Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Las Vegas sports books welcome Tiger Woods’ return to golf

Woods favored to win The Masters despite it being his first tournament of 2010

tigermasters

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tiger Woods tees off at the first hole during a practice round for the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., Monday, April 5, 2010. Woods’ return to golf has made increased the betting volume in Las Vegas sports books.

Tiger Woods is creating a buzz in Las Vegas again.

Only this time it's in the sports books, not the nightclubs. With Woods set to make his return to the PGA Tour Thursday in The Masters, sports book officials around town are reporting an increased interest in wagering on golf.

"With him away from the game, we saw a drop in betting for golf," said Jason McCormick, director of the Red Rock Resort race and sports book. "We feel like we'll get a much better following with Tiger back."

Woods will tee off Thursday morning in Augusta, Ga., for the first time since announcing he was taking an indefinite leave at the beginning of the year.

McCormick estimated Red Rock would increase its betting handle by about 50 percent from last year's Masters. Jeff Sherman, assistant manager who oversees golf wagering at the Las Vegas Hilton Superbook, said the Hilton was on pace to break its record for the most money bet on the Masters by 33 percent.

"We kind of anticipated this leading up to it," Sherman said. "When we started hearing he was practicing and might play, that's when we lowered the odds."

The Hilton currently lists Woods as the favorite to win the tournament at 5-to-1. It is also offering a number of propositional wagers on Woods alone, as are most of the sports books in Las Vegas.

Although Red Rock and the Hilton have predictably printed a large number of tickets on Woods performing well, they have also seen a lot of money come in against him on the props.

Station Casinos, for example, have posted a wager asking bettors where Woods will finish in the Masters. First through fifth pays -140 (risking $1.40 to win $1), sixth through 10th pays +250 (risking $1 to win $2.50) and 11th or worse pays +140 (risking $1 to win $1.40).

McCormick said 11th or worse has become the most popular prop bet at Red Rock.

"Obviously, there are some people who don't want to see Tiger play very well," McCormick said. "Maybe it's just the layoff or maybe some people are disgusted with some of the things he's done."

Not all of the props are as straight forward as where Woods will finish. At the Hilton, bettors can wager on Woods' first-round front-nine score (over/under 36.5), his first-round back-nine score (over/under 35.5), the first hole he will birdie or eagle (over/under 6.5) and his 72-hole score (over/under 284.5)

Sherman said the Hilton wanted players to have plenty of ways to bet on Woods' return.

"The props are more different this year than they have been before," Sherman said. "We really tried to brainstorm some interesting Tiger ones."

Station Casinos posted a prop on how many majors Woods would end up winning this year. None pays -150 (risking $1.50 to win $1), one is listed at 13-to-2 odds, two is 7-to-2, three is 8-to-1 and all four is 15-to-1.

It's still a question, however, if Woods will play in all four majors this year. McCormick said at this point, nothing would surprise him with Woods' golf schedule as the year went on.

But Sherman said it was safe to expect Woods to at least play in the US Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship.

"After this, I would fully expect him to play in the rest of the majors," Sherman said. "We're going to see less of him than normal, which already isn't very much, but you can expect him to play all the majors at this point."

Sports books have no objections to that.

"It's great for us to have him back," McCormick said.

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