2024 Paris Olympics Soccer Odds & Picks: Saturday (8/3)
2024 Paris Olympics action continues on Saturday. Women's soccer takes center stage as we enter the knockout rounds. All eight teams will take the pitch throughout the day. Below I'll break down each match from a betting perspective and let you know where I'm laying my money on the Olympic pitch.
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Saturday’s Best 2024 Olympics Soccer Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
USA (-165) vs. Japan (+400), DRAW (+320) | O/U 2.5 (-155/+120)
The jam-packed day opens up with a marquee matchup between the United States of America and Japan. USA won Group B with a perfect 3-0-0 record, while Japan advanced courtesy of a runner-up finish in Group C at 2-0-1. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. ET from Parc des Princes in Paris, France.
Both of these teams looked very good in the opening round. However, Team USA just looked sharper overall, so I'm going to lay the juice with them on the Moneyline at -165. I think they have plenty of all-around talent to take care of Japan in the opening 90 minutes.
While the Stars and Stripes racked up nine goals in the group stage, the defense impressed me the most. They conceded only twice. They also plowed Germany 4-1, and the Germans are the fourth-ranked team in the FIFA rankings. Japan comes in at seventh, so they're no slouch either. USA has a head-to-head win (2-1) over Japan back in the SheBelieves Cup semi-finals in April. Japan's a well-rounded team. I think they'll keep it close, which is why I'd rather play the Moneyline than lay 1.0 or 1.5 goals with Team USA.
Bet: USA Moneyline (-165)
Spain (-350) vs. Columbia (+900), DRAW (+475) | O/U 2.5 (-165/+130)
The games continue as Group C winner Spain looks to stay perfect following a 3-0-0 group stage effort. They'll take on Group A's Columbia, who placed third at 1-0-2. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. ET from Groupama Stadium in Lyon, France.
This is a match where I have no issue laying 1.5 goals with the favorite. Spain cruised to a title in Group C, taking down top-10 FIFA teams Japan (2-1) and Brazil (2-0) in the process. For context, Columbia is a modest 22nd in the FIFA rankings. Honestly, the South American nation, who went just 1-0-2, is a bit lucky to have advanced to the knockout round.
Spain has been on a tear for the last two calendar years, going 19-0-2 and winning the women's World Cup. Eleven of those 19 wins have come by multiple goals, including seven of their 11 matches in 2024. La Roja is rolling right now and they're the top-ranked team in the world. I think they breeze past Columbia on Saturday.
Bet: Spain -1.5 (-125)
Canada (+235) vs. Germany (+110), DRAW (+265) | O/U 2.5 (-155/+125)
Despite finishing 3-0-0 in Group A, Canada placed second due to a six-point deduction from their cheating scandal. They'll open up the quarter-final round against Germany (2-0-1), who took the runner-up spot in Group B. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET from Orange Vélodrome in Marseille, France.
For two teams who didn't win their groups, this is setting up to be a must-watch match between Canada and Germany. I'm going to take a shot with the North American side +0.5 goals at coin-flip odds. This team could've easily folded following the cheating scandal and thrown in the towel. That wasn't the case as The Canucks rattled off three straight victories in the group, punching a ticket to the next round.
Canada has now won its last five matches across all competitions. They're an impressive 13-4-0 in their last 17 contests. You have to go back to October of 2023 to find their last loss, which came in a 3-0 friendly against Brazil. Germany's tough, but they have had some letdowns, losing 4-1 to the United States in the group, while also failing to make it out of the group stage in last year's World Cup. Honestly, I think there's a chance Canada wins this game outright, but I'll play it conservatively and take the 0.5 goals at -110.
Bet: Canada +0.5 (-110)
France (-140) vs. Brazil (+370), DRAW (+300) | O/U 2.5 (-130/+100)
Host country France gets the nightcap on Saturday. They topped Group A with a record of 2-0-1. They'll square off against Brazil, who placed third in Group C (1-0-2). Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET from La Beaujoire-Louis-Fonteneau in Nantes, France.
The night wraps up with a highly-anticipated clash between France and Brazil. The South American country is in a similar spot as Columbia - they made the knockout stage despite logging a losing record. What's worse is that Brazil posted a -2 goal differential during the group stage. I'm not very high on this iteration of Brazil, so I'm going to lay the -140 juice on the Moneyline with France.
This is a pretty nice setup for France, in that they went just 2-0-1, yet still get to take on a third-place team. They'll also have a whole nation at their back in Nantes on Saturday. The home-pitch advantage can't be emphasized enough. I've seen France's men's rugby and soccer teams put on dominant performances in front of their fellow countrymen. I almost feel like we're getting a bargain of a price at -140 with the second-ranked FIFA team against a struggling Brazil side. I'm hammering France to win this match in the first 90 minutes.
Bet: France Moneyline (-140)