Look for lights out this week from the world’s top golfers on the PGA Tour.
Mountain State bettors can wager into one of the top score-producing events on tour, the Rocket Mortgage Classic, from Detroit Country Club. It runs Thursday-Sunday, with numerous forms of pre-tournament and in-game wagering.
Scores should be markedly improved from the recent Travelers Championship, won by Harris English at 13-under par.
In 2019, Nate Lashley captured this event at 25-under par. In 2020, Bryson DeChambeau showed the way at -23.
Thus, he’s the favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook West Virginia for the tournament.
Here are the top names, with their odds to win and place in the top five and top 10:
- DeChambeau +775, +200, +105
- Patrick Reed +1200, +300, +150
- Hideki Matsuyama +1900, +400, +225
- Webb Simpson +1900, +400, +225
- Joaquin Niemann +2200, +400, +225
HOW TO WATCH
- Thursday-Friday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. EST (Golf Channel)
- Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS)
PGA Tour betting at WV sportsbooks
William Hill WV also offers some enticing options. One is the Double Chance.
Many revolve around DeChambeau:
- Matsuyama or DeChambeau to win is +450
- Reed or DeChambeau is +450
- Simpson or DeChambeau is +500
Here are some odds boosts:
- Phil Mickelson to reach the top 20 is +325
- Bubba Watson to hit the top five is +800
- Keegan Bradley to be the first-round leader is +5000
BetMGM Sportsbook WV has a potpourri of bets by nationality and a leaderboard similar to DraftKings and William Hill. The field is so big that all the books can’t give the same betting odds to every player. Thus, a player like Reed, who is +1400 at BetMGM, is a better value here than elsewhere.
Rocket Mortgage Classic betting overview
There will be pressure on players to obtain birdies early. Last year, the cut was 5 under par, making this the fourth-easiest course on the tour, 38th out of 41. There will be an abundance of birdies for gamblers to consider regarding bets on the ensuing hole.
Detroit Golf Club is one of the flattest courses on tour. The small amount of elevation changes gives the longer hitters a chance to unfurl their power game.
This is a golf version of baseball’s Home Run Derby. Watch the game’s best players hit long drives and take a big run at superb scores. Look for players to boldly attack the stick, as they should have little trouble reaching the greens in regulation.
It’s a refreshing change for bettors, who can bring more birdie and even eagle betting into the in-game equation.
DeChambeau is favored off of his victory here last year, but there are enough good players in the field to make it difficult for him.
Matthew Wolff, +3000, was only three strokes off the pace in this tournament last year. He finished second and is an excellent value here.
Simpson also had a top 10 finish here last year.
Given the course’s propensity for great scores, DraftKings added an unusual opening-round prop of players to obtain an eagle. Most are +500 or better.
The odds of getting three on a par 5 or two on a par 4 are extremely remote, but the board exudes expectations of that.
Seventeen, a par 5, should be a scoring fest. There were 14 eagles here in 2019 and 13 in 2020. There will be legitimate chances for eagles, making that prop a little enticing.
Otherwise, holes 2, 6 and 11 are threats for a bogey and the seventh, another par 5 that most of the pros will hit in two shots, is an excellent birdie opportunity. An eagle is not out of the question on this hole.
PGA Tour markets in WV
Leaderboards and head-to-head matchups will be adjusted every day.
If you want to take a stab at in-game betting and whether a golfer will get a birdie, par or bogey on the ensuing hole, it’s good to track his performance over a couple of days to assess what holes he handles best.
How do you spot a trend? In the middle of a round, you may see a golfer suddenly putting with confidence. When the blade comes alive, anything is possible.
There are different ways to find value bets beyond going way down the board on the win line, too.
Take a golfer of your choice in the top 20 and top 30. Sungjae Im is +175 in the top 20 and -110 in the top 30. That’s good value for a steady player who doesn’t have to finish anywhere near the lead in order for someone making this bet to cash in.
