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If you’re to reminisce about your childhood, you probably have a fond memory of testing how high and far you can jump. To make things more interesting, you and your peers like to see who can do it best. And that is what track and field jumping events are all about.
Track and field is a sport that consists of running, throwing, and jumping events. Each event has a division for men and women. Many of these events root as far back as the ancient Greek Olympics. Read on to see how to bet on track and field jumping events.
What Are the 4 Jumping Events in Athletics?
Currently, track and field competitions contain four jumping competitions, each with men and women divisions. Track and field jumping events include High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, and Pole Vault. All of these events involve more skill and technique than the mere ability to jump. You can see each of them in detail below.
Long Jump
This track and field jumping event has been popular since the Ancient Greece Olympics. The Long Jump facility consists of a runway, a take‑off board, and a landing area.
In this event, contenders catapult forward as far as they can into a sandpit. They sprint toward the takeoff board and then jump forward. Each long jumper has three chances, and the farthest distance will be their official score. In addition, jumpers need to be careful not to have their foot cross the end of the takeoff board.
If that happens, their jump won’t count. The key to winning in Long Jump is to have each of the following:
- good speed for their running start,
- excellent footwork after the sprint so they can launch as close to the line as possible without going over,
- a good jump, and
- proper form from air to landing.
High Jump
Another long-standing track and field jumping event is the High Jump. Its playing field comprises a semicircular runway, a takeoff area, a pair of uprights with a crossbar, and a landing area. Each high jumper aims to clear an approximately 13-feet long crossbar.
To get started, players sprint towards the crossbar and then jump upwards over the bar. It can be either face-up or face-down. Each high jumper gets three attempts at a height. Once they clear the height, officials raise the crossbar. A high jump won’t count if the player hits the crossbar or knocks it down.
Thought the years, the High Jump arena has witnessed various techniques, with Fosbury Flop being one of the most successful. In this strategy, you lead your head over the bar and twist in a way that your back is to the ground and nearest the bar as you pass over it. You’ll be landing on your back.
Triple Jump
Except for the takeoff board position, the facilities of Triple Jump are similar to that of Long Jump. Ideally, for international competitions, the take‑off board should be at least 11m for women and 13m for men from the closer landing area end.
In these track and field jumping events, triple jumpers run down a short pathway, spring forward from the takeoff point, and then use three long jumps to go as far as they can. These jump combinations are known as:
- the hop – takeoff, and land on that same foot,
- the step – land on the opposite foot, and
- the jump – land on both feet.
It’s pretty much like the game hopscotch you play as a child.
Pole Vault
Finally, the last of the four track and field jumping events is Pole Vault. Its layout includes two uprights with a crossbar, a box to inserting the pole, a runway, and a landing area.
All track and field jumping events require a technique to shine, but Pole Vault is arguably the toughest to perfect. Here, pole vaulters run down the track while holding a pole, which they will plant into a box on the ground and then propel themselves up and over a high bar. The mechanic is to get over the bar without knocking it off.
Each pole vaulter has three chances to clear every height. For every successful vault, officials will raise the bar. The pole is long and flexible, measuring about 13 to 16ft for leverage.
How to Bet on Track and Field Jumping Events
Track and field jumping events betting are relatively easy to learn. That’s particularly true if you’re already familiar with sports betting, including how to place wagers and how the odds work. And even if you’re a complete newbie, it’s not a very steep learning curve. You only need to do a little research.
If you’re a traditional sports bettor, the challenge in betting on track and field jumping events lies in deciding which bets to make. You might find it hard to determine the right plays when you’re unfamiliar with a sport. That is the case in both favorites and upsetters. But that’s easy to address with some strategy.
So, how do track and field jumping events bets work? Visit any bookie, and you’ll find a wide range of bets you can make. While they have a lot of differences, all of them come with money line odds.
Oddsmakers use the money line to even out all sides of the wager. Every bet should have an approximately equal amount of money when everything is said and done. Depending on the sports betting site, the types of track and field jumping events bets you can place include event winners, yes/no wagers, and proposition bets.
Types of Bets on Track and Field Jumping Events
When it comes to betting on track and field jumping events, there’s no shortage of choices. Many athletic competitions and prestigious tournaments are held all over the world. These include the Summer Olympics, Athletics World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Diamond League, and Marathons. Here’s a list of the athletics betting markets available to you.
To Qualify
Every track and field jumping events athlete goes through several qualifying events to earn their spot in a tournament. In the competition itself, jumpers sometimes need to overcome qualifying rounds to be in the finals. Some bookies will let you bet on which athletes will qualify.
To Be On The Podium
Betting to win is the simplest form of athletics betting. You can place a wager on which athlete you think will have a podium finish. Being on the podium at the Olympics, for instance, means that a jumper won a medal. It’s in the usual order of Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
To Set a New Record
Some bookies let you bet if a jumper will break a world record. Such records are a big deal, especially in prestigious events like the Olympics. The best athletes not only strive for gold but also set new records. You can find a list of world records these jumpers are gunning for on the World Athletics page.
To Be Disqualified
While not all bookmakers offer this option, disqualification still happens in track and field jumping events. The result of this wager is pretty much self-explanatory. If the officials disqualify your chosen athlete from the competition, you win the bet.
You’ll find a lot of possible betting opportunities in track and field jumping events. While you might not be acquainted with every athlete who will be leaping over a hurdle, you can still make solid wagers. You can always do your research and follow strategies. Be sure to watch out for major competitions such as the Olympics and Diamond League.
