Men’s Olympic Swimming Odds, Picks and Preview

By Mitchell Hansen in News
Published:

- Men’s swimming competition begins July 24th and concludes Aug. 1st in Tokyo, Japan
- USA’s Caeleb Dressel headlines the list of early favorites, heavily favored in butterfly and freestyle
- See the full list of events and favorites below
One of the most anticipated events of the Summer Olympics every four years is men’s swimming, with the world’s largest swimming meet taking place July 24th to Aug. 1st at Tokyo’s new Aquatics Centre.
The events will be divided into morning and evening sessions each day, with preliminary races occurring in the evenings in Tokyo and the finals being held the next morning to accommodate viewing in the United States. All of the events can be viewed on USA, NBC, NBCSN and the Olympic Channel, as well as live streamed on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 swimmers and the early odds listed by FanDuel for each event in Olympics competition.
Men’s 400m Individual Medley Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Daiya Seto (JPN) | -160 |
Chase Kalisz (USA) | +300 |
Brendon Smith (AUS) | +1100 |
David Verraszto (HUN) | +1100 |
Leon Marchand (FRA) | +1600 |
Lewis Clareburt (NZL) | +1800 |
Jay Litherland (USA) | +1800 |
Max Litchfield (GBR) | +2200 |
Wang Shun (CHN) | +2900 |
Yuki Ikari (JPN) | +3000 |
All odds as of July 22nd at FanDuel Sportsbook
The betting odds in the 400-meter individual medley show that Japan’s Daiya Seto and USA’s Chase Kalisz could to back and forth to see who claims gold and who settles for silver in this event. Seto is the early favorite, but Kalisz is a talent worth watching as he tries to stand atop the medal podium.
Men’s 100m Breaststroke Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Adam Peaty (GBR) | -950 |
Arno Kamminga (NED) | +1600 |
Michael Andrew (USA) | +2900 |
Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) | +3400 |
Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) | +3400 |
Yan Zibei (CHN) | +4400 |
Andrew Wilson (USA) | +5000 |
James Wilby (GBR) | +6000 |
Kirill Prigoda (ROC) | +7500 |
Fabian Schwingenschloe (GER) | +7500 |
Shoma Sato (JPN) | +7500 |
Great Britain’s Adam Peaty is one of the most dominant swimmers in the 100-meter breaststroke that we’ve ever seen, holding the world record and the 18 fastest times ever recorded in the event. He should take home gold in Tokyo as well, once again displaying his dominance.
Start as you mean to go on! 😲@adam_peaty's Olympic debut saw him break the world record in 100m breaststroke! 🤯#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/gqG3qmd8Va
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 22, 2021
Men’s 100m Backstroke Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Evgeny Rylov (ROC) | +220 |
Kliment Kolesnikov (ROC) | +220 |
Ryan Murphy (USA) | +270 |
Xu Jiayu (CHN) | +600 |
Hunter Armstrong (USA) | +1100 |
Mitch Larkin (AUS) | +1600 |
Yohann Ndoye Brouard (FRA) | +2900 |
Apostolos Christou (GRE) | +2900 |
Hugo Gonzalez (ESP) | +3400 |
Mewen Tomac (FRA) | +3400 |
Robert Glinta (ROU) | +3400 |
The 200-meter backstroke appears to be a toss-up between Russian Olympic Committee’s Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov, and USA’s Ryan Murphy. If you’re looking to bet on someone that could get you the largest return, Murphy could be the swimmer to go with in this event.
Men’s 200m Butterfly Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Kristof Milak (HUN) | -750 |
Daiya Seto (JPN) | +1000 |
Tomoru Honda (JPN) | +1600 |
Federico Burdisso (ITA) | +2200 |
Noe Ponti (SUI) | +3100 |
Tamas Kenderesi (HUN) | +3900 |
Wang Kuan-hung (SUI) | +4800 |
Zach Harting (USA) | +6000 |
Denys Kesil (UKR) | +6000 |
Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL) | +6000 |
Kristof Milak is Hungary’s Michael Phelps – actually having broken Phelps’ 200-meter butterfly record in 2019 at just age 19. Milak is the heavy favorite in Tokyo, and there’s no reason to go with anyone else to come away with gold here.
You have to see it to believe it. 🔥
19-year-old Hungarian Kristof Milak has shattered Michael Phelps' 10-year-old world record in the 200M butterfly at #FINAGwangju2019. pic.twitter.com/nFA7u855Of
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 24, 2019
Men’s 200m Breaststroke Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Anton Chupkov (ROC) | +230 |
Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) | +270 |
Shoma Sato (JPN) | +270 |
Arno Kamminga (NED) | +800 |
Matthew Wilson (AUS) | +1300 |
James Wilby (GBR) | +2000 |
Nic Fink (USA) | +2300 |
Andrew Wilson (USA) | +2300 |
Ryuya Mura (JPN) | +3100 |
Erik Persson (SWE) | +3500 |
Cho Sung-jae (KOR) | +4500 |
