Betting on 2009 US Masters Golf Will be Lucrative for Bookies

Lying nudged between the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the Kentucky Derby is the US Masters Golf Tournament.  Tame by comparison, betting on the 2009 US Masters Golf is expected to generate decent revenue over the coming days, nonetheless.

"We had more inquiries for the US Masters than we did Monday night's NCAA Championship game," said Gambling911.com Senior Editor, Payton O'Brien. 

The major golf events are proving to be big draws for gamblers in recent years thanks - not just to Tiger Woods - but to lower profile players such as Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who have gone on to win despite being super long favorites.

"Some oddsmakers didn't even list Cabrera two years ago when he won the 2007 US Masters," O'Brien said.  "Others had him around 60/1 odds with a payout of $6000 plus for every $100 bet."

It is that payout promise that have many in the sports betting community scrambling to get down on 2009 US Masters Golf futures. 

"Typically we see bets being placed the few days leading up to the event, which kicks off on Thursday and will end on Sunday or Monday depending on the outcome and weather factors."

SBG Global opened its 2009 US Masters Golf odds on Monday.  Like all online bookies, SBG lists Tiger Woods as the favorite, paying $150 for every $100 bet.  They also feature Tiger Woods betting props on how many Majors he will win in 2009, with four Majors paying $2000 for every $100 bet.

"A lot of people will place bets on Tiger (Woods) to win these events at short odds just because they consider his chances quite good," O'Brien said, pointing out that for every $200 bet, a Tiger Woods win would pay $300, and that is pretty good value all things considered.

Anyone outside of Woods pays $700 and up, starting with Phil Mickelson, who had the second shortest odds. SBG Global also offered a "field" option of golfers not listed who would pay $800 for every $100 bet should they go on to win. 

For anyone who doesn't believe golf lures gamblers in, consider that the British Open is the United Kingdom's biggest single day betting event.