Tiger Woods has become by far the most popular bet to win the 2022 Masters.
"Woods is now ahead of everyone by over 1,000 tickets," Max Meyer, spokesperson for Caesars Sportsbook, told ESPN's David Purdum on Wednesday.
The five-time Masters champion suffered significant leg injuries in a car crash 14 months ago, and he hasn't competed in a PGA Tour event since November 2020. He surprised the world by showing up to Augusta National for practice rounds, saying that he is now preparing to play.
Though he is still considered a long shot with 40-1 odds at DraftKings, fans are expecting big things from the superstar. Just in 2019, Woods won the Masters for his first major title in 11 years.
A similar result would create a major liability for sportsbooks.
"Tiger winning the Masters would be the worst result for us at any golf tournament since we started operating in the U.S. by far," Jay Croucher, head of trading for PointsBet, said.
While the general public will certainly be rooting for Tiger this week, the books will hope favorites like Jon Rahm or Rory McIlroy finish in first place.
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Louis Oosthuizen leads the field in the 2021 Open Championship, but Jordan Spieth is now the slight betting favorite to win at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spieth, who's tied for second with Brian Harman at five under, is +350 (bet $100 to win $350) to capture his second Claret Jug. Oosthuizen is +450 after a six-under 64 opening round. Together, they have some distance on the next-closest golfer, Collin Morikawa (+1600).
Spieth has been solid all season, earning eight top-10 finishes in 20 events so far. However, his struggles on the final day raise obvious questions as to his chances of pulling through at Royal St George's Golf Club.
According to PGATour.com, Spieth is 142nd in Round 4 scoring average (71.20).
Unlike Spieth, Oosthuizen is still looking for his first victory on the PGA Tour this season, but that isn't for a lack of trying. He tied for second in the PGA Championship and was runner-up to Jon Rahm in the U.S. Open.
Dustin Johnson (two under) and Brooks Koepka (one under) have some ground to make up on Oosthuizen, but the oddsmakers remain optimistic about their ability to overcome that gap. The pair are both +1800, the fourth-best odds in the field.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is Jon Rahm at +3500 despite being tied for 74th following a one-over round. Bryson DeChambeau posted the same score and is a long shot already (+13000).
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The fourth edition of Capital One's The Match pits Green Bay Packers reigning MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and 2020 U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau against Tampa Bay Buccaneers reigning Super Bowl MVP signal-caller Tom Brady and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson.
Looking to make things just a little more interesting when you tune in Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET on TNT for what's sure to be a rollicking exhibition at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana?
Here's a rundown of what DraftKings has to offer from a betting standpoint.
Odds to win
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -182
Mickelson/Brady: +135
There's little doubt DeChambeau/Rodgers should be favored. DeChambeau ranks sixth in the official world golf rankings, while the 51-year-old Mickelson ranks 31st. Rodgers is also considered to be a better amateur golfer than Brady, and the Jack Nicklaus-designed course might give an extra advantage to the younger, stronger guys. It plays to 8,000 yards and features one of the longest holes in the country. The elevation should help everyone gain some distance, but DeChambeau is the longest driver on tour.
With that in mind, -182 ain't bad, and +135 might not be enticing enough to jump on the underdogs. That said, Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning beat this very same Mickelson/Brady duo last year, and those legendary winners will likely be determined to avoid another loss together.
Betting against Tom Brady is never comfortable.
Hole 1 winner
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -125
Mickelson/Brady: -106
Alternatively, if you aren't confident anyone will jump out ahead on the first hole, you can get better odds for DeChambeau/Rodgers to be the first to go up 1 (-137) or for Mickelson/Brady to do the same (+105).
On one hand, the first hole is a pretty wide-open par four that isn't particularly easy or daunting. It's the No. 9 handicap hole, so a halve seems like a strong possibility.
But on the other hand, it's possible nerves will cause somebody to blow up right out of the gate. Neither Rodgers nor DeChambeau has done this before, and DeChambeau's length off the tee might not provide him a huge edge on a medium-length par four with a dogleg. Mickelson/Brady are a tempting bet here.
