2024 Olympics medal futures odds, predictions: Olympic champion makes picks for most medals, gold totals

While a global pandemic denied Tokyo the opportunity to host the Olympic Games in the traditional manner, Paris will have no such issue when the 2024 Summer Olympics officially begin with the Opening Ceremony on Friday. The 2020 Tokyo Games were pushed back an entire year due to the COVID-19 outbreak and took place without public spectators. Things will return to normal in France, where a total of 17 cities will host events. In addition, the surfing competition will be held in Tahiti, an island in French Polynesia. The first medals will be handed out on Friday.

The Americans are -2000 favorites (risk $2,000 to win $100) to win the most medals and -550 to bring home the most golds in the latest 2024 Olympics odds. China is +1300 for the most overall medals and +350 for most golds, while Great Britain is third for most total medals at +6000 and most golds at +4200. Before locking in any 2024 Summer Olympics medal futures or predictions, you need to see what SportsLine Olympic insider Dan O'Brien has to say .

O'Brien is a highly decorated decathlete who won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, becoming the first American to accomplish the feat since Bruce Jenner 20 years earlier. O'Brien also is a five-time U.S. champion and three-time world champion in the event, and he held the decathlon world record from 1992-99 and the heptathlon world record from 1993-2010. As a result of his achievements, O'Brien is a member of the USATF, USOC and IAAF Halls of Fame.

Now, O'Brien has broken down the 2024 Olympics from every possible angle and revealed which countries you should back on the medal table and which ones you should completely avoid. You can visit SportsLine now to see his 2024 Summer Olympics medal picks .

Top 2024 Summer Olympics medal count predictions

O'Brien is predicting that the United States once again will capture the most medals at the Olympic Games. The Americans have reached triple digits in total medals 13 times and fell one shy of the plateau when the Summer Games last were held in Paris. They won nearly half of their 2020 medals in the pool and on the track, collecting 30 in swimming and 26 in track & field.

Many of Team USA's medal winners in those competitions at Tokyo are back for more, including swimmers Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel and Ryan Murphy and sprinters Sydney McLaughlin, Rai Benjamin and Vernon Norwood -- all of whom took home at least two medals in 2020. The 27-year-old Ledecky won two golds and two silvers in Tokyo to bring her career total to 10 Olympic medals, while Dressel -- also 27 -- became the fifth swimmer in Olympic history to earn five golds in a single Olympic Games.

Also competing in Paris will be gymnasts Simone Biles (seven career Olympic medals) and Suni Lee, the last two champions in the women's all-around event. See more predictions from O'Brien at SportsLine .

How to make 2024 Olympics medal count picks

O'Brien has analyzed the 2024 Paris Olympics from every angle and revealed which countries to back and fade, including a longshot who has a chance to shock the world with its medal count. He's only sharing his picks here .

Who is O'Brien backing to win the most medals at the 2024 Olympic Games, and which nation will shock the world? Visit SportsLine now to see Dan O'Brien's 2024 Summer Olympics medal futures bets and analysis , all from the 1996 Olympic decathlon gold medalist who also is a three-time world champion in the event.

Most gold medal odds

See picks at SportsLine .
USA -550
China +350
Great Britain +4200
Japan +5500
France +8000
Germany +12000
Australia +16000
Netherlands +16000
Canada +16000
South Korea +23000
Hungary +50000
Italy +50000
Brazil +50000
Cuba +50000

Most total medal odds

See picks at SportsLine .
USA -2000
China +1300
Great Britain +6000
Japan +6000
Australia +12000
France +16000
Germany +16000
Italy +19000
Netherlands +32000
Canada +42000
South Korea +50000
Cuba +50000
Hungary +50000
Brazil +50000
New Zealand +50000