Men’s Hockey Betting Preview for the Tokyo Olympics – Odds, Contenders, and More

I just know you’re looking forward to betting on the men’s Olympic hockey tournament at the Tokyo Olympics. That’s why I’ve put together this preview to help you with your wagers.
Men’s Olympic field hockey is a big deal in some countries such as India, Australia, and Belgium. Not everyone is keen on the sport, but you could say that for pretty much any event at the games, right?
I’ve put together this preview to give you all you need to know about betting on men’s hockey at the Tokyo Olympics. Included below are the men’s field hockey odds, group stages and tournament information, as well as the schedule for pool matches and all knockout rounds.
I’ve also added a little bit about previous gold medal winners, the main contenders, and top sleepers for the men’s hockey in Tokyo, as well as a little bit of extra information to help you choose your bets.
If that all sounds good, let’s begin!
Odds for the Men’s Hockey Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics
You can find top odds for men’s hockey at the Tokyo Olympics at BetOnline. But no matter where you choose to wager on the men’s Olympic hockey, Australia will be the favorites to snatch the gold.
The Kookaburras are hoping to claim their second Olympic gold medal in Tokyo and are looking pretty good for the win.
Belgium (+325), Germany (+425), and the Netherlands (+500) make up the rest of the pack at treble-digit, plus money odds.
India (+1000) is the most successful Olympic field hockey nation of all time with eight golds, but the 2020 outfit is not regarded as one of the elite teams at Tokyo.
Men’s Hockey Groups for the Tokyo Olympics
Here is a quick rundown of the format and groups for the men’s field hockey tournament at this summer’s games.
- Twelve nations are vying for gold this summer.
- The men’s tournament starts off with two groups of six teams.
- All teams play each other once.
- Eight teams progress to the knockout rounds, which feature quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the gold medal match stages.
- Three points are awarded for a win and one to each team for a draw.
- The four highest-ranked teams from both groups at the end of that stage advance to the knockout rounds.
You can find both groups, below.
Group A | Group B |
Argentina | Belgium |
Australia | Canada |
India | Germany |
Japan | Great Britain |
New Zealand | Netherlands |
Spain | South Africa |
In Group A, defending champions Argentina are drawn with tournament favorites Australia, as well as the most successful nation in the men’s game, India.
The hosts, Japan, make up the rest of the first group with New Zealand and Spain.
Group B features one of the top betting picks for men’s Olympic hockey in Belgium. They are joined by Canada, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and South Africa.
If you’re looking to bet on men’s field hockey at the Olympics, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the schedule for this summer’s games.
Men’s Olympic Field Hockey Schedule for Tokyo 2020
The Olympic hockey schedule for men kicks off on July 25. You can find a full list of fixtures for men’s Olympic hockey at Tokyo 2020 here.
- Men’s Hockey Group Stages – July 24 – July 30
- Quarter-Finals – August 1
- Semi-Finals – August 3
- Bronze Medal Match – August 5
- Gold Medal Match – August 5
As you can see, the group stages of the men’s field hockey matches kick off on July 24 and end on July 30. The quarter-finals go down on August 1, with the semis just a couple of days later.
If you’re looking to gamble on Olympic hockey, it can pay dividends to see the structure and format of the group stages. Groups are assembled according to factors such as previous wins, champion status, host status, and, of course, pre-tournament rankings.
Previous Winners for Men’s Olympic Field Hockey
Who wins the men’s hockey at Tokyo 2020? Australia looks like the team to beat. But as we have seen in previous tournaments, the favorites don’t always come through with the goods.
Just ask anyone on the 2016 Australian men’s team. The Aussies were the men’s Olympic hockey betting favorites at Rio 2016, coming in at +275 (11/4) to win gold before the games started.
Of course, you cannot discount a strong team off the back of a poor performance in the knockout stages. But by the same token, it’s also worth looking at who has managed to put together several strong performances despite not being considered among the top three favorites.
One of the most important factors that bookies have considered when compiling the odds for men’s field hockey at the Tokyo Olympics is previous form.
