Tag: betting tips

RSM Classic: In-depth preview with strokes gained data, key stats, betting plays, and more

Consecutive winning weeks in Mexico and Houston, up 4.5 units over those two events, let’s keep it going.

After a week in Texas, the PGA Tour heads to the east coast for the RSM Classic. Robert Streb—yes, Robert Streb—returns as the defending champion after taking down Kevin Kisner in a playoff last season. Streb is in good form, recording a pair of top 10s in his last three starts.

Scottie Scheffler (+1200) enters the week as the betting favorite, and like Streb, is in fantastic form. After turning in a solo fourth in Mexico, the Texan was a red-hot Jason Kokrak away from capturing his first Tour win in Houston last week (Scheffler finished T-2).

Important news: Twilight 9, the podcast I started over a year ago, has officially joined Golfweek. Andy Nesbitt is coming on as a co-host, and this week’s episode is live now. Download the episode to hear our chat about Kokrak, Phil Mickelson on Monday Night Football, Brooks Koepka’s struggles and the RSM Classic.

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Golf courses this week

Seaside course
Par 70
7,005 yards

Plantation course
Par 72
7,060 yards

Both courses will be used on Thursday and Friday, while weekend play will be exclusively on the Seaside course.

Weather

Day Conditions Chance of rain Wind and direction
Tuesday Sunny 1 percent 7 MPH (SE)
Wednesday Mostly Sunny 7 percent 7 MPH (ENE)
Thursday Partly Cloudy 19 percent 6 PMH (SE)
Friday Partly Cloudy 9 percent 18 MPH (NNE)
Saturday Partly Cloudy 17 percent 17 MPH (NE)
Sunday Partly Cloudy 14 percent 13 MPH (NNE)

Key stats

Driving accuracy: I said it a few weeks ago, but on short golf courses, it’s important to find the fairway. Data Golf agrees with me, as it lists driving accuracy as the most important stat for the week.

Putting (Bermuda): If you listen to Twilight 9, or if you read the in-depth previews every week,  you know what’s coming next. Some guys hate Bermuda greens, some love them. Just look at Kisner’s record at this place — dude loves Bermuda more than anyone on Earth.

Data Golf Information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. TPC Twin Cities, 2. The Concession Golf Club, 3. Detroit Golf Club

Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Cameron Smith (last three starts: T-14, T-9, T-15), 2. Talor Gooch (T-5, T-11, 60), 3. Scottie Scheffler (T-38, 4, T-2)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Scottie Scheffler (5 percent), 2. Louis Oosthuizen (4.4 percent), 3. Cameron Smith (4.3 percent)

Bettings odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Scottie Scheffler (+1200) Webb Simpson (+1300)
Cameron Smith (+1500) Louis Oosthuizen (+2000)
Russell Henley (+2000) Corey Conners (+2000)
Alex Noren (+3000) Kevin Kisner (+3000)
Harris English (+3000) Joaquin Niemann (+3000)

Betting card for the RSM Classic

We’re coming off two winning weeks in a row. Monster week in Mexico, up 4.3 units, and a very modest week in the Lone Star state, up .22 units (Aaron Wise missed the top 20 by a shot. That one hurts the soul).

Scottie Scheffler — Top 10 (+185)

Houston Open
Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the 14th tee during the second round of the Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course on November 12, 2021, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

He’s going back on the card. He’s hot. I refuse to be off the Scheffler bandwagon when he finally gets it done. He led going into the final round in Mexico, but couldn’t overcome Kokrak, finishing T-2.

Scheffler has made just one start at the RSM Classic, but he cashed a T-5. A week before his runner-up in his home state, Scheffler finished solo 4th in Mexico.

Russell Henley — Top 20 (+150)

PGA: Wyndham Championship - Third Round
Russell Henley watches his tee shot on the sixteenth hole during the third round of the Wyndham Championship. Photo by Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

When he’s on a heater, you have to bet the heater. He played well in Houston and cashed a T-7. He finished T-30 at this event last season, but grabbed consecutive top 10s in 2016 and 2015. Not much else to say, let’s go, Henley.