As the odds display, ROC’s Anton Chupkov, Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook and Japan’s Shoma Sato are all viewed as possibilities to claim gold, with this event looking like a three-man race. Sato will have the host country behind him, so let’s go with Sato in this event.
Men’s 800m Freestyle Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) | +230 |
Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) | +300 |
Jack McLoughlin (AUS) | +380 |
Florian Wellbrock (GER) | +550 |
Ayoub Hafnaoui (TUN) | +1100 |
Henrik Christiansen (NOR) | +1300 |
Gabriele Detti (ITA) | +1900 |
David Aubry (FRA) | +2300 |
Aleksandr Egorov (ROC) | +3400 |
Robert Finke (USA) | +5000 |
Serhiy Frolov (UKR) | +6000 |
Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri will battle in out in the first of a few different events, but Romanchuk is the early favorite to take home gold. Romanchuk’s dominance in the freestyle previously should be enough to convince you to go with him in this event.
Men’s 200m Backstroke Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Evgeny Rylov (ROC) | -180 |
>Ryan Murphy (USA) | +340 |
Luke Greenbank (GBR) | +750 |
Bryce Mefford (USA) | +1200 |
Xu Jiayu (CHN) | +2500 |
Ryosuke Irie (JPN) | +2900 |
Roman Mityukov (SUI) | +4400 |
Yohann Ndoye Brouard (FRA) | +4400 |
Tristan Hollard (AUS) | +5000 |
Adam Telegdy (HUN) | +5000 |
Jan Cejka (CZE) | +5000 |
Evgeny Rylov of ROC comes into the 200-meter backstroke as the early favorite, but Team USA’s Ryan Murphy could make a run at challenging Rylov for gold in this event. It might be worth betting on Murphy to see if he is able to come out on top and earn you a nice prize in return.
Men’s 100m Butterfly Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Caeleb Dressel (USA) | -550 |
Kristof Milak (HUN) | +340 |
Matthew Temple (AUS) | +1600 |
Josif Miladinov (BUL) | +3400 |
Andrey Minakov (ROC) | +3800 |
James Guy (GBR) | +4100 |
Mehdy Metella (FRA) | +5000 |
Tom Shields (USA) | +6000 |
Noe Ponti (SUI) | +7500 |
Joseph Schooling (SGP) | +7500 |
Jakub Majerski (POL) | +7500 |
Joshua Liendo (CAN) | +7500 |
Chad Le Clos (RSA) | +7500 |
USA’s Caeleb Dressel is the favorite in a few different events with the first one being the 100-meter butterfly. By the end of the nine-day schedule of events, Dressel could end up placing for at least six medals, and he could once again finish on the podium with a medal in this event.
SI Daily Cover: Swimming has never seen an athlete like Caeleb Dressel, who runs like a wideout, jumps like an NBA forward—and racks up medals like Michael Phelps https://t.co/APteOeLKjT pic.twitter.com/z3FDfmw9bi
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 20, 2021
Men’s 50m Freestyle Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Caeleb Dressel (USA) | -430 |
Vladimir Morozov (ROC) | +850 |
Benjamin Proud (GBR) | +1400 |
Kliment Kolesnikov (ROC) | +1600 |
Bruno Fratus (BRA) | +1800 |
Michael Andrew (USA) | +1800 |
Cameron McEvoy (AUS) | +2900 |
Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE) | +4400 |
Florent Manaudou (FRA) | +4400 |
Thom De Boer (NED) | +5000 |
Pawel Juraszek (POL) | +5000 |
The second event that Dressel is a large favorite in is the 50-meter freestyle, with basically nobody else close to him as far as the betting odds go. Dressel will likely be a good spot to set a new world record or at least challenge it in this event in Tokyo.
Caeleb the water cutter! 🏊♂️
Double Olympic gold medalist, Caeleb Dressel, making it look easy at Rio 2016! 🇺🇸🥇🥇#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/jL6f7ApF3I— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 16, 2021
Men’s 1500m Freestyle Odds
Swimmer (Country) | Odds |
---|---|
Florian Wellbrock (GER) | +125 |
Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) | +200 |
Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) | +300 |
Robert Finke (USA) | +2300 |
Henrik Christiansen (NOR) | +2300 |
Jack McLoughlin (AUS) | +2300 |
Aleksandr Egorov (ROC) | +2900 |
Daniel Jervis (GBR) | +2900 |
Michael Brinegar (USA) | +4400 |
Alexander Norgaard (DEN) | +4400 |
Domenico Acerenza (ITA) | +9500 |
The 1500-meter freestyle could be interesting between three of the favorites, that being Germany’s Florian Wellbrock, Ukraine’s Romanchuk and Italy’s Paltrinieri. All three of those swimmers could be interesting choices and will likely round out the podium by the end of the event.

Mitchell has a decade of experience in journalism, marketing, communications and digital fields, having covered sports teams and leagues on all levels. He has spent more than seven years covering the WNBA and NBA, among other sports. You can follow him on Twitter @M_Hansen13.