HOUSTON, (June 14, 2023) — For the first time in the 55-year history of the Special Olympics World Games, fans and viewers will be able to wager on the beloved international sporting event, which will be held in Berlinfrom June 17-25.
Betting odds are being offered for a dozen Special Olympics competitions across these six sports:
- Athletics (Track & Field)
- Basketball
- Cycling
- Powerlifting
- Soccer (Football)
- Swimming
BetOnline.ag, a website that has provided gaming products globally for more than 25 years, is recognized as a pioneer of new wagering markets so it’s no surprise that the operator has taken the bold step to offer the first Special Olympics odds in the history of sports betting.
Odds to win individual and team disciplines, for both male and female, are available for wagering. No login is required to see the Olympics projections in real-time on this webpage: https://www.betonline.ag/sportsbook/futures-and-props/olympics/special-olympics
“There’s nothing gimmicky about these odds,” BetOnline Brand Manager, Edward Knight, said. “Just like any other sport, we’ve created Special Olympics odds behind weeks and weeks of research. These are incredibly-skilled athletes competing on an even playing field, and our oddsmakers will give these World Games the same level of attention and respect as the Super Bowl.”
Knight said that betting volume on the traditional Olympic Games “has increased 10-fold over the past decade,” and that BetOnline customers regularly request odds for both the Special Olympics and Paralympic Games.
Recent industry reports have showed that people are as much as 76% more likely to watch a sporting event if they have placed a wager on the event. Professional sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL have seen exponential increases in value, branding and viewership due to the legalization of sports betting in the United States.
“We anticipate some negative reaction for our Special Olympics odds, but we’ve been doing this for nearly three decades and have proven that our offerings have an overall positive impact on the visibility of a sport,” Knight said.
“We’re a gaming company that provides entertainment products, so every goal behind our marketing strategies is to generate publicity not only for us, but also for the competition. These athletes have worked their butts off to get to Berlin, and they deserve every additional layer of exposure they can get.”
To ensure fair odds and wagering integrity, BetOnline has only listed markets for disciplines within the top-tier divisions and the “non-unified sports” category. The bookmaker reports that the most popular events among bettors, just 24 hours into the inaugural odds being available on the website, are basketball, bench press and soccer.
Knight said that following the conclusion of the 2023 Special Olympics, BetOnline will make a $10,000 donation to a non-profit organization that supports people with intellectual disabilities.
The Special Olympics World Games is organized every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games, but hasn’t been held since 2018 because of the pandemic. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 17, and ESPN and its family of networks will broadcast the 2023 Games.