The sports book at the Westgate Hotel in Las Vegas.
Westgate Hotel
LAS VEGAS Legal sports betting is experiencing a boom unlike any other time in history and Las Vegas, as always, is an epicenter. With that in mind, the CJ Cup being played at the exclusive Summit in Las Vegasthe second straight week of PGA Tour golf in the city that glittersseemed like the perfect time to secure some insights from players about sports betting, golf specifically.
The answers from Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa and Jason Kokrak came a bit hesitantly. The consensus was that none of them spent any time looking at the odds prior to a tournament, but that legalized wagering on golf would bring more fans to the sport.
Their hesitancy to openly discuss the issue probably stemmed from the long-standing feelings of PGA Tour executives and other major sports league leaders of not wanting anything to do with gambling. Habits are difficult to break sometimes.
In 2021, each major sports league has agreements with featured betting partners, including the PGA Tour with FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet. Kokrak even showed up to his press conference wearing a hat with the BetMGM logo on the front.
What are the odds of that?
Regarding the players not paying attention to the betting odds, I have to assume that with all of the social media and other news available, they must see the numbers. And they must have an opinion on the odds when they do catch a glimpse, even if they keep those opinions to themselves.
As I wrote this, Golf Today hosts Damon Hack and Shane Bacon were discussing CJ Cup odds during an extended segment. Most likely there will come a day when players discuss the odds more openly, but we are still in the infancy of this new era.
As of Thursday morning, Dustin Johnson (+1000) is the favorite at the SI SportsBook, followed by Collin Morikawa at +1100 and Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele at +1400.
Jason Kokrak, the defending champ, is +5000 and my guess is that if he saw those odds, he would feel a bit disrespected.
Sports and golf betting is everywhere and it is here to stay. And that is OK.
I think that (golf betting) is driving a different market and I think you'll see a different group of people coming out to the golf course to either cheer or not cheer or root against people, so it's interesting, Kokrak said. I think you'll see more and more of that going on as more states open up and allow online betting or whatever. It's going to be interesting going down this road, but I think it's good for golf.
Johnson agreed with Kokrak and also said he doesnt follow the golf odds.
Obviously, I don't really follow golf betting, but other sports, maybe, Johnson said. Obviously, I think its good for the game, just because it brings a lot more people who are going to be interested in it. I don't see anything wrong with it.
Morikawa is a Summit Club member and has been a Las Vegas resident for about three years, so he has a first-hand view of the sports-betting evolution.
I don't think we care about our odds at all and I think if you ask any athlete, they don't care about their odds, either, Morikawa said. But is sports betting good for the world? Absolutely. I think it brings a different type of audience, a different type of people into golf and that's what we need. We need golf to be on a bigger worldwide stage every single day because that is how we want to grow our sport.
I think it's great for the game as long as it's respectful. We play in a different type of arena, per se. We're not in a stadium where you can make as much noise. I mean, we're still playing a respectful game and you have to respect us when we're hitting, so we'll see how that kind of plays out. But I think for the most part, it's going to be great because you're going to see a different crowd of fans. And that's what we've seen. When we go to new locations, you see a different kind of population and people, which is great for the game itself.
Follow this link:
Pro Golfers Welcome Legal Sports Betting, Even if They Don't Peek at Their Odds - Sports Illustrated
- 38 states rake in millions in sports betting while Oklahoma still waits for legalization - KOKI FOX 23 TULSA - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports Betting Scandals Are Piling Up. What It Means for Gambling Stocks. - Barron's - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting: How gambling can impact the integrity of the game - WRAL News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- A new coalition wants to address the risks of youth sports betting in Massachusetts - Boston Herald - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- A Better East Texas: Professional sports betting scandals - KLTV - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting won't be legal in Georgia after lawmakers couldn't agree on how to spend taxes - goskagit.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting bill will help MN veterans, charities - ECM Publishers - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting won't be legal in Georgia after lawmakers couldn't agree on how to spend taxes - Bowling Green Daily News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- NCAA set to push states with legalized sports betting to ban prop bets for all college sporting events - Yahoo Sports - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting addiction on the rise - Toledo - WTVG - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Pritzker eyes bigger piece of Illinois sports betting action after 4 booming years - WVIK - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- All Eyes on Georgia Sports Betting During Final Legislative Day - Sports Betting Dime - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Best North Carolina sports betting promos for UNC vs. Alabama in Sweet 16: Claim thousands in NC sportsbook ... - Sporting News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- South Carolina Sports Betting 2024: Best SC Sportsbooks - The Hudson Reporter - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- A Better East Texas: Professional sports betting scandals - KTRE - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting hits ground running | wltx.com - WLTX.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- North Carolina reports nearly $200m in handle in first week of legalized sports gambling - EGR Global - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- I got over 100 messages telling me I suck: UNC basketball star concerned with hate messages after sports betting takes off - WGHP FOX8 Greensboro - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Fanatics replaces PointsBet in Kansas - Sports betting - iGB - iGaming Business - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting addiction on the rise - Wichita - KWCH - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- 'March Madness' Sports Betting Is Big Business - Investopedia - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Get $250 in bonus bets for UNC vs. Alabama with this NC sports betting bonus before tonight's 9:39 p.m. ET tip-off - syracuse.