GoT’s “The Mountain” Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Given +100 Odds to Win World’s Strongest Man Competition
- Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson is favored to win next month’s World’s Strongest Man competition
- He’s better known as The Mountain on Game of Thrones
- Björnsson is the defending World’s Strongest Man champion
When it comes to crossover sports stars, Kyler Murray and Bo Jackson need to make room for Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. He’s become a household name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUaaPDFu5r4
You can call him Gregor Clegane, or you can call him The Mountain. Whatever handle you know him by, you also are aware that you’ve been watching him for the past several years on HBO’s Game of Thrones.
What you probably didn’t know is that Björnsson is also a world champion. He is the reigning World’s Strongest Man champion. He won his first world title in the competition last year in the Philippines.
Björnsson has also earned three second-place and three third-place finishes in the competition since 2012. He’s been on the podium every year since 2011.
Will Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Win The World’s Strongest Man Competition?
| Will Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Be the World’s Strongest Man? | Odds at BookMaker |
|---|---|
| Yes | +100 |
| No | -130 |
*Odds taken 05/27/19
None Will Better Bjornsson
Eddie Hall, the world deadlift record holder of 500kg and the 2017 World’s Strongest Man champion, made a commitment to drop pounds and compete in lower weight categories.
Brian Shaw is a four-time world’s strongest man winner, but the American won his most recent title in 2016. He’s been steadily finishing second to Bjornsson in strongman competitions over the past two years.
Poland’s Mateusz Kieliszkowski looks poised to be the sport’s next star after finishing second last year world championship. But he’s only 25. That’s a baby in strongman competition. He’s still learning the ropes and isn’t ready to climb up and dethrone The Mountain.
Pick: No (-130)
Will Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Deadlift More than 474KG During the World’s Strongest Man Competition?
| Will Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Deadlift More than 474KG at the World’s Strongest Man? | Odds at BookMaker |
|---|---|
| Yes | +228 |
| No | -300 |
How Much Can The Mountain Move?
Before he became a mountain of a man, the 6’9″, 397 lb. Bjornsson actually was a budding basketball star in his homeland of Iceland. A center, between 2004-06 he played 32 times for the Icelandic national junior team. In 2008, he was on the Iceland roster at the European under-18 championship, appearing in eight games.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/PW8UwwBIWM
— Hafþór J Björnsson (@ThorBjornsson_) September 23, 2018
Instead of dominating the post, Bjornsson now makes his living moving giant posts, massive rocks, pulling vehicles and airplanes with his bare hands and lifting massive amounts of weight.
BookMaker is also offering a prop on whether The Mountain, who has a personal best of 410 kg in competition, can deadlift more than 474kg during next month’s world’s strongest man competition in Brandenton, Florida.
He attempted to deadlift 500kg at the 2019 Arnold Strongman Competition in a bid to tie Hall’s world record, and came close to doing so before his left foot slipped and the bar fell from his grip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQgxOy5k7Jw
Checking that footage, he came so near to making it happen that a small “yes” wager to beat 474kg might be a play that will pay off.
Pick: Yes (+228)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
