Bettors Furious Over Sportsbooks’ Handling of Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Posted on: February 5, 2024, 12:31h. 

Last updated on: February 5, 2024, 08:41h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Many sports bettors took to social media on Sunday to express their displeasure with certain sportsbooks voiding their bets on Wyndham Clark’s win at the rain-shortened AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

golf bettors Pebble Beach Wyndham Clark
Pebble Beach Golf Club’s famed 18th hole is seen amid a storm on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. The shortened AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am upset some bettors over how sportsbooks handled bets placed before the fourth round, which was canceled. (Image: Getty)

Clark was deemed the victor on Sunday after PGA Tour officials determined Pebble Beach to be unplayable.

The storm affecting the Monterey Peninsula throughout the day Sunday is forecast to continue into the early hours of Monday with very strong winds,” a Tour statement explained. “Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of all constituents, there will be no play on Monday. Therefore, in accordance with the PGA Tour Regulations, the tournament results will be final through the conclusion of 54 holes.”

The tournament’s abrupt ending made Clark, who shot a Pebble record of 60 on Saturday, the winner at -17. The victory gave Clark, last June’s US Open winner, his third win on the Tour and elevated his world ranking to number six.

Bettors Berate Books

With severe weather in the forecast, many golf bettors placed big bets on Clark following the completion of the third round. Expecting a cancellation, many of those bettors assumed their wager had even better odds of winning than the book’s line because the weather could cancel the final round.

Many sportsbooks’ house rules, however, void such bets. Books like DraftKings state that futures bets made after the completion of one round and before the start of another are voided if the subsequent round isn’t played.

“Bets stand once the player has teed off,” DraftKings explains its futures markets.

One bettor on DraftKings made a $20 wager on the exact top-20 finish order, which the bettor picked based on the top-20 leaderboard as of Saturday night. The bet would have won more than $755K should the fourth round have been played, and the top 20 remained unchanged.

In a statement to Casino.org, DraftKings said it is “reviewing the settlement” of certain bets placed on the tournament.

“We are currently reviewing the settlement of certain bets placed on this weekend’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am following the cancellation of the final round due to severe weather. DraftKings’ house rules are currently the same as they were at the start of this event,” read the DraftKings statement.

Sounding Off

While books voided bets made after the third round, the oddsmakers kept other pretournament action. Losers teed off on their books for seemingly having it both ways.

But, again, most house rules, including those at DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM, stipulate that a PGA Tour tournament is considered completed if the Tour cancels the event, so long as at least 36 holes have been played.

“In the event of a tournament being shortened or otherwise affected due to weather conditions, all bets other than those placed after the last completed round will stand provided at least 36 holes have been played and a trophy has been awarded,” BetMGM’s house golf rules read.

golf bettors Pebble Beach Wyndham Clark
Wyndham Clark wins the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. (Image: Getty)

Clark Wins

Before the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Clark was at a distant 100/1 to win. Clark hadn’t been in good form heading into the event, as his previous top-15 finish came at last August’s BMW Championship, where he finished third.

Clark’s win continued a streak of long shots winning on the PGA Tour.

Chris Kirk was 200/1 to win The Sentry, Grayson Murray was 400/1 to win the Sony Open, then-amateur Nick Dunlap was 300/1 to win The American Express, and Matthieu Pavon was 125/1 to win the Farmers Insurance Open.