Robert Streb — Top 20 (+320)

RSM Classic 2020
Robert Streb celebrates with the trophy after winning in a sudden-death playoff against Kevin Kisner during the final round of The RSM Classic at the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club on November 22, 2020, in St Simons Island, Georgia. Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Value play! And what a value play it is. Streb is in great form with two top 10s in his last three starts. He’s won at this golf course twice, his only wins on Tour, including last season. Form + course history = top 20? I think so.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open: PGA Tour preview with strokes gained data, players to watch and more

+430 on our bets last week – let’s keep that rolling in Houston

Enjoy it, folks. Breathe it in because, in a few weeks, the PGA Tour is going on a nearly month-long hiatus.

In the meantime, it’s time to go down to Texas for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open. Defending champion Carlos Ortiz, just a week after Viktor Hovland defended his title in Mexico, was hoping to do the same in Houston. However, he withdrew from the event Tuesday due to a left shoulder injury. He came into the week in good form grabbing a solo runner-up in his home country of Mexico last week.

Brooks Koepka may be the biggest name in the field, but the world No. 15 is struggling to begin this season and will look to turn that around in Houston. Last year, Koepka tied for fifth at this golf course.

Golf course

Memorial Park Golf Course
Par 70
7,412 yards
Bermuda greens

Weather

Day Conditions Percent chance of rain Wind & Direction
Tuesday Partly Cloudy 6 percent 9 MPH (SE)
Wednesday Partly Cloudy 24 percent 13 MPH (SSE)
Thursday Partly Cloudy 24 percent 11 MPH (NNW)
Friday Sunny 8 percent 8 MPH (NNE)
Saturday Sunny 0 percent 9 MPH (N)
Sunday Mostly Sunny 9 percent 11 MPH (S)

Key stats

Driving distance: Data Golf has driving distance as the second-most important stat for the week (behind Strokes Gained: Approach). Recent champions, though, don’t quite reflect that. Carlos Ortiz and Lanto Griffin, both not known for the long ball, are the two winners at Memorial Park. However, at a par 70 golf course measuring over 7,400 yards, distance off the tee doesn’t hurt.

Bermuda putting: I say it every week the guys are on Bermuda greens – some players love ’em, some hate ’em. Look for players who thrive on lightning Bermuda.

Data Golf information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Albany (home to Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge), 2. Detroit Golf Club (home to the Rocket Mortgage Classic), 3. Southern Hills CC

Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Sungjae Im (last three starts: T-13, 1, T-9), 2. Cameron Smith (T-34, T-14, T-9), 3. Sam Burns (1, T-14, T-5)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Sam Burns (4.7 percent), 2. Scottie Scheffler (4 percent), 3. Sungjae Im (3.9 percent)

Betting odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Sam Burns (+1300) Cameron Smith (+2000)
Scottie Scheffler (+2000)b Sungjae Im (+2000)
Adam Scott (+3000) Tony Finau (+3000)
Tyrrell Hatton (+3000) Brooks Koepka (+3000)
Talor Gooch (+3000) Aaron Wise (+3000)

Betting card for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open

(Last week at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba: 3-5 record, +430, or +4.3 units)

Talor Gooch – Top 20 (+170)

Talor Gooch plays his shot from the eighth tee during the third round of the Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston on October 12, 2019 in Humble, Texas. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Gooooooch. Is his name fun to say? Yes. Is that why he’s on the card this week? No, but it is one reason. Gooch has played well this season: T-4, T-11, T-5, T-11. He’s not overpowering golf courses, but he’s getting it out there far enough, 306 yards on average, while finding the short grass 75.69 percent of the time, good enough for 15th on Tour.

The last two seasons at Memorial Park, Gooch was fantastic: T-4 (2019), 4th (2020).

Aaron Wise – Top 20 (+165)

Aaron Wise lines up a putt on the 2nd green during the third round of the 2019 U.S. Open golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)

Have to ride with the hot hand. Wise’s only win came in Texas back in 2018 at the AT&T Byron Nelson, so he’ll be comfortable in Houston. Last season at this event, he finished T-11. Over his last three events, Wise has finished T-8, T-5, and T-15.

