Olympic opportunities for pacy punters

UK online bookmaker Betfair is offering in-running betting during a range of Olympic events - promising to even take 'after-the-gun' bets during the Men's 100m.

The company is keen that the athletes won't be only ones being put through their paces during the Olympics and wants punters to push its technology to the limit of 'in-running' betting.

During previous sporting events - such as the final seconds of the England v France match at Euro 2004, which was dramatically turned on its head - Betfair claims to have handled up to 1,000 bets per second and as such believes it can handle betting during the full running of the Men's 100m final - all 9.9 seconds of it - as long as punters "are quick enough".

While potential winnings will probably decrease as events unfold and outcomes become clear, the dynamic betting model allows speculative punters to still gamble on the runaway leader clipping the final hurdle, as famously happened to Gail Devers in the 1992 Olympics when apparently coasting to a second gold medal.

Similarly once other bookmakers have announced 'no more bets', the possibility is still there for false starts, injury or Zola Budd and Mary Decker-style collisions, as happened in 1984, to change the outcome of an event.

A spokesman for Betfair said: "The introduction of 'in-running' betting to the athletics events is another example of the greater choice Betfair offers its customers. While other bookmakers and sports books will suspend their markets, Betfair will allow its punters to bet right up to the last jump, ultimate throw and final stride."

And with the danger that there may be little for Brits to cheer in Athens, a win with the bookies may be our best chance of celebrating anything.