Olympic Live Stream 2012: How to Watch America's Best Chances to Win the Gold

No country in the history of the Olympic Games has as many gold medals as the United States, who sit over 500 above the next highest gold winer, the Soviet Union.

The Americans will look to build on that impressive mark this summer during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Below, we breakdown the events that the US has the best chance of capturing gold in. These certainly won't be the only five, but it's a start.

For the full 2012 Olympics schedule, check out NBC Sport’s Olympic coverage.

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5. Women's soccer

The US came up short in the 2011 Women's World Cup, falling in a penalty shootout to Japan in the championship match. Leading into London, however, the American women are favored to take home gold.

Japan may be the one squad capable of keeping the US from winning gold, as the Japanese are the only country to have beaten or tied (Japan did both) since 2012 began. However, the Americans beat Japan 4-1 in their second-to-last Olympic tuneup in June.  

Just as long as forwards Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan continue to score goals at a blistering pace, the US will be the team to beat in London. 

Schedule

August 9

8:00 a.m. Women's Bronze Medal Match

2:45 p.m. Women's Gold Medal Match

4. Women's gymnastics (all-around individual)

Four years ago, Nastia Liukin became a Olympic hero when she captured individual all-around gold. In 2012, the US will look to Gabby Douglas to continue to that run of individual gold. 

Douglas appears ready to take on the task and everyone is expecting big things from the polarizing teenager. She has as good a chance as any to win the individual gold, just as Liukin did in 2008, to become the hands-down No. 1 breakout star of this year's Olympic games. 

Schedule

August 2

11:30 a.m. Women's Individual All-Around

3. Men's swimming

The US have gold medal chances littering the men's pool. Anchored by Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps—arguably the two best men swimmers in the world—the US men's team should clean up the podium in most events. 

Phelps set the Olympic medal record with 19 on Day 5 when he won silver and gold medals. Though he lost gold by .05 seconds to Chad Le Clos in the Men's 200m Butterfly, he won the Men's 4x200m Freestyle to captivate USA fans nation-wide.

It must have been an exhausting day for Phelps, but he's still looking to add to his medal count. Expect nothing but the best from the best. 

Schedule

August 2

2:48 p.m. Men's 200m Backstroke - Final

August 4

3:27 p.m. Men's 4x100m Medley Relay - Final

2. Men's basketball

You may wonder how in the world USA men's basketball isn't No. 1 on this list. But I'm not convinced this team—led by LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant—is invincible. In a tune-up against Brazil, the US showed that there are still holes to be exploited. They even started slow against Tunisia. 

And in the simplest of terms, men's basketball has more overall competition from the rest of the field. While the women (below) will breeze through their schedule, the men have some speed bumps to cross yet. 

This team will still (or should) win gold easily, but it's not as sure a thing as the next team on our list. 

Schedule

August 12

6:00 a.m. Men's Bronze Medal Game

10:00 a.m. Men's Gold Medal Game

1. Women's basketball

The American women have won gold in four straight Olympic Games, and they are once again heavily favored to win the gold in London. It obviously wouldn't get the same attention as on the men's side, but if the American women didn't win gold this summer, the upset would be much greater. 

The competition from other countries simply isn't there. The women's "Dream Team" of Candace Parker, Sue Bird, Lindsay Whalen and Tamika Catchings simply doesn't have anything close to an equal around the world. 

Schedule

August 11

12:00 p.m. Women's Bronze Medal Game

4:00 p.m. Women's Gold Medal Game