Russell Henley – Top 20 (+220)

Russell Henley
Russell Henley (Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

This is my value pick for the week. One bad round in Mexico cost him a chance of a high finish, a Saturday 76. His other two starts this season? T-21 and T-25. He’s on the verge of a great start, and it may just be in the city in which he got his last win. He’s driving it nearly 300 yards on average, long enough to get around Memorial Park. He’s hitting 78.7 percent of fairways, which ranks third on Tour, while ranking first in SG: Approach.

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In-depth preview for this week’s Ryder Cup with key stats, strokes gained data, and picks

It’s time for the U.S. side to come for revenge

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After three years, it’s finally here. It’s finally time for the intercontinental showdown between the United States and Europe. For the Americans, it’s time for revenge.

To put in bluntly, the U.S. team got their butts kicked in Paris, the last host of the Ryder Cup. The 2018 beatdown was led by Francesco Molinari, who became the first European Ryder Cupper to earn the maximum amount of points with a record of 5-0-0. His partner was just as responsible for the win. Tommy Fleetwood was 4-1-0 in his first Ryder Cup appearance, with his only loss coming in Sunday singles.

Europe took back the trophy, which the United States won at Hazeltine in 2016, with a 17½ to 10½ win.

Overall, Europe has won seven of the last nine Cups.

Golf course

Whistling Straits is built directly into the shores of Lake Michigan. Pete Dye perfectly designed this track to play challenging for all golfers, regardless of skill level, including the best players in the world.

Most recently, it was home to the 2015 PGA Championship won by Jason Day, his lone major victory.

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It’s a par 71, playing around 7,400 yards, although that number will change day-to-day depending on how captain Stricker wants to set up the golf course. We’ve already seen videos showcasing the lack of rough.

This comes as no surprise, as the United States will want to take advantage of their length.

Check the yardage book: Whistling Straits for the Ryder Cup

Weather

We’re going to experience major fall vibes in Wisconsin this week, as temperatures should hover in the upper 50s and low 60s. Watch out for USA and Europe beanies on display in the morning fourball sessions.

Key stats

Driving distance: It’s no secret this is a big golf course, and we now know the rough has been cut down to a point it’ll make minimum impact (aside from drives off the map). Because of this, players have to be willing to take off head-covers on almost every par 4 and 5.

RYDER CUP: Live updates | How to watch

Greens in regulation: Hazards lurk around every green at Whistling Straits, some of which you might as well bring a sleeping bag. Prioritizing hitting greens in regulation, sometimes over proximity, will be key.

Birdie or better percentage: In most cases, matches are won by making birdies. These guys can’t play scared, and may need to take some risks to match their opponents.

Data Golf information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based off the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Torrey Pines, South (home of the Farmers Insurance Open, and the 2021 U.S. Open), 2. Accordia Golf Narashino CC, 3. Corales Golf Club

Trending (players ranked in accordance to recent finishes):

Team USA: 1. Bryson DeChambeau (last 3 starts: T31, 2, 7), 2. Patrick Cantlay (T11, 1, 1), 3. Daniel Berger (T56, T26, T11)

Team Europe: 1. Jon Rahm (3, T9, 2), 2. Rory McIlroy (T43, 4, T14), 3. Paul Casey (T5, T64, T38)

Ranking of important stats at Whistling Straits

DataGolf.com

As you can tell, driving distance matters around this track. Taking a look at the 2015 PGA Championship leaderboard – Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau, and of course the winner Jason Day, finished in the top 10. Common denominator of those players: They can move it.

Full 2015 PGA Championship results of those playing in this year’s Ryder Cup*

Finishing position Player
2 Jordan Spieth
T-5 Brooks Koepka
T-7 Dustin Johnson
T-10 Tony Finau
17 Rory McIlroy
T-18 Justin Thomas
T-25 Tyrrell Hatton
T-30 Paul Casey
T-43 Lee Westwood
T-48 Harris English
T-54 Sergio Garcia

*players who made the cut.

