A combination of physical and mental health issues conspired to keep Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith from competing in the men’s 400 meters at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. However, Hudson-Smith is back and on top of his form at the Paris Summer Games as Wednesday’s final for the men’s 400-meter run approaches.
He easily won his first heat in Paris and also owns the fastest time in the world in 2024 at this distance. Oddsmakers at Bovada are setting Hudson-Smith as the +125 chalk to win the gold medal in the Olympic men’s 400 meters.
However, both Betonline and Everygame are setting their betting lines with American Qunicy Hall as the chalk. He’s the +130 betting choice at Betonline and the +140 chalk over at Everygame.
If you’re planning to bet the Olympic men’s 400 meters final you’ll want to first be charting the outcome of Tuesday’s semifinals before placing any wagers on the final race. It’s wise to ensure that none of the contenders are upset, or that none of the top runners suffered a pulled hamstring or some other injury that might prohibit them from competing in the final.
Before making any bets you should also be checking in on these Vegas betting site bonuses. You’ll discover that all of the top Vegas betting sites are providing access to downloadable apps that will make it simple for you to be placing your bets from your mobile device of choice.
Beyond Hudson-Smith, are there any other runners who look to be contenders that should you be considering for wagers in the Olympic men’s 400 meters? Is there anyone in the race capable of pulling off a shocking upset? While analyzing all your options, start, start by checking out the latest odds for the men’s 400 meter run.
| Olympic Men's 400 Meters |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) | +125 | +160 | +175 |
| Quincy Hall (USA) | +150 | +130 | +140 |
| Michael Norman (USA) | +275 | +350 | +350 |
| Alexander Doom (BEL) | +1800 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Charlie Dobson (GBR) | +2500 | +1100 | +1200 |
| Kirani James (GNR) | +2500 | +1200 | +1400 |
| Muzula Samukonga (ZAM) | +3000 | +3000 | +5000 |
| Jereem Richards (TTO) | +3300 | +2500 | +2800 |
| Chris Bailey (USA) | +5000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Busang Kebinatshipi (BOT) | +7500 | +6600 | +6600 |
| Christopher Morales-Williams (CAN) | +10000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Reece Holder (AUS) | +20000 | +6600 | +6600 |
An element to ultimate success on the playing field is to input a program that will have the athlete peaking at their top level of performance at precisely the correct moment. Looking at the progessive route Hudson-Smith has navigated since the disappointment of Paris, he seems to be on exactly this type of path.
In 2022, Hudson-Smith won a bronze medal in the 400 meters at the IAAF World Championships. At least year’s worlds, he improved his finishing position, coming away with the silver medal.
More recently, two weeks ago at a Diamond League event on home soil in London. Hudson-Smith won the 400 meters in a time of 43.74 seconds. That not only shattered his own European record for the distance, it was the fastest 400 meters run in the world this year.
The 2023 track season was also a strong one for Hall. At the worlds, the American won the bronze medal in the men’s 400, as well as a gold medal in the 4×400-metre relay.
This year, the former South Carolina Gamecock runner has won the 400 at the U.S. Olympic trials and set a personal best at the distance of 43.80 seconds.
Currently ranked No. 1 in the world in the 400, Hall cruised to an easy win in his Paris heat in a time of 44.28 seconds.
Hall takes a different approach to preparing for races. He prefers to practice alone. He’s of the opinion that there’s no one else there to push him to go further during a race, so he only relies on himself to do so in practice.
There’s one absolute certainty with the outcome of the men’s 400 meters. There will be a new Olympic champion crowned.
Stephen Gardiner of the Bahamas, who won the gold medal in Tokyo, didn’t run his race in the heats. He withdrew from the event due to undisclosed reasons.
Gardiner has been struggling with injuries all season long. He suffered a torn right tendon in last year’s semifinals at the World Championships.
It’s only been a little over a year since Hall, who used to also compete in the 400-metre hurdles, determined to make his focus running the flat 400. The fact that he’s now favored at some sportsbooks to win the Olympic gold in this event speaks volumes to his ability.
Hudson-Smith, though, can’t be overlooked. He has steadily improved and he and Hall are the only runners with sub-44 second 400s on their resumes this year.
There are some value plays to consider in this race. American Michael Norman was the 2022 world champion. He finished second to Hall at the U.S. trials. Norman ran the fastest of the heats in Paris, covering the 400 meters in a season’s best 44.10 seconds.
Veteran Kirani James, 31, of Grenada also won his heat in a time of 44.80 seconds. He was the 2012 Olympic champion and 2011-12 world champion. James has won medals in the 400 meters at each of the past three Olympiads. Listed at +400 to win a medal at Bovada, James might be worth a play on this wager.
You can also get +150 odds at Bovada at the moment on Hall to win gold. Grab that price while you still can.