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- IGA executive director confident of California sports betting with tribal help - iGaming Business - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Georgia Sports Betting Legislation Fails Once Again - Winners and Whiners - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports betting won't be legal in Georgia after lawmakers couldn't agree on how to spend taxes - The Caledonian-Record - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports Betting Scandals: Ohtani Fallout and NCAA Prop Betting Ban - SportsGrid - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports gambling has gotten out of control - The Philadelphia Inquirer - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Best Sports Betting Apps in the US in March 2024 - Gaming Today - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Survey finds majority of Canadians want immediate nationwide sports betting ad ban - EGR Global - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Authorizing sports betting in Georgia may lack needed votes from lawmakers - goskagit.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sports Betting is coming to NC in one month - WWAY NewsChannel 3 - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- $3.5 million wagered across Maine in first Super Bowl since launch of online sports betting - Maine Public - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Sports Betting Bill Clears Another Missouri House Committee - Covers - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- I-TEAM: Sports Betting/Online Gambling Addictions growing on CT college campuses - Eyewitness News 3 - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Ohio gamblers place more than $7.6B in bets in first year - Dayton Daily News - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Sports betting in Minnesota: What are the odds it becomes legal? - KARE11.com - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- North Carolina Issues First Batch of Sports Betting Licenses to Suppliers - Covers - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Kentucky cover the spread vs. Ole Miss? Betting Trends, Record ATS - WYMT - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- NFL Playoffs Fuel Record-Breaking Contributions From Maryland's Sports Betting - Bay Net - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Louisville cover the spread vs. Boston College? Betting Trends, Record ATS - WYMT - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- BetMGM and X Sign Exclusive Sports Betting Partnership - PR Newswire - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Gambling disorders on the rise nationwide after legalization of sports betting - Q2 News - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Why US sports betting could become a $45 billion business - Goldman Sachs - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Colorado State cover the spread vs. San Diego State? Betting Trends, Record ATS - Wyoming News Now - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Michigan cover the spread vs. Illinois? Betting Trends, Record ATS - WLUC - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Are the Suns favored vs. the Kings on February 13? Game odds, spread, over/under - WYMT - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- With three months in the books, Maine sports betting readies for Super Bowl - Press Herald - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Sports betting is coming to X as Musk's site partners with BetMGM - Washington Times - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Hard Rock Bet Promo Code: Sign Up And Claim $100 In Bonuses - RotoWire - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will North Carolina cover the spread vs. Syracuse? Betting Trends, Record ATS - KNOP - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- State Rep. Blackshear: 'Nave' to think sports betting isn't already taking place in Alabama - Yellowhammer News - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Creighton cover the spread vs. Georgetown? Betting Trends, Record ATS - WYMT - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Did You Bet on the Super Bowl? Don't Forget About Taxes - Kiplinger's Personal Finance - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Super Bowl sports betting expected to exceed a whopping $23 billion but there's a catch - TheStreet - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Buffalo cover the spread vs. Northern Illinois? Betting Trends, Record ATS - WWNY - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Opinion | The ultimate Vegas wedding: The Super Bowl and sports betting - The Washington Post - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Dayton cover the spread vs. Duquesne? Betting Trends, Record ATS - FOX19 - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Are the Thunder favored vs. the Magic on February 13? Game odds, spread, over/under - KOLN - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Will Ohio State cover the spread vs. Wisconsin? Betting Trends, Record ATS - FOX19 - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Sports betting and Swifties converge on the Super Bowl - Axios - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- The Lawyer Who Took on Big Tobacco Is Now Fighting an Online Sports Betting Giant - VICE - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- First two months of sports betting in Kentucky generates millions in tax revenue - WKYT - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Maryland sports betting hits a record high, bringing in over $3M in November - Fox Baltimore - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Gov. Beshear: Over $656 million wagered since launch of sports betting - LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Monday Night Football, NFL Betting Picks & Props: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers, Week 14 - RotoWire - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Seminoles expand casino, sports-betting options as litigation continues - Florida Phoenix - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- ESPN BET Massachusetts Promo Code TELEGRAM $250 In Bonus Bets With Any Wager on MNF, Pats! - Worcester Telegram - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- New York Sports Betting Handle Tops $2.1bn In November - SBC Americas - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Maryland Sets State Sports Betting Record in November - Sports Betting Dime - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Get ESPN App To Bet Monday Night Football With $250 Sign-Up Bonus - Sports Betting Dime - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Vermont is Getting Close to Launching Sports Betting - Covers - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- FanDuel Promo Code offers $150 if your team wins on 'MNF' or any game - New York Post - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Kentucky Governor confirms early sports betting tax revenue exceeding expectations - EGR Global - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- How ESPN Bet is taking on sports betting giants with launch campaign - Campaign US - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Saints-Panthers, NFC South race a tossup: Watch Bayou Bets | Sports Betting - NOLA.com - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- NFL Betting: Coach of the Year Update - NBC Sports - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Heres what to know as the Seminole Tribe launches sports betting, table games in Tampa - FOX 13 Tampa - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Maryland Sets New State Record with $550M Handle in November - Covers - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Will Seton Hall cover the spread vs. Monmouth? Betting Trends, Record ATS - WAFB - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Hard Rock Casino launches new table games, sports betting in Florida - Bay News 9 - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]