Strokes Gained rankings of all players on Team USA and Team Europe

These are over each player’s last 36 holes on the PGA Tour.

Team USA

Player SG: OTT SG: APP SG: T2G SG: ATG SG: Putting
Daniel Berger 64 1 4 70 116
Patrick Cantlay 6 23 1 40 26
Bryson DeChambeau 1 75 29 147 24
Harris English 65 58 31 16 7
Tony Finau 51 60 34 27 86
Dustin Johnson 23 92 64 97 1
Brooks Koepka 3 25 7 92 99
Collin Morikawa 32 2 5 89 140
Xander Schauffele 58 17 43 119 74
Scottie Scheffler 20 42 14 36 89
Jordan Spieth 87 73 49 14 37
Justin Thomas 28 11 8 62 102

Team Europe

Player SG: OTT SG: APP SG: T2G SG: ATG SG: Putting
Paul Casey 30 3 2 64 118
Matthew Fitzpatrick 5 134 68 93 27
Tommy Fleetwood 99 66 59 35 121
Sergio Garcia 7 37 13 88 123
Tyrrell Hatton 40 19 16 48 85
Viktor Hovland 17 13 23 134 98
Shane Lowry 112 5 10 19 110
Rory McIlroy 25 25 15 60 76
Ian Poulter 133 81 69 6 5
Jon Rahm 2 41 3 53 34
Bernd Wiesberger – – – – –
Lee Westwood 71 61 84 111 90

Favorite betting plays for the week

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

United States to win the Ryder Cup (-200)

Do I love this pick? No. Will I put money on it? Of course. I’m American, it would be unpatriotic for me not to bet on the boys.

There’s still some worry remaining with the locker room camaraderie of this group, but a phone call from Tiger Woods coming later this week may change all of that.

Plus, don’t these two look like best friends now?

The last time the Ryder Cup was played on home soil, the U.S. hoisted the trophy. The time before, it took an absolute meltdown from the Americans during Sunday singles for them not to win.

I like them state-side.

Xander Schauffele – Top USA points scorer (+650)

It seems as though Schauffele will be paired with his good buddy Patrick Cantlay. At the 2019 Presidents Cup, the pair was 2-2-0. Due to other big names on the U.S. side, they will more than likely play a weaker tandem on the European team. The way Cantlay finished out the 2021 season, along with Schauffele’s ability to flip a switch, I’d look for Schauffele to have a big week.

Although this will be his first Ryder Cup, he’s seen some success in representing the USA – *cough cough*- the gold medal hanging from his neck.

Day 1 Foursomes, USA to win (+100)

Early morning, first Ryder Cup on home soil since 2016, with a crowd made up of nearly all Americans. Everything points to a quick start for the U.S..

At Hazeltine, the Americans swept the morning foursomes, 4-0.

Be on the look-out for more picks as the week goes on, especially when we know all 12 Sunday matches.

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2021 Ryder Cup prop bets, picks, predictions

The Ryder Cup presents an endless amount of potential prop bets, let’s dive into some of the best.

After being postponed a year, Ryder Cup weekend is finally here. Team Europe will look to retain the cup on American soil at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin, while Team USA will attempt to win this historic event for just the third time since 2002. Below, we look at the top 2021 Ryder cup prop bets, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.

There are stars on both sides, led by the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. The Americans have six Ryder Cup rookies on their team this year, while Europe has just three first-timers.

Also see: Ryder cup teams, odds, picks and predictions to win

We’ve picked our favorite prop bets for the 2021 Ryder Cup.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 11:40 a.m. ET.

PLAY: Our new free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

Top USA points scorer: Bryson DeChambeau (+900)

There are a lot of intriguing options for this prop because there’s a ton of talent and firepower on the American side but with DeChambeau being only the sixth-favorite to lead his team in points, that feels like a value too good to pass up.

When it comes to the four-ball format, DeChambeau can really play aggressively, knowing he has a partner to fall back on. His match play record isn’t good and he lost his two foursome matches at the 2018 Ryder Cup 5 and 4, but that was before his transformation.

