Mountain State bettors, prepare yourselves for an alluring wager that will last an entire weekend.
This weekend, DraftKings Sportsbook West Virginia expanded its golf prop bets for the highly profitable Players Championship. Taking place from Thursday to Sunday, this PGA tournament will be the highlight of an exciting betting weekend that also includes NASCAR and the launch of the second-half NBA schedule.
DraftKings innovates with golf
This tour stop stands as one of the most lucrative events in the PGA. With a purse of $15 million, it surpasses all other prestigious PGA majors such as the Masters, US Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship. Consequently, it has earned the nickname of the fifth major.
DraftKings framed a betting board around the iconic hole at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where the course is played.
Inspired by the renowned 17th hole, a 132-yard par-3 where players must hit their tee shot over water, DraftKings introduced the Island Green Special.
Bettors have the opportunity to participate any day. Achieving a hole-in-one during the first two days is valued at +600. As the number of players decreases after the cut, the value rises to +900 for the last two days.
And now, for a delightful twist. The water? Absolutely, it presents an enticing gamble, teetering between abundance and scarcity, with the potential for great rewards. People are even placing bets on it.
The balls-in-the-water prop is worth a bet purely for its novelty factor.
For the first two rounds, the expected number of balls hitting the water is set at 14.5. Betting on the over yields odds of -150, while the under offers odds of +110.
Following the adjustment, the wager shifts to an over-under of 7.5 for the remaining two days, where the over holds a -112 odds while the under stands at -118.
A different type of PGA bet
The Island Green Special offers an attractive risk-reward structure that entices bettors. The majority of the path from the tee to the green is covered in water.
The professionals demonstrate such precision that they can execute a shot that teases danger, barely skims over the water’s edge, and rolls into a promising position for a birdie opportunity. Occasionally, their shot even manages to find its way into the cup.
The bets on individuals battling head-to-head are clearly distinct from these.
The golf hole pits the entire field against it, with a hint of strategy. Those who won’t qualify may face challenging rounds on Thursday and Friday. Ker-plunk.
If gamblers bet on an increase in the number of balls landing in the water, they may use the phrase “in the drink!” instead of “in the hole.”
How you can watch
- The broadcast on Golf Channel will take place on Thursday, March 11, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- On Friday, March 12th, tune in to Golf Channel from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- NBC will air from 1-6 p.m. on Saturday, March 13.
- NBC will be airing from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday, March 14.
Classic golf bets are strong, too
The Island Green Special is now part of the regular selection, offering a range of tough decisions and great savings.
Given the deep field, choosing a winner for this tour event is an incredibly challenging task.
This is the reason why there are several betting entries available.
Dustin Johnson, with odds of +1200, holds the status of being the favored candidate and has accumulated 9% of the initial DraftKings handle.
Justin Thomas, with odds of +2000, and Jordan Spieth, with odds of +3000, both secured a 7% share.
Bryson DeChambeau, who had a 6% chance of winning, emerged victorious at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week. Additionally, his odds for upcoming events stand at +1700.
Collin Morikawa, with odds of +2000, garnered a 5% share of the action.
According to Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings, golf presents a significant challenge due to the exceptional skills of these players.
What does it indicate when you observe Dustin Johnson as the 12-1 favorite in this particular field? It’s uncommon to find Thomas priced at 20-1, so you have the opportunity to place a bet at an advantageous rate.
Many gamblers prefer to take their chances further by placing bets on players like Tony Finau or Patrick Cantlay, who are currently listed with odds of 20-25-1.
According to Avello, the amount of bets on props from Friday through Sunday increases, regardless of whether gamblers miss the early action.
He added, “Once a round or two has passed, the players may begin to feel that the field has somewhat settled and they can start to get a clearer picture of who has the potential to win the tournament.”
Other ways to “go deep” with PGA wagers
It’s hard to resist the temptation of impressive numbers, but there’s great value further down the rankings. Sungjae Im, a consistently strong player, has a +100 odds of making it to the top 40 in the DraftKings tournament.
An individual who enjoys gambling and is open to any golfer within a specific payout range for the top 40 positions can place a significant wager known as a big-slam bet, which essentially mirrors an NFL bet.
At William Hill WV, you can always count on finding a great selection of golf options on their menu. Keep an eye out for exciting individual matchups scheduled at different times, which may include both threesomes and twosomes.
One other favored aspect is the outcome of a specific golfer on the following hole. While most holes conclude with par, the more significant rewards revolve around birdie or bogey. An effective approach to assess the golfer’s performance is by observing their ball striking.
Mountain State bettors welcome NBA return
Last week, there was a significant influx of bets from bettors in the Mountain State on DraftKings. The second half of the campaign is scheduled to take place from March 10 to May 16.
The postseason now allows 10 teams from each conference to qualify under the new rules.
The Washington Wizards have been performing exceptionally well recently, securing a victory against the Los Angeles Clippers and suffering only a one-point loss to the Boston Celtics. As a result, they are currently just 1.5 games away from securing the final spot.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, a team favored by bettors from West Virginia, currently trails by 2.5 games.
By this time next week, we will have gained extensive knowledge about the Wizards as they face a challenging schedule that involves three games against the dynamic Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Cavs have a less challenging journey ahead, with games against the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs.
Joel Embiid from the Philadelphia 76ers has emerged as the leading contender with odds of +200 to secure the MVP title at DraftKings. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are favored at +260 to successfully defend their NBA championship. Following closely behind, the Brooklyn Nets stand at +300 odds.
NASCAR betting at WV sportsbooks
Tune in to Fox at 3:30 p.m. EST on Sunday to catch the exciting Instacart 500 live from Phoenix.
The DraftKings favorites:
- Chase Elliott +500
- Brad Keselowski +600
- Denny Hamlin +650
- Kevin Harvick +650
- Kyle Busch +800
There are plenty of race props available, including one-on-one competitions, which allow for a race-within-a-race experience. Bettors have the opportunity to create their own mini-event by selecting head-to-head matchups.
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