Entertainment Odds: Michael Phelps Is Racing a Shark

On July 23rd, 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps will come out of retirement – to race a great white shark. It’s all part of the latest Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. The exact details of Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White (8 PM ET) have yet to be released, but the shark is a –1200 favorite at press time, while Phelps is trailing at +600 at Bovada a Casino Allowing US Players.

If this turns out to be a “fair” race with no handicap applied to the shark, then the shark should prevail, fins down. Phelps, arguably the greatest swimmer of all-time, was measured at a peak velocity of six miles per hour back in 2010. A typical great white has a cruising speed of 20-25 mph. However, the shark won’t know it’s in a race. How will it respond to the starting gun?

That might not be an issue. Great white sharks “breathe” through their gills, so they always have to be in motion to get oxygen in their system. Getting the shark to move toward the finish line is another matter. And will this race be live or on tape? We’ll find out what the Discovery Channel programmers have up their sleeve this Friday.