By Daniel Behringer for LVSportsBiz.com
Who really wants to watch golf?
Or bet on it?
Golf lacks the controlled violence of football. Or the brisk, energetic pace of basketball. Or the high-octane buzz of NASCAR.
But for the true golf fanatic, La-Z-Boy spectator or Sunday afternoon bettor, there can be moments of drama in golf.
Also, in the middle of a pandemic, it’s one of the few live events on the oversized monitors in the race and sportsbook.
So there was CBS Sports with the final round of the Memorial Tournament on a Sunday afternoon. It was briefly interrupted by a rain delay (perfect for a short siesta in that La-Z-Boy) but resumed shortly after with golfers toting umbrellas and TV images dotted by rain.
A tout at CBS SportsLine posted his bets made on July 13. We didn’t have a ticket so we followed along.
To win outright, he liked:
Jon Rahm +2200
Daniel Berger +4000
Patrick Reed +5000
Abraham Ancer +5000
Matthew Fitzpatrick +7000
Paul Casey +8000
Daniel Berger +4000
Patrick Reed +5000
Abraham Ancer +5000
Matthew Fitzpatrick +7000
Paul Casey +8000
Rahm ran away with from the rest of the field although his eight-stroke cushion dwindled into a three-stroke lead on the back nine of the final round. The drama came when Rahm chipped out of thick grass for a birdie on No. 16. He was later assessed a two-stroke penalty since his ball moved prior to the shot, but it didn’t affect the outcome.
Presuming the tout made $100 wagers on each of the six golfers, he posted a tidy profit for following four days of PGA golf.
We were curious whether or not betting apps would post “in play” wagers on the final day. With Rahm running away with the tournament, how about Rahm by 8 strokes or greater at +110, 7 strokes at -120 or 6 strokes or fewer at -130? But the app from Station Casinos only had “in play” wagers on the English Premier League and Major League Soccer.
Elsewhere:
— Major League Baseball resumes Thursday with the New York Yankees at the Washington Nationals followed by the San Francisco Giants at the Los Angeles Dodgers. In our first play in some time, we liked the Cincinnati Red at -149 for 1.5 units on Friday as the Reds host the Detroit Tigers from the Great American Ballpark. That number has since ballooned to -179 and even -189. We like it less now. But it shows it pays to take advantage of a reasonable price if you see it.
It will be interesting to see if the two inaugural games between marquee teams will draw fans to the race and sportsbooks on Thursday. Our totally unscientific prediction is “no.” From what we’ve seen, the loud, raucous crowds come out for football, whether it’s college or the NFL. Baseball draws a much more sedate reception.
— There’s more UFC action from “Fight Island” aka Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. In the middleweight main event, Robert Whittaker takes on Darren Till. Both fighters are -110, according to Covers.com.
— An abbreviated 22-game WNBA season begins Saturday. The Las Vegas Aces return to action on Sunday vs. the Chicago Sky and are anywhere from +300 to +350 to win the WNBA Championship.
— The line on the Vegas Golden Knights is holding steady at around -125 and the total remains at 5.5 vs. the Dallas Stars in the first of three round robin Western Conference games on Aug. 3 in the NHL playoffs. The puck drop is at 3:30 p.m. from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. It will similarly be interesting to see whether or not the much-beloved Golden Knights lure a crowd to the race and sportsbook on a Monday afternoon. Our totally unscientific prediction is “maybe.”
— Finally, we have our first play of the planned NFL season. We’ll take the home ‘dog, the Los Angeles Rams at +2.5 vs. the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football on Sept. 13. If you poke around, you can find the Rams +3 at Circa. (If you’re scoring at home, our current record stands at an unimpressive 1-2.)
Daniel Behringer is a long-time Las Vegan. Follow posts at doublegutshot.com. On Twitter, @DanBehringer221.