I like DeChambeau’s length and birdie average to lead to a good weekend for him.

Top rookie: Patrick Cantlay (+450)

It’s hard to believe that at 29 years old, Cantlay is a Ryder Cup rookie. But because he is, that makes him a good bet to finish with the most points of any player making their Ryder Cup debut this weekend.

He finished the PGA Tour season red hot, winning the FedEx Cup after beating DeChambeau in a wild playoff the week prior. He’s an excellent putter, has a calm demeanor and never gets rattled under pressure. I love his chances to win at least a few matches at Whistling Straits, showing the poise and clutch gene that was on display in the playoffs.

Top European points scorer: Rory McIlroy (+500)

McIlroy isn’t the favorite to lead Team Europe in points. That title goes to Rahm, and deservingly so. He’s No. 1 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings and should thrive in this environment. However, McIlroy is excellent in match play and completely embraced the raucous U.S. crowd in 2016 at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

The fans will be loud and heckling, which McIlroy loves. He’s a calm player on tour but when it comes to team golf, he flips a switch. Assuming he plays every match, he’ll be the most important player for Europe and will lead the team in points. The only minor concern is his putting, which has to be sharp in this format.

Top wild card (captain’s pick): Sergio Garcia (+750)

No player from Europe has earned more points in Ryder Cup history than Garcia. He’s the all-time leader with 25.5 points and he’s back for a 10th appearance this weekend. While his singles record is only 4-4-1, he’s 18-8-6 all-time in Ryder Cup doubles matches: 8-4-3 in four-ball and 10-4-3 in foursomes.

Whether he’s the top captain’s pick could come down to how often Padraig Harrington plays him in these matches. Garcia was playing well toward the end of the season and should be in good form, and everyone knows how much he loves this event. American Jordan Spieth at +400 is another solid pick here if you want a safer bet.

2020 U.S. Open matchups, placings and first-round leader bets

Sportsbookwire breaks down matchups, placings and first-round leader bets at the 2020 U.S. Open.

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The world’s best golfers are at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York this week for the 120th U.S. Open. The second major of 2020 features a field of 144 including the top 21 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. Below, we’ll look for the best value bets in the 2020 U.S. Open betting odds and lines with tournament matchups, placings and first-round leader picks and best bets.

2020 U.S. Open: Matchup bets

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 2:14 p.m. ET.

Webb Simpson (-118) vs. Bryson DeChambeau

Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champ, is my pick to win this week. He’s still getting a good price in the head-to-head tournament matchup against DeChambeau (-118).

DeChambeau is certainly the longer hitter, but Simpson is more accurate and better around the greens. Those are the areas to focus on this week with the customary penal rough of the U.S. Open.

Hideki Matsuyama vs. Tony Finau (-112)

Finau is a slight underdog against Matsuyama (-125). Finau has played 11 events since the PGA Tour’s 2020 restart and has four top-10 finishes. Matsuyama has just one top 10 in nine events. Additionally, Finau has six top 10s in his last nine majors while Matsuyama doesn’t have a top 10 in a major since 2017 (nine events).

2020 U.S. Open: Placing bets

Dustin Johnson, top American and Jon Rahm, top European (+2500)

This is a nice parlay for the top-two outright betting favorites of the week with Johnson at +800 and Rahm +900 to win the 2020 U.S. Open. Parlaying them together to finish as the top golfers from their respective regions – JOHNSON +550 as top American and RAHM +300 as top European –brings a much better return of $250 on a $10 bet. It also leaves the door open for winners from South Africa, Australia or Asia.

Top 5: Daniel Berger (+550)

Berger won the Charles Schwab Challenge in the first week of the PGA Tour’s return to play. He had three other top-5 finishes in seven events, amid strong fields at the RBC Heritage, WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and The Northern Trust. He also tied for 13th at the PGA Championship, and he tied for sixth at the 2018 U.S. Open.

Lowest score over 72 holes – Group D: Jason Day (+350)

Day trails only Adam Scott (+300) in both this group and the Top Australian pool. The secondary competition rises in group betting, with Justin Rose (+375), Patrick Reed (+350) and Paul Casey (+400) rounding it out, but Day’s a great value. He tied for fourth at both the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament, adding a T-6 at the WGC event in between.

