Tiger Woods Favored in PGA Tour Event for First Time Since 2014

Posted on: March 14, 2018, 01:00h. 

Last updated on: March 14, 2018, 10:52h.

Casino.org Staff Writer Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

Tiger Woods is the odds-on favorite to win this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. It’s the first time since 2014 that the golfing great has been the betting frontrunner in a PGA Tour event.

Tiger Woods Masters odds Las Vegas
Tiger Woods is roaring back to form, and now finds himself in a familiar position in Las Vegas. (Image: Mike Carlson/Associated Press)

The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas has Tiger at just 6/1 to win in Florida. Those odds mean sportsbooks feel there’s a 14.29 percent chance of Woods being the low man come Sunday. A $100 bet and a Woods victory nets the gambler $600.

Online sportsbook Bovada agrees with the SuperBook that the 14-time major champ is the player to beat. But the site has Woods slightly longer at 13/2 (+650).

After a T2 finish last week at the Valspar Championship, it should come as little surprise that sports bettors are printing tickets with Tiger’s name for the Arnold Palmer. Woods has won at Bay Hill a record eight times, including four straight between 2000 and 2003.

Following Woods, the SuperBook has Jason Day and Rickie Fowler at 12/1. Justin Rose has the fourth-shortest line at 14/1, and Rory McIlroy rounds out the top five at 18/1.

2017 Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Marc Leishman is at 40/1. Matt Every, who won in both 2015 and 2016, is long at 150/1. A cheap $10 bet and Every winning for a third time at Bay Hill nets $1,500.

Woods Props

Tiger Woods is unquestionably good for the game of golf. When he’s playing and competitive, television ratings soar. And golf handle at Las Vegas sportsbooks additionally increases.

To get the most action possible, oddsmakers post a series of prop bets on the 79-time PGA Tour winner.

The SuperBook has three Woods props. They are:

Tiger to make the cut? Yes -450, No +350

Finish in Top 10? Yes +130, No -150

Finish in Top 20? Yes -190, No +160

The offerings show that bettors feel strongly Woods will be around for the weekend, and a top 20 finish is about 65 percent likely. But despite his runner-up finish last weekend, oddsmakers aren’t sold he’ll be in the top 10.

The +130 line implies a 43.5 percent chance Woods will post his second consecutive top 10 finish.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of the strongest fields on the PGA Tour. Aside from the four majors, World Golf Championships, and FedEx Cup Playoffs, Bay Hill was the fifth-strongest field in 2017 behind the Tournament of Champions, Northern Trust, PLAYERS, and Memorial.

Masters Odds

Money continues to pour in on Tiger Woods winning his fifth green jacket next month. His Masters line was around 50/1 in early 2018, but today has shortened to just 10/1.

CG Technology President of Risk Jason Simbal told ESPN this week that its sportsbooks have taken considerable money on Woods winning the Masters. “We’re going to make a lot of money on the Masters, or we’re going to lose a lot of money,” he explained.

World #1 Dustin Johnson is the Augusta favorite at 8/1. Justin Thomas is next at 9/1.