Olympics could provide a boost to sports wagering in North Carolina

PARIS ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — The Olympics start in three days and companies are hoping to get a lot of bets on popular sports, and some relatively unknown sports, too.

Not sure how much you know about break dancing, but those watching the sports betting lines feel there will be people betting on different Olympic sports like this because they have an interest in it, and it will mean new revenue for companies.

North Carolina gross revenues for wagering was down over $20 million from May to June, according to the North Carolina State Lottery Commission.

Analysts say this is normal because most stop placing bets after the NCAA basketball tournament and then start again during college and professional football. But with Team USA competing in basketball, baseball, and popular golfers competing in Parris, it looks like more people may take a chance to win big.

“Table tennis for example, in some states table tennis is among the top five or six sports betting activities,” said Steve Bittenbender, a writer for BetCarolina.com. “There are people that will probably be betting on table tennis in the Olympics based on what they do in their spare time.”

Another reason more people may place bets on the Olympics is because athletes from their home state will be competing. One star getting attention is former Providence Day school track star Anna Cockrell.

Cockrell will be competing in the 400-meter hurdles in Paris for Team USA. She has already won a gold medal in 2016 at the IAAF World U-20 championships in Poland, and during the 2024 Olympic trials, Cockrell ran a personal best to qualify for the team. The 52. 46 seconds wasn’t fast enough to win, but it was enough to draw attention from sportsbooks.

“I know she right now is a decided underdog,” added Bittenbender. “I think I saw on draft kings the other day she is like a 40 to 1 shot to win the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles, but there’s always that chance.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.