Time to improvise. This is the week for cross-referencing and using tips gleaned from other sports for West Virginia golf bettors.
Big names are taking a hiatus, but there are still two tournaments bettors can sink their teeth into. The premier example stateside is the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Internationally, it’s the Irish Open.
They unfold Thursday-Sunday.
There’s a theme running through both circuits for bettors: The books are guessing, just like you. Value is everywhere. Play the long shots with confidence.
John Deere Classic odds at WV sportsbooks
First, the John Deere opening odds at DraftKings Sportsbook WV:
- Adam Hadwin +1000
- Webb Simpson +1200
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout +2000
- Denny McCarthy +2200
- Charles Howell +2200
The defending champion is Lucas Glover. He is +4000.
Here is the opening line at Caesars WV:
Simpson is the favorite at +1000. Hadwin is next at +1600. That’s a boon for bonus shoppers who like him. There is substantial added value on Hadwin if he’s the guy.
Then comes Sahith Theegala at +2200, with McCarthy at +2500 and Maverick McNealy in at +2800.
BetMGM WV Sportsbook has Bezuidenhout at +3300. That is substantial value there for any bettors who like him.
Additional BetMGM odds include:
- Simpson +1200
- Hadwin +1600
- McCarthy +2500
- Theegala +2500
- Brendon Todd +2800
Value is everywhere at all of the WV sportsbooks. Once bettors find a good number, they must hone down to get an inkling about who may break out.
There is little name recognition here. McCarthy has the leading performance indicator of being 43rd on the PGA’s FedEx Cup standings. He has four top 10 finishes in 24 tour events.
Simpson, a previous PGA winner, is 104th, while Howell stands at No. 103.
Betting on the PGA Tour
Gamblers might borrow a page from horse racing handicappers for this one. Thoroughbred racing offers varied levels of competition on the same card. Horses can be measured against one another on each level (maiden, claiming, or stakes) regardless of whether they would prevail on a larger circuit.
That makes betting lively regardless of class level.
Here, there are many second-tier players. But most of them are even with each other, and they all pay well. Anyone who finds an angle will find the money.
Nobody hints at sticking out. Rarely does DraftKings have the second choice at +2000. That’s usually about where the fifth or sixth player land.
What about Glover? The repeat-winner angle has paid off for some Mountain State bettors in previous competitions.
Many took Harris English across the board at heavy long-shot odds for the Travelers last week. He was the defending champion. English finished just outside of the top 10. That provided a payout for top 20, top 30, and top 40 wagers.
There is often a strong hunch that the defending champion will at least play well. An across-the-board bet on him, or any other long shot, provides a wide potential avenue for return.
This betting approach may appeal to pragmatic gamblers who believe their edge lies in playing a larger sum in a specific area in which they perceive an advantage.
How to watch the 2022 John Deere Classic
- Thursday-Friday: Golf Channel, 3-6 p.m.
- Saturday-Sunday: Golf Channel, 1-3 p.m.; CBS 3-6 p.m.
Additional John Deere odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Will there be a wire-to-wire winner? Unlikely, which is why it pays +1400. It does happen a couple of times each year.
Will the winner be in the final pairing? Yes is -250, and no is +175. The value is a belief that someone lurking just outside the top three will come from behind to win it.
What is the exact margin of victory?
- One shot, +250
- Two shots, +350
- Three shots, +600
- Four shots, +350
- Playoff, +300
There are also lots of bets to weigh after the action starts on Thursday.
This is a day-by-day, hole-by-hole consideration for the bettors. It will require watching certain players for stretches of holes and trying to get a feel for how comfortable some players are.
Bettors can blend these observations into bets like a head-to-head matchup of two golfers on a certain day, next-hole performance, and adjusted leaderboards after each round.
Irish Open betting
There’s a similar overview of the Irish Open. There is a little more name value, but not much.
Shane Lowry is the favorite at +900 at DraftKings.
Tyrrell Hatton is a nice price at +1800. Hatton has continually underachieved amid higher expectations in the US-based PGA tournaments, but England native may be more comfortable in Ireland.
Both Lowry and Hatton are capable of a lights-out surge at any time. Bettors have been patiently waiting for that.
Lucas Herbert is the defending champion. He opened at +3500.
Other odds at BetMGM include:
- Lowry +800
- Seamus Powell +1400
- Thomas Peters +1800
- Hatton +1800
- Ryan Fox +2000
