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After routing Brazil 122-87 in the quarterfinals, Team USA will face Serbia in the men’s basketball semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday.
The Americans continued their dominant run through the Olympics, improving to 4-0 with a ridiculous plus-99 point differential following Tuesday’s blowout of Brazil. They’ve yet to be seriously challenged in Paris and need just one more win to advance to the gold medal game.
But first, they’ll have to get through Nikola Jokic and Serbia, who are coming off a 95-90 overtime win versus Australia. Serbia erased a 24-point deficit to force overtime, where Jokic and Co. prevailed with a gritty performance.
You can bet on Team USA versus Serbia at many online sportsbooks. Most online betting sites have plenty of odds and lines for the game, along with special promotions for new customers.
Can the Americans advance to the finals with another win? Or will Serbia finally halt their incredible run?
Here’s everything to know about this showdown along with some of our best bets.
United States vs. Serbia Betting Preview
Game Details
- Who: Serbia vs. United States
- When: Thursday, Aug. 8
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Where: Bercy Arena (Paris)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Serbia +800, United States -1350
- Spread: Serbia +15.5 (-112), United States -15.5 (-108)
- Total: Over/Under 189 (-108/-112)
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. Subject to change.
Not surprisingly, Team USA enters this game as a double-digit favorite against Serbia. The Americans’ roster has much more depth and talent, which is why they’re the No. 1 seed and heavy favorites to win gold (-700) in Paris. Meanwhile, Serbia has the second-longest odds of the four remaining teams at +2000.
Both teams are coming off very different performances in the quarterfinals. Team USA pulled ahead early and never looked back, leading Brazil by 12 points at the end of the first quarter and 27 points at halftime en route to a 35-point thumping.
Serbia, on the other hand, needed a massive comeback and overtime to get past Australia. The Serbians trailed by as many as 24 points in the first half before clawing their way back and ultimately winning in OT.
Serbia has won three straight games but will need to show some of that fight if it wants to hang with Team USA. The Americans already smashed Serbia in the opening game of group play, storming back from an early 10-2 deficit to earn a commanding 110-84 victory.
With a roster full of All-Stars and future Hall of Famers, Team USA is simply too good. Six Americans have scored in double figures every game, and they’re so deep that Kevin Durant – who just became Team USA’s all-time leading Olympic scorer – is coming off the bench.
Jokic is arguably the best player in the world, as he showed against Australia with 21 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in 39 minutes. The reigning NBA MVP can’t beat the Americans by himself, however, and doesn’t have enough support on Serbia’s roster.
Expect a similar result to last time with Team USA winning easily.
United States vs. Serbia Best Bets
United States -15.5 (-108)
We’ve been hesitant to take Team USA on the spread with some of the massive numbers they’ve been getting, but this one is more reasonable.
The Americans have won all four of their Olympic games by at least 16 points, making -15.5 a realistic cover. They’ve outscored their opponents by an average of 24.8 points per game, including Serbia by 26.
Serbia can’t match Team USA’s firepower, especially from beyond the arc. The Americans also have the rest advantage after cruising to an easy win over Brazil, whereas Jokic just played his most minutes in months.
Over 189 (-108)
We know Team USA is going to score. The Americans have scored at least 103 points in all four of their games, averaging 107 points per game. They also hung 110 points on Serbia despite getting off to a terrible start, which helped hit the Over.
That means we only need around 80 or 85 points from Serbia to put the Over in play, which is certainly doable. Serbia has scored at least 84 points in every Olympic game and is averaging 95.5 points per game.
With both teams poised to score plenty of points, we like the Over in this matchup.
How to Bet Team USA vs. Serbia
Betting on USA vs. Serbia is no different from betting on a regular NBA game. Betting sites will have traditional markets like moneyline, spread and total. These markets are all straightforward and easy to understand for newer and casual bettors.
Beyond that, books will offer various prop bets on markets like the winning margin, first half spread and whether the game will go to overtime. There will also be player props available for statistics like how many points, rebounds or assists a player will record. These bets require more research and are better options for more serious basketball fans and sports bettors.
Bettors can also combine multiple wagers from the game into a same-game parlay. These bets are riskier and less likely to hit, but they come with higher odds and payouts.
Whichever market you bet on, keep in mind that this is a high-pressure game played in unfamiliar territory for both teams. Accordingly, player performances may be a bit more volatile than usual, especially compared to an NBA game where players have a more defined routine.
As such, remember to bet responsibly and limit your unit size to reasonable amounts.
Photo by Pool/Getty Images
