Swimming

McEvoy, Sjostrom Big Betting Favorites to Repeat as 50 Free World Champions in Doha

February 3, 2024

2024 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 11th – February 18th (pool swimming)
Doha, Qatar
LCM (50m)
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Defending 50-meter freestyle world champions Cam McEvoy and Sarah Sjostrom are huge betting favorites to repeat next week in Doha, Qatar, according to new odds released by Caesars Sportsbook.

McEvoy opened as a heavy -275 favorite after dominating last year’s 50 free final by more than half a second in Fukuoka, Japan. The 29-year-old Aussie’s winning time of 21.06 was just .02 seconds shy of Caeleb Dressel‘s textile world record time (21.04).

Caesars has tabbed Ben Proud as the most likely to upset McEvoy at +550 odds. The 29-year-old Brit took bronze at Worlds last year in 21.58. Isaac Cooper, a 20-year-old Aussie, is next at +1100 behind 24-year-old American Michael Andrew (+1400), despite Andrew having been slightly faster than him last year (21.64 vs. 21.65). But if McEvoy is at his peak form in Doha — a big “if” given the meet’s proximity to the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer — no should be in the same stratosphere as the defending world champion.

On the women’s side, Sjostrom is favored at -250 odds coming off a huge 2023. After first setting the world record in the 50 free in 2017 (23.67), the 30-year-old Swede lowered her own global standard with a personal-best 23.61 at Worlds last year. Caesars considers Shayna Jack the most likely candidate to pull off an upset at +400 odds after the 25-year-old Aussie took 2nd behind Sjostrom at Worlds last year (24.01).

It’s a long shot, of course, but Kat Wasick is a solid value pick at +1000 odds given her recent trajectory. The 31-year-old Polish sprinter posted her two fastest times of 2023 in November (24.21) and December (24.18). Also keep an eye on former Virginia star Kate Douglass at +1200 odds as she recently blasted a personal-best 24.38 in November just minutes after setting a new U.S. Open meet record in the 200 IM (2:08.46).

You can check out the full list of odds here on Caesar’s website, which does have restrictions based on state-by-state betting laws. The sportsbook also posted odds for open water races on Thursday, but the women’s 5km was not initially included. Now the women’s 5km odds are up, and 18-year-old American Katie Grimes is actually the betting favorite (+340) ahead of defending champion Leonie Beck (+375) of Germany.

Where do you see the most value? Let us know in the comments.

Sports betting is now legal in 38 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. It remains banned in Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.

SwimSwam: McEvoy, Sjostrom Big Betting Favorites to Repeat as 50 Free World Champions in Doha