2020 U.S. Open: First-round leader bet

Rory McIlroy (+2500)

McIlroy’s (relative) struggles since the PGA Tour resumed the 2019-20 season were well-documented, but he contributed some of that to awaiting the birth of his child. Once the baby was born, he was free to get back to golf and found some success at the Tour Championship.

He was first on Tour in Round 1 Scoring Average last season and is getting much more profitable odds than his +1600 to win the event outright.

Will Zalatoris (+10000)

The little known Zalatoris enters 2020’s second major ranked 10th in the Golfweek rankings. He hasn’t played a PGA Tour event this year, but he has a win and nine other top 10s in 16 events on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he ranked first on the season in Greens in Regulation Percentage. Look for a hot start from the 24-year-old before the pressure catches up to him.

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Outright, prop betting odds for Tiger Woods at the 2020 U.S. Open

Sportsbookwire breaks down the bettings odds on Tiger Woods going into the 2020 U.S. Open.

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After being eliminated from the 2019-20 FedEx Cup Playoffs with a T-51 finish at the BMW Championship, Tiger Woods makes his return for the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club. The 120th U.S. Open features a strong but smaller-than-usual field of 144 golfers, in which Woods ranks 13th by the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings.

Below, we look at Tiger Woods’ odds to win the 2020 U.S. Open and his most interesting prop bets for the year’s second major.

Tiger Woods’ history at Winged Foot Golf Club

Woods missed the cut at the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot GC. The event was won by Geoff Ogilvy at plus-5, but Woods fired back-to-back rounds of 6-over 76 to fall shy of the weekend. He previously tied for 29th in the 1997 PGA Championship but failed to break par in the final two rounds.

Tiger has won the U.S. Open three times with the most recent victory famously coming in 2008 in a playoff. He also has two career runner-ups but hasn’t cracked the top 20 in any of his last five appearances since 2010, with two missed cuts in that time.

Tiger Woods’ odds to win the 2020 US Open

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. ET.

Tiger is +4500 and 19th by the betting odds to win the U.S. Open. He has an implied probability of winning of just 2.17% and a $10 bet will return a profit of $450 if he pulls off a victory.

While he’s a slight value based on his ranking in the odds and his position in the Golfweek world rankings, his poor course history and recent struggles since a T-9 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open make him a PASS.

Will Tiger Woods make the cut? No (+140)

Woods didn’t miss a cut in the 2019-20 PGA Tour season. He won the Zozo Championship, finished fourth in the 18-man Hero World Challenge and tied for ninth at the Farmers Insurance Open. Those events were between October and late January.

His T-37 finish at the PGA Championship was his best result in four events since the restart. He lost 0.55 strokes putting per round in the 2019-20 season, according to Data Golf, and gained just 0.11 strokes per round Off-the-Tee.

He has struggled in recent, tougher, U.S. Opens and has a poor history at Winged Foot. Bet Tiger Woods to MISS THE CUT (+140) as the only profitable prop bet for him this week.

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2020 U.S. Open odds, predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets

2020 U.S. Open: Esten McLaren of SportsbookWire breaks down the betting odds ahead of this week’s PGA Tour major.

Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York hosts this week’s 2020 U.S. Open. The 144-man field features each of the top 21 golfers from the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings, including 2019-20 FedEx Cup champ and Tour Championship winner Dustin Johnson. Below, we look at the 2020 U.S. Open betting odds, and make our PGA Tour picks and best bets to win the year’s second major.

Winged Foot GC will play to a par 70 measuring 7,477 yards. It’s hosting the U.S. Open for the sixth time but the first since Geoff Ogilvy’s win in 2006.

2020 U.S. Open Betting Picks – Favorite

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 7:37 a.m. ET.

Webb Simpson (+2500)

One of the many past U.S. Open and major champs in the field, Simpson has also won twice in 2020 with four other top-10 finishes in just 12 events. His 2012 victory at the Olympic Club came with a winning score of plus-1, and he was the only member of the final top 10 to break par in both weekend rounds in a come-from-behind win.

