iv class=”bodyContent col-lg-9 mb-3″>
Team USA is the overwhelming favorite by the Olympic men's basketball odds to win a fifth straight gold medal, but it'll first need to get past Serbia and NBA MVP odds favorite Nikola Jokic in Thursday's semifinal at 3 p.m. ET.
The Americans are favored by 16.5 points across our best sports betting sites, though our USA vs. Serbia prediction expect a closer game than what we saw when these teams met in the group stage.
Don't miss my France vs. Germany prediction for the other semifinal.
USA vs. Serbia predictions for Thursday
USA vs. Serbia odds via our best sports betting apps; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.
- Serbia +16.5 (+100) ????
- Nikola Jokic Over 39.5 pts + reb + ast (-115) ???
Yes, the U.S. beat Serbia by 26 points when these teams met in their Olympic opener. But there's a reason our best sportsbooks have this rematch priced as a much closer affair.
Serbia actually matched the Americans point-for-point when Jokic was on the floor, though the USA dominated the Serbs' bench in an eventual blowout. I don't see the final score getting so far out of hand in this semifinal rematch – especially if Jokic remains on the floor for nearly the entire contest, like he did in the quarterfinals.
It's uncommon to find +100 odds on the spread without betting into an alt-total, so we're catching some nice value with this wager paying out $1 for every dollar wagered.
Odds: +100 | Implied probability: 50%
We saw the absolute best version of Jokic in the quarterfinals, when he led Serbia to the biggest comeback in Olympic history to erase a 24-point deficit against Australia.
The three-time NBA MVP winner finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists on Tuesday, and his 17 shot attempts were his most in this tournament. Clearly, Jokic put the team on his back in the biggest game yet for his country:
Jokic also played 39 of 40 minutes in that win, and I'd be surprised if he sits for more than a few minutes given how dominant the Americans were against Serbia's second unit in the group stage. That should give the Joker plenty of opportunities to “do his thing” in the semifinal.
Odds: -115 | Implied probability: 53.49%
USA vs. Serbia odds & game info
| USA | Serbia | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -1800 | +880 |
| Spread | -16.5 (-110) | +16.5 (-110) |
| Over/Under | Over 188 (-110) | Under 188 (-110) |
- When: Thursday, Aug. 8
- Tip-off: 3 p.m. ET
- Where: AccorHotels Arena (Paris)
- How to watch: NBC, Peacock (streaming)
- Favorite: USA -16.5 (-110)
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.
Related pages
- Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)