Golf: The Masters 2008 betting preview

GOLF: THE MASTERS

The Masters Tournament is one of four major championships in men’s professional golf and the first to be played each year. Unlike the other “majors,” the Masters is always held at Augusta National Golf Club, a private club in Augusta, Georgia. The Masters has the smallest field of the major championships, with about ninety players. It is an invitational event, but as the top fifty players in the world are all automatically invited, most leading players take part.

For the first thirty-six holes, competitors play in groups of three, after which a “cut” is made. The players to contest the final two rounds are decided by:
1. The lowest forty-four scores (including ties).
2. Any player within ten shots of the leader.

In addition to prize money, the winner is presented with a distinctive green jacket. The green jacket is the official attire worn by members of Augusta National. Champions keep their jacket for the first year after their victory, returning it to the club to wear whenever visiting. Traditionally, the previous winner puts the jacket on the current Champion. The 2008 Masters will take place from 7th to 13th April.

BETTING ON THE MASTERS

Types of Bet Available

Outright Betting
Online bookmakers are already offering prices on the winner of the 2008 U.S. Masters.
Punters should be aware of the disparity amongst the prices offered by the various bookmakers. For example, Ernie Els is only 12/1 with bet365, but a 20/1 chance with better, betdirect, extrabet and Stan James. This also applies to several other fancied contenders.

Best prices at 7th February are:
5/4 Tiger Woods, 10/1 Phil Mickelson, 20/1 Ernie Els, 33/1 K.J. Choi, Vijay Singh (all these are on general offer), 40/1 Padraig Harrington (vcbet), Adam Scott (totesport), Justin Rose (extrabet), Jim Furyk (extrabet), Sergio Garcia (general), 50/1 Retief Goosen (extrabet),Angel Cabrera, Rory Sabbatini (both general offers), 66/1 Mike Weir (extrabet), Lee Westwood (totesport), Luke Donald (extrabet), Henrik Stenson, Zach Johnson (general), 80/1 BAR. Each-way terms are 1/4 the odds 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Outright Betting without Tiger Woods
Since Tiger Woods will start a short-priced favourite, online prices will be available for “the best of the rest.” To win this bet, a selection must win or be second to Tiger Woods. Obviously, prices will be substantially shorter than in the outright market. Each-way terms are usually available, at 1/4 the odds the first 4.

Top Ten Finish
Odds are offered on a particular player finishing in the top ten. Prices tend to be about one-tenth (or slightly less) of the outright price.

Tournament Match Bets
Players with similar winning chances are matched against each other, regardless of whether they are actually playing together. If both players make the 36-hole cut, the winner is the player with the lower 72-hole score. If one player misses the cut, the other is deemed the winner. If both players fail to make the cut, 36-hole scores count. Matches are generally priced at 10/11 each player, with dead-heat rules applying.

To Make the Cut
Online bookmakers offer prices on selected players to make / miss the 36-hole cut.
Some of the selected players are invariably those considered suspect, so it is wise to be wary of this type of bet.

To Win 3-Ball / 2-ball
For the first 36 holes, competitors play in groups of 3. Those making the cut play the remaining 36 holes in pairs. Online prices are available for a player to be the lowest or lower scorer in his group, for a particular round. Dead-heat rules apply.

Match Bets for each Round
Different bookmakers will match up various pairs of players in each round. These matches may be actual, with the players competing in the same group, or “mythical,” with them playing in different groups. In either case, the winner is the golfer with the lower 18-hole score for that round.

Hole-in-One
Most online bettors offer a price on a hole-in-one occurring during the Masters. Typically, prices are in the region of 4/9 No, 13/8 Yes.

“In-running” Betting
Once the tournament gets underway, whilst the tournament is covered by live television, several in-running markets operate. These include:

Outright Winner
Fluctuating prices are offered, dependent on the state of play at the time.

Match Bets
In-running prices are also offered on the match bets for each round. For the shrewd punter, this offers the opportunity to back both players in a match, returning a profit regardless of the result. A word of warning. It also offers the opportunity to lose twice on the same match!

First Round Leader
Online prices are offered on the player leading after 18 holes. This is notoriously difficult to predict, but rewarding odds are offered. Similar bets are available for the second and third rounds.

Leader’s Score
This bet usually comes to the fore in the latter stages of the tournament. Online bookmakers will offer prices for:
(i) Score for the Round
This is usually presented in an “under / over” fashion, odds depending on the state of play at the time. For example, score groups might be “69 or less”, “70-71″, “72-73″ and “74+.”
(ii) Particular Holes
This is a similar bet relating to individual holes with prices for “Eagle,” “Birdie,” “Par,” “Bogey” and “Double Bogey or worse.



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    • Written by John Lamerton · Filed Under Golf 

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