot of carbs, sleeping as much as I can. Every morning I wake around 4.30-5am and hit the snooze button for an extra half hour becuase it takes me a while to get up. This whole programme is a lot about getting extra recovery time, getting massages, probably two a day, taking ice baths, just recovering.'
Things are only beginning to get exciting in the 2008 Summer Olympics swimming competitions, which thus far have garnered plenty of attention from sports betting enthusiasts.
Wednesday night's events (as seen in the USA and Thursday AM in China) include volley ball, men's gymnastics and plenty of swimming, most of which could be bet at Betonline.com
Odds to win the 100 m Butterfly courtesy of Betonline.com
MICHAEL PHELPS
-255
IAN CROCKER
+150
FREDERICK BOUSQUET
+1700
MILORAD CAVIC
+2500
ALBERT SUBIRATS
+4000
MASAYUKI KISHIDA
+5000
EVGENY KOROTYSHKIN
+6600
LYNDON FERNS
+8000
ANDREW LAUTERSTEIN
+10000
THOMAS RUPPRATH
+10000
KAIO ALMEIDA
+12000
ADAM PINE
+15000
----
Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com