History can tell us a lot about how a team responds to playing at the highest level. It doesn’t get any better than the Olympic games, of course.
With that in mind, here is a list of previous gold medal winners in men’s field hockey at the Olympics.
Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
India | 8 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
Pakistan | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
Great Britain | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
Germany | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
Netherlands | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
Australia | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
West Germany | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Argentina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Spain | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Who Wins the Men’s Hockey Gold at Tokyo 2020?
The three top contenders for the Tokyo Olympics hockey tournament (men’s) are all looking strong.
Australia, like in 2016, comes in as the favorites. But Belgium and Germany will be looking to make their impression with very strong teams.
Here is a little on the top men’s Olympic hockey betting picks for Tokyo.
Australia (+250)
One of the top contenders for gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Aussies have a reputation as chokers in hockey, having picked up just one gold medal in the history of the sport. That was back in 2004.
Despite being favored for Rio 2016, that talented team of Antipodeans were eliminated at the quarter final stage. Will they live up to expectations this time around?
Belgium (+325)
As the reigning World and European champions, the Belgians must be considered among the top hockey teams at Tokyo 2020.
With the amazing Thomas Briels and John-John Dohmen in their ranks, they look in top shape to clinch gold.
Germany (+450)
One of the best men’s hockey teams at the Olympics this summer.
The Germans are looking to add to their four Olympic gold medals and have a great chance of sweeping every opponent aside.
Boasting arguably the best coaching staff in the sport, expect Germany’s Olympic hockey team to peak by the time the group stages start.
Men’s Hockey Sleepers and Underdogs for Tokyo
You can find regularly updated odds for the men’s hockey gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, as well as individual matches, on the best Olympic betting apps for real money wagers.
As covered above, Australia is the 2020 Olympic men’s hockey betting favorite. But are there any other teams to keep an eye on? Absolutely.
Let’s take you back to Rio 2016, where Argentina was priced at a smooth +750 to come through the tournament as winners.
The South Americans beat a strong Belgium team 4-2 to win a gold in Olympic men’s field hockey for the very first time, spoiling tons of bets in the process.
Olympic Men’s Field Hockey Gold Medal Odds (Rio 2016) | |
---|---|
Country | Odds |
Australia | +275 |
Netherlands | +325 |
Germany | +350 |
Great Britain | +600 |
Argentina | +750 |
India | +1400 |
Belgium | +1400 |
New Zealand | +2000 |
Spain | +2000 |
Ireland | +5000 |
Canada | +6000 |
Brazil | +25000 |
While Australia looks very good, I’d consider keeping an eye on the following teams, at the very least. If you’re looking to wager on men’s hockey futures at Tokyo 2020, these teams are good value.
Best Men’s Hockey Sleepers for Tokyo 2020
- India (+1000) – A superb track record at Olympic games, with eight gold medals overall. Superfit and in great shape, the lack of pressure on Manpreet Singh’s men could see them end a 41-year drought.
- Great Britain (+1200) – The Brits are another team creeping under the radar, but there is no question that Adam Dixon and company could cause an upset at this summer’s games.
India and Great Britain are my top men’s hockey sleeper picks for Tokyo.
We’ll get a taste of who is looking sharp by the time the group stages roll around on Saturday, July 24, but I’d suggest doing a little research on these two teams if you are looking for longshots or big hockey odds.
You could also consider doubling up bets on Tokyo field hockey sleepers with some of these top Olympic bonuses and promotions for an even better chance at making a profit at this summer’s games.
That’s a Wrap
That should tell you all you need to know about betting on men’s hockey at the Tokyo Olympics.
There’s plenty of information up there to keep you in the mix, and even give you a little head start when gambling on Tokyo Olympics men’s field hockey futures, matches, and outsiders.
This is a good time to remind you that we are covering hockey, as well as other Tokyo 2020 events, on our Olympics blog. Make sure to visit us regularly for top betting tips, analysis, as well as more helpful advice from the team throughout the summer games.
You will also find the following pages very handy indeed. Good luck with your bets!
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