First to go 2 up
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -159
Mickelson/Brady: +115
As mentioned, you can also get slightly less extreme odds (-137 and +105, respectively) for the first to go 1 up if you think it'll be close. That said, if you're in on the more experienced duo shocking the newbies early, this is a chance to make some money on Mickelson/Brady.
There isn't much value in hitting DeChambeau/Rodgers here, as they have similar odds to win outright and it's harder to see them going up early and collapsing later when scoring opportunities perk up on three late par fives.
If anything, the natural arc is an early Mickelson/Brady lead followed by a charge from DeChambeau/Rodgers on the back nine.
Leading after X holes
3 holes
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -134
Mickelson/Brady: +100
6 holes
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -137
Mickelson/Brady: +105
9 holes
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -150
Mickelson/Brady: +110
12 holes
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -159
Mickelson/Brady: +115
15 holes
DeChambeau/Rodgers: -175
Mickelson/Brady: +130
This is interesting. The first three holes are not big challenges relative to the rest of the course, and Mickelson/Brady could easily capitalize on their experience. The par threes might even favor that duo, and the third is the second-shortest hole on the course.
This match could begin to swing toward the faves on the long par-five sixth, the No. 3 handicap hole. If Brady is indeed the least skilled golfer of the group, he could find trouble there while DeChambeau simply outmuscles Mickelson. But it's possible that'll just get the favored pair back in it, so I wouldn't shy away from taking good odds on Mickelson/Brady until things become really long and treacherous between the 12th and the 15th.
That probably explains why the odds change dramatically in that range.
Longest tee shot (available on holes 1, 6 and 8)
DeChambeau: -200
Mickelson: +140
DeChambeau averages 322.4 yards per drive, while Mickelson averages 302.6. If you're going to take a swing with Phil anywhere, stick to the sixth or the eighth because DeChambeau is more likely to run into trouble off those tees.
Another strategy could be to hedge with DeChambeau on the wide-open first tee and then roll the dice on Mickelson later. Neither player is clearly more accurate off the tee than the other, but Lefty is the vet and it's not hard to imagine DeChambeau getting fired up and making a mistake under the prime-time circumstances.
Will a quarterback hit the fairway on hole X?
1st hole
Yes: -305
No: +210
10th hole
Yes: -250
No: +175
Brady is an 8.1 handicap, while Rodgers is a 4.6, according to Forbes, but Rodgers has said he thinks Brady is better than that. Regardless of whether either is a sandbagger, it's unlikely they'll both miss the fairway.
Still, that first-tee "No" at +210 is tempting because we're still talking about amateurs who could have a different set of nerves out of the gate. Those odds are inflated by the fact that it's a pretty open fairway, while the 10th is a little more daunting off the tee.
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Harris English wasn't the biggest winner following his PGA Tour victory on Sunday.
English collected $1.33 million by outlasting Kramer Hickok in the Travelers Championship. However, that total was narrowly eclipsed by the $1.36 million one bettor collected after cashing in on a six-leg parlay, per ESPN's David Purdum.
The bettor put $15.50 down with 90,396-1 odds of seeing all six outcomes swing their way:
Their nerves were probably frayed by the time all was said and done.
"I was sure that Hovland, Korda and Steve Stricker were good bets," the bettor told Betfair, per Purdum. "But I was a little unsure on Harris English."
English had to sink a 28-foot birdie putt on No. 18 to move to 13 under, which was ultimately required to force the playoff with Hickok.
The pair then battled over eight playoff holes to determine a champion, which tied for the second-longest sudden-death playoff in PGA Tour history.
It certainly made for dramatic viewing as the bettor watched to see whether they would be collecting a hefty windfall.
Aaron Rodgers and Bryson DeChambeau have opened as the favorites over Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson in Capital One's The Match on July 6 at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.
The tandem of Rodgers and DeChambeau are -167 (bet $167 to win $100) at DraftKings Sportsbook, with Brady and Mickelson collectively a +130 underdog.