He’s first on the PGA Tour this year in Bogey Avoidance, seventh in 3-Putt Avoidance, sixth in Strokes Gained: Approach and T-16 in SG: Tee-to-Green. He tied for 10th in the 2018 U.S. Open and finished T-16 last year at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

2020 U.S. Open Betting Picks – Contender

Martin Kaymer is an interesting choice this week. (Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports)

Martin Kaymer (+10000)

The 2014 U.S. Open champion at Pinehurst No. 2 won by eight strokes with no other player finishing better than minus-1. He hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since, but he has moved up from 126th in the Official World Golf Ranking to 88th entering this week.

He has four top 10s in nine European Tour events in 2020. His odds would be much lower if those results had come in North America.

2020 U.S. Open Betting Picks – Long shot

Sergio Garcia (+12500)

This is an absurd price for the 2017 Masters champion. He has just five top-10 finishes in 20 career appearances at the U.S. Open, but he was T-5 as recently as 2016 when Johnson won at minus-4 by three strokes over a trio of runners-up. Garcia has three top 10s in 12 international events in 2020 but two of those were on the European circuit.

He’s fourth on Tour through 32 measured rounds in SG: Tee-to-Green.

Betting 101: How to bet on boxing for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around boxing, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

Wagering on boxing has been very lucrative over the years for bettors. We’ll take a look at ways to minimize risk while maximizing profits, especially for the bettor looking to dip their toe into the pugilism betting pool for the first time.

Boxing betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • 2-way betting: Each individual bout can simply be wagered upon picking a straight-up winner, similar to a moneyline bet in the other major sports, with a favorite and an underdog.
  • 3-way betting: Each individual bout can be wagered upon picking a winner or by choosing to select a draw (or tie).
  • Method of victory: If you like a fighter to win, but perhaps he is an overwhelming favorite, you can be more specific to mitigate your risk. There are a few different ways a bout can end. A fighter can win on points, either by KO/TKO/Technical Decision or disqualification (DQ).
  • Round betting: Fights, particularly the big-ticket events, can be bet by picking a winner in a particular round. Rather than betting on the 2- or 3-way betting line, it can be more lucrative to bet on a fighter to finish his opponent in a particular round. It’s difficult to pinpoint, and sometimes it’s good to bet on several rounds to be on the safe side, but it can pay off very handsomely.

Boxing betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: The fighter who is more likely to win the fight will require more than your return on investment.
  • Underdog: On the flip side, this is the fighter not expected to win. It can be more lucrative than taking the favorite, as you will return your stake and plus-money from your wager.
  • Push or Draw: A wager which ends in a tie, which is not a losing ticket, but not a winning ticket, either. You simply receive your wager back.
  • Chalk: This refers to a heavy favorite. For example, -200 and higher is considered heavy chalk.
  • Parlay: If you were to bet two fighters to win on the 2-way line, for example, you would need to win each end of the bet to cash. You can still win a parlay if one end wins and the other is a push.

Boxing betting: How do odds work?

Boxing odds can vary greatly. Sometimes the favorite is not too expensive, but other times, particularly in undercard or preliminary events, the favorite can have rather high odds. For example, if you were to bet a heavy favorite at -800, you would need to risk $80 to profit just $10. An underdog wager at +550 would profit $55 on a $10 bet.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Betting 101: How to bet on NASCAR for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around NASCAR, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

Wagering on NASCAR can be a daunting task for first-time bettors. In fact, you might lose a good chunk of money right off the bat if you simply try to pick a winner for each race out of a sea of drivers competing for the checkered flag. Luckily, there are more than a few ways to win money without having to choose the driver who will be doing celebratory burnouts before pulling into Victory Lane.

