The PGA Tour’s most important major tournament tees off Thursday as the 2019 Masters begins from Augusta National Golf Club. Golf’s most prestigious championship has an incredible field of stars who will surely bring many West Virginia sports betting fans to their local sportsbook.
Even though golf may not be the most popular sport wagered at WV sportsbooks, that could soon change. Major championships, specifically the Masters, are often the most bet golf events of the season.
Now that legalized sports gambling exists in different parts of the country, expect this year’s Masters to generate the most betting action for a golf tournament ever. The Golf Channel recently reported that one Las Vegas bettor has placed a $10,000 wager on Tiger Woods to win his fifth green jacket.
Let’s break down everything about the upcoming Masters including the basics of betting golf and how to watch the most exciting PGA Tour event of the year.
The Masters at WV Sportsbooks
Mountain State residents trying to place a sports bet are still without an online option. Since BetLucky Sportsbook was suspended and then seemingly terminated, bettors in WV must commit to traveling to one of three active land-based sportsbooks in the state.
These three sportsbooks include:
Once again Wheeling Island Sportsbook and Mardi Gras Sportsbook have closed betting windows during a major sporting event. Delaware North, the casinos’ owner is currently on the search for a new sports betting provider.
This obviously creates a big inconvenience for a lot of people within the state looking to bet on a regular basis. WV is fairly large and mostly rural, so many must travel hours just to get a single wager in.
Although this might deter most people, sports betting revenue for WV were impressive for March Madness, despite the lack of a mobile option.
It’s quite possible that the Masters could generate a similar interest to bettors in the area. The Masters is the biggest golf tournament of the year and even those who don’t care about golf that much seem to pay attention.
It will be difficult for the Masters to draw in the size of handle that betting on college basketball did (over $4.4 million during its first week), however, it should probably boost the figures enough to notice when compared to a “regular week.”
Where to watch the Masters
The Masters is held at Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia beginning April 11. The first golfer steps up to the tee at 8:30 a.m. A champion will be crowned with the ceremonial Green Jacket presentation on Sunday, April 14.
Here is the Masters’ TV schedule for those watching from home:
- Thursday: ESPN – 3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- Friday: ESPN – 3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday: CBS – 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Sunday: CBS – 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Additional coverage can be found on the Masters’ Twitter page and live streaming is also available on the Masters’ website and its mobile app.
Be sure to tune into the Golf Channel and the Masters’ website for updates and live play each day before the action begins on ESPN and CBS.
WV sports betting guide to the Masters
Betting on golf is a little different than betting on team sports. Let’s examine the different ways you’re able to do so for the Masters.
Futures bet
Futures wagers are the most popular style of bet for most golf tournaments. Bettors pick one or several golfers who they think will win before the start of the tournament.
Typically, futures bets in golf have very favorable odds because it’s so difficult to pick one individual to win among a fairly large field of players. Even the majority of favorites are given odds of +1000 or higher.
Golf futures can vary as well. Instead of just taking a player to win the tournament, you might be able to choose whether they will finish in the top 5 or top 10 depending on the sportsbook.
Head-to-head bet
The other most common golf wager is picking which player will win a specified head-to-head matchup between two golfers.
Prior to a tournament starting, sportsbooks will typically offer several different matchups with players who have similar futures odds. Often, these matchups will involve golfers who are playing in the same groupings, but that’s not always the case.
Like the futures bet, matchup bets can vary slightly, too. Some sportsbooks might offer this as a daily wager for 18 holes or for longer durations such as all 72 holes of the Masters.
The number of players involved can change as well. Instead of just a two-player matchup, the bet can expand to three or even more players.
Prop bets
Proposition bets are another exciting way to get some action in on the Masters. The most popular prop for golf tournaments is usually picking who will be leading after each round. Most sportsbooks have odds for after 18, 36 and 54 holes.
Winning margin is another interesting prop. Gamblers can choose exactly how many strokes the champion will win the tournament by, or if there needs to be a playoff to determine a winner.
Other options can get even more in-depth. You’re able to pick from different groupings of players and select who you think will finish best among them. These groups can be broken up by qualifications like past champions of an event or certain nationalities of players.
Specials and other individual player props exist at a lot of sportsbooks. At DraftKings Sportsbook in New Jersey, bettors can decide how many eagles, birdies, and bogeys Tiger Woods will have in a given round.
In-play bets
In-play betting is available for certain golf tournaments like the Masters. After each round, sportsbooks will have updated futures odds for the tournament based on the results of each day.
Another in-play option is to live bet a matchup. Similar to the overall odds to win the event, books will update head-to-head matchups’ odds after each hole or every few holes.
This way, if you miss the tee time of your favorite golfer and don’t get a bet in, you’re still able to put a wager down and don’t have to wait until tomorrow’s round for the daily matchup.
The Masters 2019 odds
Heading into the first round on Thursday, New Jersey online sportsbooks have the following ten players listed as the favorites to wear the green jacket:
- Rory McIlroy
- Dustin Johnson
- Justin Rose
- Tiger Woods
- Jon Rahm
- Justin Thomas
- Rickie Fowler
- Jordan Spieth
- Francesco Molinari
- Brooks Koepka
The PGA Tour is coming to WV
Besides betting on the Masters, golf fans in WV will be able to enjoy some golf right in their own backyard very soon.
The Greenbrier will host the Big 12 Men’s Golf Championship taking place April 26-28. The event will host some of the conference’s best golfers looking to bring themselves and their school some championship hardware.
In fact, the individual college medalist will earn an exemption to play in the PGA Tour event also at The Greenbrier in early September.
A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier will be played at the Old White TPC Course on Sept. 9-15. The event was formerly known as the Greenbrier Classic and was typically held in July.
With the new condensed PGA schedule, the event has been pushed back to the fall and will be a part of the early portion of next year’s season.
Kevin Na took home the title last July by posting an impressive 19-under par over the four rounds.
If WV gamblers end up betting big at this week’s Masters, expect to see even larger figures for the event played within the state. Perhaps there will even be a mobile platform by then.
