Ladbrokes: Punters Like Gambling On 100 Metres

The race to find that decides the fastest man around is something of a "blue riband event" for bookmakers, it has been claimed.

Bookmakers expect to see a lot of gambling activity on the 100 metres at next month's Olympic Games in Beijing, according to Ladbrokes.

Nick Weinberg, spokesperson for the sports betting firm, has said that the sprint race is a "blue riband event" for bookmakers.

The 100 metres is the race everyone always looks out for and the recent controversy surrounding Dwain Chambers' claim for a place in the Great Britain Olympic squad has only served to heighten the interest in the event, he stated.

Explaining potential betting activity in the coming weeks, Mr Weinberg added: "The 100 metres, more so than any other event, is on the hundredths of a second so punters will look at the form before they go ahead and have a bet."

He named world record holder Usain Bolt, American Tyson Gay and Jamaican Asafa Powell as the men to look out for during the competition.

Powell recently won the 100 metres at the Aviva Grand Prix in Crystal Palace, London, to highlight his form ahead of the Beijing Games.