Those odds likely reflect some skepticism about whether Mickelson can continue to perform at the level he did in his PGA Championship victory. The 50-year-old is 162nd on the PGA Tour in scoring average (71.813) and 138th in greens in regulation (63.78 percent). He fell back to earth at the Charles Schwab Challenge in late May, missing the cut altogether.
DeChambeau, on the other hand, has two victories and six top-10 finishes in 13 events this season.
Mickelson and Brady may be energized by their desire to atone for their loss to Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods in May 2020.
Brady proved the skeptics wrong recently when he guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title. Maybe he can do it again with the six-time major champion.
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Phil Mickelson isn't the only one who is thrilled with his victory at the 2021 PGA Championship.
One bettor took home $301,000 with a $1,000 gamble on Lefty to win the major:
That bettor was surely sweating when Mickelson bogeyed Nos. 13 and 14 to fall to plus-one for the final round, but he responded with a birdie on No. 16 to create enough separation to survive another bogey on No. 17.
He finished Sunday's round with a one-over 73, but he was minus-six for the tournament and two shots clear of Louis Oosthuizen and Brooks Koepka.
Mickelson became the oldest major winner in golf history at 50 years, 11 months old.
Anyone willing to bet $1,000 on a long shot at history coming through like that deserves the massive payday.
While he came up short in the U.S. Open on Sunday, Brooks Koepka opened as the early favorite to win the Open Championship, which tees off July 18 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.
Koepka is +700 (bet $100 to win $700) at the Caesars sportsbook to capture his first Claret Jug. Rory McIlroy, who tied for second a year ago, is +800 to come out on top and defending champion Francesco Molinari is some distance behind at +1800.
Tiger Woods tied for sixth in his return to the Open Championship, having missed the event in 2016 and 2017. The 2019 Masters champion is +1100, slightly above Dustin Johnson (+1200).
Forecasting a winner for major golf tournaments is always tough given how large the field is, but Koepka is the safest bet from this year's group. The 29-year-old has two wins and six top-10 finishes in 14 events this season.
Koepka was one of three golfers to finish one shot behind Woods at Augusta in April, and three shots separated him from U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach. Throw in his PGA Championship victory and he appears to relish the big stage.
McIlroy has been nearly just as good, with 11 top-10s and two wins in 2019. He has shown a remarkable level of consistency in the Open Championship, too. After missing the cut in 2013, McIlroy won the tournament in 2014 and then reeled off three straight top-five results between 2016 and 2018.
Woods will be the sentimental favorite for many fans, though his recent performances aren't entirely encouraging.
The 15-time major champion took a month off following his Masters win and returned for the PGA Championship, where he missed the cut. Then he tied for ninth and 21st, respectively at the Memorial Tournament and U.S. Open.
Based on his comments immediately after the U.S. Open, it appears Woods is planning another extended break before making the trip overseas for the Open Championship.
There was only one logical choice to be the favorite for the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach following Sunday's showing at the PGA Championship.
Brooks Koepka, who won his fourth career major by two strokes over second-place finisher Dustin Johnson at Bethpage Black, has the lowest odds at 5-1. He is followed by Johnson at 8-1 and Tiger Woods at 12-1.
Jeff Sherman of SuperBook USA shared the odds for the top contenders:
It is no surprise Koepka is the favorite considering he has won four majors since the start of the 2017 season. Among those major championships are victories at the 2017 U.S. Open and 2018 U.S. Open, and he will look for a third straight win in the event with momentum after his second consecutive PGA Championship.
The fact that he is just 29 years old and seemingly getting better with every tournament is a daunting proposition for the rest of the field.
Johnson still had a chance in Sunday's final round and found himself down by a single stroke after Koepka tallied four straight bogeys on Nos. 11-14. However, Johnson bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 and failed to capitalize on the opportunity.
Elsewhere, Woods doesn't present much value at 12-1 even if he did win the Masters. He missed the cut entirely at the PGA Championship and is 43 years old. Even as arguably the greatest golfer in the history of the game and a 15-time major winner, Woods' victory at the Masters was his first major championship since the 2008 U.S. Open.
Having the third-lowest odds is a testament to how much he resonates with the betting public, but defeating Koepka and the rest of the field will be a tall task.
