Flying saucers, Big Macs and aliens: All bets are on as the Olympics begin

Who will win the men’s 10m platform diving event? Who will win the men’s 48kg boxing event? Will something go wrong during the opening ceremonies? Will a hurdler fall flat on his or her face when crossing the finish line? While some questions seem more legitimate and reasonable than others, interested fans will bet on it all.

Gambling is a huge industry in London and is expected to bring in about $155 million during the Olympic games. Many owners of gambling houses urge punters, the British word for a gambler, to rake in the money by wagering and betting on anything and everything.

For example, eitb.com explains that one gambling house, William Hill “offers 11,000 different wagers during the games…and offers perhaps the longest odds of the games: 1,000-to-1 that a flying saucer will appear over Olympic Stadium during Friday’s opening ceremony.”

Ladbrokes, another gambling house with a very appropriate name, offers a bet on whether a British athlete will be photographed eating a Big Mac during the Games.

Along with extraterrestrial events, wagers are made on the sports, the athletes, the arenas, and even the weather.

However with all of this gambling comes a huge risk for the $9 billion industry. The International Olympic Committee will be feverishly watching the gambling scene and keeping track of anything that looks suspicious. Any bets or wagers that seem fishy to the authorities will be looked into and shut down immediately to protect the British industry.

As the opening ceremonies are less than two days away, you can bet punters and gambling houses are gearing up for the wagers and bets to get rolling.