Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig
When it comes to sports betting, surfing isn’t much of a high roller. Sure, people make bets in certain states and/or countries; sure, folks make friendly, under-the-table wagers on pro surfing events; and sure, there’s been a few attempts to mainstream the practice.
But compared to MMA or football or basketball? Surfing is like a microscopic drop in the proverbial sports betting ocean.
That may change, however, as multiple new pushes in the pro surfing sports betting space have popped up recently – including one from a giant of the industry, DraftKings, and the opportunity to wager on surfing in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
Related: Olympic Surfing 101: Everything to Know Before Paris 2024
Unlike other sports, it appears that DraftKings only has one option for betting – who will win? If you place money on one surfer, and they do well, but don’t win, then there’s zero payout. But if you place money on a handful of surfers, and one wins, then you’ll receive the payout for that winning surfer…and, of course, nothing for the others.
So, what’re the odds for the men and women?
On the men’s side, Jack Robinson is the most favored to win at +300. That means, a $100 bet on Robbo, if he wins, will result in a $400 payout ($300 profit). At the bottom of the spread, there’s Germany’s Tim Elter and Spain’s Andy Criere – both at +25,000. A $100 bet on either of these surfers, if they win, will net a $25,100 payout ($25,000 profit).
As for the women, at the top of the spread are Caroline Marks, Carissa Moore, and Vahine Fierro – all at +400. Again, that means a $100 bet on either, if they win, would net a $500 payout ($400 profit). At the bottom, there’s Nicaragua’s Candelaria Resano at +30,000. A $100 bet on Resano, if she wins, would net $31,000 (profit of $30k).
(One thing to note: payouts are incremental. For example, while a $100 winning bet on Resano will yield $30k in profits, a $1 winning bet on Resano will earn a $300 profit.)
The Olympics are just around the corner, with the surfing window at Teahupo’o spanning from July 27th to August 4th. Study up, scope the spreads, and place your bets.
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