Endorsed by Gambling911

Kobe Bryant Heads Up USA Basketball Team Favored With -500 Odds

Written by:

Carrie Stroup

Published on:

Aug/03/2008

Heavily favored USA beat Russia on Saturday as the team prepares for this coming week's Summer Olympics.

Kobe Bryant scored 19 points to spark the United States to a 89-68 win over a dogged Russia in a warm-up for the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.

Carmelo Anthony added 17 points for the gold medal favorites, although the Russians emerged with credit for slowing the Americans' much-vaunted offense in a defensive battle.

"It was a great challenge," Bryant, the NBA's Most Valuable Player, told reporters. "They're a physical team, a big team but we played with a lot of energy... It was a big win."

Team USA was favored with -500 odds at Sportsbook.com. Spain had the next shortest odds, with a payout potential of $300 for every $100 bet.

And there is a reason for those highly inflated odds.

The team consists of LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) is joined by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers), Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic), Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz), Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors), Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons), Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) and Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks).

The American men have won 12 gold medals in Olympic basketball, most recently in 2000. But after compiling a 109-2 record, the US lost three games in the 2004 Olympics, including a semi-final setback to eventual champion Argentina.

For anyone looking to place a wager on another team to win the gold, it would be easy to look back at the 2004 Summer Olympics where Team USA walked away with a disappointing bronze.

Here are all the odds to win the Men's Basketball gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics courtesy of Sportsbook.com

Argentina +450
Greece +1500
Italy +2500
Lithuania +1500
Puerto Rico +5000
Spain +300
United States -500
zx Field (Any Other Country) +1000

-----

Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com

Sports News

Women's Final Four: LSU vs. Virginia Tech Betting Preview

The line on LSU was coming in at -2 in their game against Virginia Tech.

A Dying Dynasty in Pittsburgh

Salary caps make it difficult to have any team maintain long-term success in the NHL, and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ decade-and-a-half run with their core of stars may be ending now. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have helped the Pengs make the playoffs every season since 2006-07...

NFL Wins, Totals Betting Futures Odds for 32 Teams in 2023

As teams sign FAs and solidify trade intentions, we're beginning to see a clearer picture in terms of NFL rosters for the 2023 season.

What's the Payout if FAU Wins Against SDSU?

If you drive along I-95 in Palm Beach County billboards are lit up wishing South Florida's beloved FAU Owls good luck in the upcoming Final Four. They will come into that game against SDSU as just a +2 underdog.

Where Are Available Wide Receivers? 2023 NFL Odds

It doesn’t take long to figure out why there are suddenly rumors around some of the game’s brightest wide receivers. According to CBS Sports’ rankings of this crop of free agents, Jakobi Meyers, ex of the New England Patriots, was the first at his position (29th overall).