Tiger Woods Talks Sports Betting, Loses Poker Charity Event to NBA Superstar Russell Westbrook

Posted on: May 27, 2019, 01:00h. 

Last updated on: May 26, 2019, 08:18h.

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

Tiger Woods hasn’t shied away from commenting on the legalization of sports betting across the US, and this week he weighed in on one outlandish wager made on himself winning all four of golf’s majors in 2019.

Tiger Woods odds sports betting
Tiger Woods isn’t the favorite for the next major of the year. (Image: Warren Little/Getty)

At his Tiger Jam event in Las Vegas last Friday, which benefits his TGR Foundation, one attendee asked the 15-time major champ about the man who bet $85,000 on him winning the Masters. The wager made on 14/1 odds at the William Hill sportsbook at SLS Las Vegas netted $1,190,000.

F—ing great bet,” Woods told the crowd who immediately laughed. But as for bettor James Adducci’s subsequent $100,000 gamble on Tiger winning the next three majors – the PGA Championship, US Open, and Open Championship – the golf superstar wasn’t so kind.

“Dumb for the Grand Slam part, though,” Woods stated.

A native of Wisconsin, Adducci bet $100,000 on the nearly unthinkable at 100/1 odds at the very same sportsbook for a distant chance at winning $10 million. But with Brooks Koepka winning the PGA, the six-figure gamble is a win for the house.

Tiger Poker Bust

Golfers are barred from placing bets on their own performance, or any other player for that matter. But outside the ropes, Woods has long fancied a legal gamble in Las Vegas.

For more than two decades, the 43-year-old has been hosting his annual Tiger Jam. A poker tournament has been a staple of the Las Vegas charity event, and that was again the case last week.

While sitting at the same table as NBA superstar Russell Westbrook, Woods went all-in with ace-king. Westbrook called, and showed pocket queens. The flop displayed a third queen for the pro baller, and the turn and river cards did nothing to help Tiger from being eliminated from the tournament.

Westbrook was also later knocked out, and the charity game was won by poker pro Daniel Shak.

Teeing off on Sports Betting

Tiger’s comments on Adducci’s high-stakes gamble isn’t the first time the golfing great has given his opinions on sports betting.

In March 2018 – nearly a decade removed from his last major win that came at the 2008 US Open – Woods said his positioning being the Las Vegas favorite for that year’s Masters was a result of gambling addicts.

A lot of gamble-oholics out there,” Woods said regarding his frontrunner status. Westgate SuperBook golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman said “how the public is going to bet” can greatly dictate lines.

Woods’ 2019 Masters victory cost oddsmakers dearly. William Hill’s Nick Bogdanovich said the first major of the year was “a painful day” for the sports betting operator. “Our biggest loss ever, but a great day for golf,” he added.

As for next month’s US Open at Pebble Beach – a track where Woods won the 2000 US Open by a major-record 15-stroke margin – the SuperBook has Tiger at 12/1 to win his 16th major title. That trails two-time defending US Open champ Koepka (6/1), who is now the No. 1 player in the world, and No. 2 Dustin Johnson (8/1).