The United States was a heavy betting favorite to claim the most gold medals at the Olympics, a race that would come down to the final event and end in a tie.

The U.S. entered the Olympics with -600 odds to win more gold medals than any other country at ESPN BET. China had the second-best odds at +350.

The U.S. women’s basketball team held off France 67-66 in the gold medal game Sunday, giving the Americans their 40th gold medal and tying them with China for the most at the games. The U.S. garnered approximately 64% of the money wagered on the gold medal market at ESPN BET.

Sportsbooks took varying approaches to settling bets on the gold medal market. ESPN BET, DraftKings and FanDuel each settled gold medal bets with a “dead heat” rule, generally meaning half the amount of the bet is paid out at the odds offered.

BetMGM included a tiebreaker in its gold medal betting rules and deemed the U.S. the winner due to winning more silver medals than China. Sportsbooks Prime Sports and the South Point in Las Vegas elected to pay out bets on both the U.S. and China, although South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews acknowledged on social…

The Paris Olympics wrapped up over the weekend, with the USWNT reclaiming their place atop the major tournament mountain after earning their fifth gold medal on Saturday. USWNT forward Mallory Swanson scored the game’s lone goal in the 57th minute to lead the team to their eventual 1-0 win over Brazil. 

The US never trailed at the 2024 Olympics and became the first women’s team in tournament history to record shutouts through all three knockout rounds.

Second-half adjustments secured USWNT win

Brazil looked the better of the two teams in the first half, bypassing the USWNT’s midfield to pressure their backline with probing, vertical play. Recent Chicago Red Stars signing Ludmila spurred chaos among the USWNT defense, striking what would have been the game’s opening goal if she hadn’t been ruled offside.

The US held fast to a 0-0 scoreline at the half, then worked their way back into the match. A well-weighted pass from Korbin Albert ultimately split Brazil’s defense and slotted Swanson in on goal.

USA’s World Cup rebound streak kept alive

…

The Paris Olympics wrapped up over the weekend, with the USWNT reclaiming their place atop the major tournament mountain after earning their fifth gold medal on Saturday. USWNT forward Mallory Swanson scored the game’s lone goal in the 57th minute to lead the team to their eventual 1-0 win over Brazil. 

The US never trailed at the 2024 Olympics and became the first women’s team in tournament history to record shutouts through all three knockout rounds.

Second-half adjustments secured USWNT win

Brazil looked the better of the two teams in the first half, bypassing the USWNT’s midfield to pressure their backline with probing, vertical play. Recent Chicago Red Stars signing Ludmila spurred chaos among the USWNT defense, striking what would have been the game’s opening goal if she hadn’t been ruled offside.

The US held fast to a 0-0 scoreline at the half, then worked their way back into the match. A well-weighted pass from Korbin Albert ultimately split Brazil’s defense and slotted Swanson in on goal.

USA’s World Cup rebound streak kept alive

…

The 2024 Paris Olympics ended yesterday and gave so many emotions as in every edition. The Olympic tennis tournament took place in the first week of the Games and was held in the same venue as the French Open, a suggestive setting that made the event even more exciting.

The men’s tournament final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic was one of the most beautiful matches of the season so far, with the Serbian champion finally achieving his dream of winning the gold medal for his country.

Tennis was very popular at this edition of the Olympics, thanks to the epic second round match between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal that attracted the attention of many fans of other sports. Despite some male and female absences, the Olympic tennis tournament was a success in every respect.

The Olympic tennis tournament no longer awards ATP and WTA points, but there were almost all the best players in the world. The biggest absences were certainly those of Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, but the spectacle of the Olympics manages to overcome any unforeseen event. Tennis does not have the same Olympic tradition as other sports, but it is making its way into the world over the years.

The next Olympics…

Hi there! The summer of soccer officially came to a wrap over the weekend with the U.S. women’s national team’s gold medal win on Saturday, while the European season is officially underway after the EFL opened up. I’m Pardeep Cattry with the latest to kick off the week.

Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Monday, Aug. 12
EFL Championship: Luton Town vs. Burnley, 3 p.m. Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
Leagues Cup: Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas, 10:30 p.m. Apple TV+

Tuesday, Aug. 13
EFL Cup: Sheffield United vs. Wrexham, 3 p.m. Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
Leagues Cup: Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. Apple TV+

The Forward Line

USWNT go back to winning ways

The U.S. women’s national team won their first Olympic gold medal in 12 years on Saturday, beating Brazil 1-0 in Paris and turning the page on last year’s disappointment at the Women’s World Cup in the process.

Things were not straightforward for the USWNT on…

Angel City have confirmed the signing of former Manchester United captain Katie Zelem on a deal through to 2026.

Zelem, 28, joins after leaving United following the expiration of her contract at the end of June, bringing an end to a chapter that saw her make over 160 appearances for the club.

A product of United’s academy, Zelem initially left in 2013 due to the absence of a senior women’s team, moving on to Liverpool and later Juventus. However, she rejoined United in 2018 when the club re-established its women’s side, quickly becoming a cornerstone of the squad.

Named as captain ahead of United’s debut season in the Women’s Super League, Zelem played a pivotal role in the team’s rise, leading them to promotion in 2019 and their first-ever Champions League qualification in the 2022-23 campaign. She also helped United clinch the FA Cup with a victory at Wembley last season against Tottenham Hotspur.

Welcome to LA, Katie!
#AngelCityFC announces that England WNT midfielder Katie Zelem has signed with the club through 2026 via free agency. Zelem, former team captain for Man Utd, joins the club as the first signing of the August transfer window.https://t.co/T4nF5Qx2nH pic.twitter.com/KU2QpNTRA9

— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) August 12, 2024

United finished fifth…

MINNEAPOLIS — In applying for U.S. citizenship at age 78, the latest chapter in his fascinating life, Rod Carew used the same approach that made him one of the best pure hitters in Major League Baseball history.

The Hall of Famer diligently prepared for the 10-question citizenship test the same way he might if he were getting ready to face Bob Gibson. Carew put himself on alert for any and all possibilities as he spent months breaking down the citizenship test question by question.

Carew officially became a U.S. citizen on Aug. 2 and will be sworn in at a later date. The native of Panama revealed the accomplishment this weekend to friends during festivities surrounding a Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame event at Target Field.

“I’m so proud of my husband,” said his wife, Rhonda Carew. “He studied those questions and the answers to those questions like there was no tomorrow. He was not going to miss a question.”

“I love this country,” Rod Carew said. “It has given me everything and more.”

The news of Carew’s newly gained citizenship surprised just about everyone. Carew’s family moved to Washington…

Anson Dorrance, whose 21 NCAA championships are the most by a head coach in any Division I sport in college athletics history, is retiring after 45 seasons directing the women’s soccer program at the University of North Carolina.

Dorrance informed Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham of his intention to retire on Friday, Aug. 9, and told the team Sunday afternoon.

The Tar Heels open the regular season on Thursday, Aug. 15, at Denver. Associate head coach Damon Nahas will lead the team this season as interim head coach. Cunningham will direct a national search.

“As many of you know I modeled our program after Dean Smith’s basketball program, and retiring at this time is a credit to his thinking, as well,” says Dorrance. “He would re-evaluate his tenure, not after the season, but after he had time to recharge his batteries prior to the next season. When he didn’t, he retired. After last season I initially was excited about the chance to bolster our roster, which we most certainly have done, but as preseason training camp went on, I realized I didn’t have the same energy it takes to give 100% to this year’s team. The players and staff, the university, Carolina…

SAINT-DENIS, France — On the final night of competition at the Stade de France, the Americans torched the purple track in their relays, setting a pair of records and pulling off another gold medal sweep in the men’s and women’s events.

It’s the third straight Olympics both U.S. 4×400-meter teams have won gold medals. For the women, it has now been more than 30 years since they didn’t capture gold in the event.

“We got the real quarter horses,” women’s lead leg Shamier Little said. “We really do. And it’s amazing to be part of history, and to kind of add on to that. To see the dominance lay before you, and then fall in line with that.”

Such dominance was on full display Saturday in the middle of the women’s relay, when Little handed the baton off before any other team’s first leg. When she put the stick in Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s hands, the race was effectively over.

McLaughlin-Levrone, the 25-year-old now four-time gold medalist hurdler who seemingly gets faster every time she’s on the track, sprinted hard into the first turn. Almost instantly, she created a massive gap between Team USA and the…