- Nathan Chen has -350 odds when it comes to the men's Olympic figure skating betting odds.
- Chen's performance since the 2018 Winter Olympics forecasts a dominant 2022 Olympic performance.
BEIJING - Nathan Chen, one of the top male figure skaters in United States' history, looks to complete his resume when he competes in the 2022 Winter Olympics Figure Skating events. Chen is the clear betting favorite with -350 odds to win.
Men's Beijing Olympic Figure Skating Odds
- Nathan Chen (USA) -350
- Yuzura Hanyu (JPN) +275
- Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) +900
- Shoma Uno (JPN) +1400
- Vincent Zhou (USA) +1600
- Mark Kondratiuk (ROC) +5000
Main Competition For The Event Is Himself
With Chen's closest competitor in the Olympic men's figure skating odds listed at +275 (Yuzura Hanyu), it is clear that anything but a Chen win would be a massive upset. The recipe for an upset may have less to do with his opponent’s potential for greatness, and more to do with the likelihood Chen falls apart on the largest of stages.
Nathan Chen went into the 2018 Winter Olympics as the betting favorite to win the figure skating event but totally fell apart in the short program portion of the event. The short program portion is the first event for men's individual figure skating, and Chen finished in 17th.
He had stated that he was struggling with nerves, and that was apparent in both the individual and team events that he performed in.
Part of what makes betting on the Olympics so difficult is the nerve factor for athletes who are attempting to live out their dreams with millions of people watching. Chen struggled with that the first time around but has more than proven his worldwide dominance since 2018.
Complete Dominance Should Mean Chen's A Larger Favorite
Even with sportsbooks favoring a Chen victory, he still may not be a large enough favorite.
Nathan Chen's Greatness Since The 2018 Winter Olympics
- Chen has won 15 of 16 events
- Chen has won the past three world titles (2020's was canceled)
- Hanyu and Chen have faced off thrice since, and Chen has won all three by at least 20 points
Five straight victories at the U.S. Championships has put Nathan Chen in elite company, he is now the first man to win the event five straight times since Dick Button. Button's run of seven straight National titles went from 1946 to 1952.
Chen has dominated the US Figure Skating Scene for a long time, but his greatness in the U.S. Championships alone should make him a massive favorite in the Olympics.