Sport is made for betting

Gotta love the swimming. It is a bonanza sport for punters if you do your homework. Bookies tend to pay too much attention to form from heats and semis, and also to local biases (Aussie swimmers shorter in Aus, Brits in Britain etc). The suits debacle threatens to take a bit of gloss off the meet, but once they're in the water and racing, you can ignore most of the hype. Tonight's schedule starts off with the 400m freestyle events for both men and women. Both favourites are vulnerable, I'd rather be laying at odds-on than backing.

Cate Campbell at 5 or better in the women's 50 free (1pt) Athletics Mbango Etone at 15 in the women's triple jump (1/2pt) Full tips at www.puntingace.com/olympics Hockey Spain 3.25 to beat Germany (men)

I'm laying Schipper this evening in the womens 200 fly, it has been two years since she set a PB (the world record), and the Chinese woman Zige Liu has been steadily coming through. The Chinese have to win a gold in the pool I think, and this could be the one... Back here at 3.5

The Phelps races are no contests but worth watching to see if he can reach the target of eight golds. In the women's events, I think the two favs are too short. Rice is entitled to be slightly odds-on in the womens 200IM but Pellegrini should be laid until the cows come home at odds-on! I fancy Isakovic in that myself, but Hoff won't be far away...

Peirsol in the mens 100m backstroke... long history of slower times in the prelims and then finding an extra gear when it counts. Take anything above 5/6.

Mens 400IM - Phelps won't get beaten Womens 400IM - Rice eased off after having the fastest 300m split. She should be equal fav, so take all the 3+ you can get. Mens 400m Free - too hard, go Hackett! Womens 4x100m Free - tricky part about this is all the team changes for the final. Dutch and USA 2, Aus 1, Germany and China probably same team. The Yanks have better depth, so I think the world-record holding Dutch have more scope for improvement with Dekker and Veldhuis coming in. 4.5 and above should be lapped up... If trading in-running, watch for the stroke changes in the medley races. Hoff is brilliant in breaststroke, Coventry outstanding in the backstroke so they will lead their respective legs.