The Netherlands came within one goal of winning its third straight gold medal in Olympic women’s field hockey in 2016, only losing in a shootout. Now, the Dutch team will try to avenge that loss and reassert itself as the best team in the world at the Tokyo Olympics.
BetMGM rates the Netherlands as the +100 favorite to win gold in Tokyo, making them even money against the field in the women’s field hockey competition.
de Goede leads Dutch in quest for gold
The Netherlands ranks No. 1 in the world, and has won the vast majority of major international competitions over the past decade. The Dutch team has won three of the last four FIH Hockey World Cups – finishing as the runner-up to Argentina in 2010 – and both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold medals.
Great Britain upset the Netherlands in the Rio final five years ago, prevailing on penalties after a 3-3 draw in the gold medal game. But the Netherlands showed how far it stands above the pack in the 2018 World Cup, outscoring their competition 35-3 over its six games, including a 6-0 drubbing of Ireland in the final.
Eva de Goede leads the Netherlands into the Tokyo Olympics. The 32-year-old midfielder has won the last two FIH Player of the Year awards, and has made 200 career appearances for the Dutch national team.
Australia (+450) is one of the few teams with realistic hopes of upending the Netherlands in women’s field hockey. While the Dutch team did roll through the 2018 World Cup for the most part, the Australians held them to a 1-1 draw in the semifinal, only losing in penalties. Australia ultimately finished fourth in that competition, and hasn’t won a medal at the Olympics since 2000, when the country won its third gold medal in four tries.
Great Britain longshot to repeat in women’s field hockey
Germany also comes into the tournament with +450 odds of winning gold. The Germans won bronze in 2016, and reached the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup. They also made the final of the 2021 Women’s EuroHockey Nations Championship before falling 2-0 to the Netherlands.
Argentina (+550) broke its streak of four straight women’s field hockey medals in 2016, when it fell to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. It suffered a similar fate in the 2018 World Cup, losing to Australia in a penalty shootout in their quarterfinal matchup.
| Olympic Women’s Field Hockey Odds – To Win Gold (via BetMGM) | |
| Netherlands: +100 | Germany: +450 |
| Australia: +450 | Argentina: +550 |
| Great Britain: +1000 | New Zealand: +2000 |
| Spain: +3300 | China: +3300 |
| India: +3300 | Ireland: +3300 |
| Japan: +5000 | South Africa: +10000 |
Great Britain (+1000) returns to the Olympics as the defending champions. But England and Scotland both failed to reach the semifinals in the 2021 EuroHockey tournament, casting doubt on whether Great Britain can repeat their run from 2016.
New Zealand (+2000) reached the final four of the 2018 World Cup, and has also finished fourth in the past two Olympics. Spain (+3300) could surprise for a medal, having finished third in the 2018 World Cup. China (+3300), India (+3300), Ireland (+3300), Japan (+5000), and South Africa (+10000) round out the 12-team field.
The women’s field hockey tournament begins on July 24, and wraps up with the gold medal game on Aug. 6.