The Olympic Games Paris 2024 from a sports betting perspective 

IOC efficiently monitored unprecedented betting volume at Paris 2024

During the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC) monitored sports betting on all 32 sports and a total of 329 events. All events were monitored on a 24/7 basis and scrutinised for any irregularity or unexplainable movements on the global sports betting markets.

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 saw record betting volumes in the worldwide markets. Based on information gathered from a wide range of stakeholders, including service providers, betting operators and regulators, the estimated aggregate betting volume on the events of Paris 2024 was around 11 billion EUR – an increase of more than 20 per cent compared to Tokyo 2021 and more than 50 per cent compared to Rio 2016.

As usual for the Olympic Games, there was betting on all events and, interestingly, basketball overtook football to become the sport with the highest estimated betting turnover during the Games. A detailed intelligence report will be shared with all International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) upon request.

Games-time monitoring and intelligence processes

Using a combination of sophisticated algorithms, smart IT platforms and human intelligence, the OM Unit PMC plays a central role in ensuring the integrity of the Olympic Games, supported by a number of partners.

To optimise the coordination efforts between the sports disciplinary side and the law enforcement authorities at Paris 2024, the IOC, together with the French authorities (including the French betting regulatory authority, “ANJ”), set up a Joint Integrity Unit (JIU), enabling the rapid exchange of relevant information and intelligence between both sides.

The monitoring of all Olympic events is essential, and has been in place since London 2012. This experience has helped to continuously improve the processes in place and identify breaches more easily. The thorough preparations for Paris 2024 started over a year ago.

Over the past year, the OM Unit PMC monitored all continental games (including the Olympic qualifiers), enabling a better understanding of new betting trends in Olympic sports. With the support of Sportradar, the IOC also conducted in-depth risk assessments for each sport on the Olympic programme, which were shared with all Summer Olympic IFs.

Need for further awareness-raising and situations of non-compliance with the betting rules

As per the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions, no person accredited for the Games is allowed to place a bet on an Olympic event. Any reported incident can constitute the initial trigger for further investigations.

Only a few cases of non-compliance with the Code were identified at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, involving athletes and entourage members. The OM Unit PMC carefully examined the circumstances of each case and assessed that there was no manipulation of competitions and/or intention to manipulate any event in any of these situations.

The Unit took a measured approach and issued warnings to the individuals concerned via their respective NOCs and/or IFs, to ensure swift and thorough follow-up assisted by the expertise of the OM Unit PMC.

The Unit also called upon the respective NOCs and IFs to further intensify their relevant awareness-raising activities, with support available from the OM Unit PMC.

Friedrich Martens, Head of the OM Unit PMC, explained: “The reasons for this betting prohibition are manifold: most importantly, athletes should be allowed to fully concentrate on their competition and not be distracted by betting on any Olympic event. Also, by prohibiting betting for Games-accredited persons, the risk of betting leading to other breaches with malicious intent is ruled out. Further awareness-raising activities need to be carried out so that all athletes and their entourage are aware of the relevant rules and the risks of breaching them, so such incidents can be prevented in the future.”