NASCAR betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • Choose the winner: Easily the most difficult. Similar to a moneyline bet in other sports, you will pick the driver who will win the race outright. There are tools you can use, such as Average-Finish Position (AFP) across previous races at a track, NASCAR Loop Data from previous stops, and knowing a driver’s production on certain types of tracks – flat tracks, intermediate, short tracks, superspeedways for example. If you hit on the winning driver, it can pay off handsomely, but it’s far more difficult than it sounds.
  • Selecting a driver to finish in the Top 3: If you like a driver, but aren’t confident of his finishing and winning the race, you can bet on him to finish inside the Top 3. This will not pay off nearly as well as an outright win, but it can still be rather lucrative. Sometimes the driver with the best car doesn’t always win, but he is right there at the end.
  • Driver vs. driver: For some of the major races, you can bet on Driver vs. Driver – or matchup betting. For example, wagering on a prop of Denny Hamlin vs. Kyle Busch is betting on which driver will finish higher. These are particularly popular for the Daytona 500 and other major races on the season. You can also participate in Group Betting where you select a driver among a group of four or five. If your pick finishes higher than the rest, you win.
  • Props: Again, this is mostly for the major races. Sportsbooks offer such props as “will a an odd- or even-numbered car win the race?” You can bet on the Over/Under of the car number of the winning driver. You can bet on whether the car manufacturer of the winning driver was Chevrolet, Ford or Toyota. Like the Super Bowl, or any major sporting event, these special props are available for the biggest races on the schedule. You can even bet the Over/Under on how many caution flags will come out during a race.

NASCAR betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: Similar to any other sport, the favorite – or chalk – is the driver with the greatest chance of winning the checkered flag.
  • Chalk: This refers to a heavy favorite. For example, +350 and higher is considered heavy chalk. Long shots for a particular race will be in the neighborhood of +2000 or greater.
  • Future betting: If you would like a long-term bet, you can choose a driver at the beginning of the season to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship. You can still make this bet during the season, as the odds are adjusted as the year goes on.

NASCAR betting: How do odds work?

NASCAR racing odds can vary greatly. There is rarely, if ever, a time where the favorite is minus-money. For example, if you were to bet an overwhelming favorite at +350, a $10 winning bet profits $350. An underdog wager at +2500 would profit $2500 on a $10 bet.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Betting 101: How to bet on the UFC for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around UFC, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

Wagering on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) can be very lucrative for bettors. We’ll take a look at ways to minimize risk while maximizing profits, especially for the bettor looking to dip their toe into the mixed-martial arts betting pool for the first time.

UFC betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • 2-way betting: Each individual bout can simply be wagered upon picking a straight-up winner, similar to a moneyline bet in the other major sports, with a favorite and an underdog.
  • Method of victory: If you like a fighter to win, but perhaps he/she is an overwhelming favorite, you can be more specific to mitigate your risk. There are a few different ways a bout can end. A fighter can win on points, either a unanimous decision, split decision or a majority decision. The fight can also end in a draw, or tie. In addition, you can bet on a fighter to win via submission or a KO/TKO.
  • Round betting: Fights which are either preliminaries or on the main card leading up to the main event/co-main events are three rounds, while main events are five rounds. You can choose a fighter to win in a certain round and/or you can bet the Over/Under on when the fight will end. For instance, if you feel the fight will go the distance, you would bet the Over.
  • Double chance betting: One of my favorite betting props is double chance betting. If you are particularly interested in betting a fighter who is also a submission specialist facing another fighter with terrible defense, you might take the favorite to win by submission and points. If he doesn’t win by submission, but wins on points, or vice versa, you still win.

UFC betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: The fighter who is more likely to win the fight will require more than your return on investment.
  • Underdog: On the flip side, this is the fighter not expected to win. It can be more lucrative than taking the favorite, as you will return your stake and plus-money from your wager.
  • Push or Draw: A wager which ends in a tie, which is not a losing ticket, but not a winning ticket, either. You simply receive your wager back.
  • Chalk: This refers to a heavy favorite. For example, -200 and higher is considered heavy chalk.
  • Parlay: If you were to bet two fighters to win on the 2-way line, for example, you would need to win each end of the bet to cash. You can still win a parlay if one end wins and the other is a push.

UFC betting: How do odds work?

Mixed-martial arts odds can vary greatly. Sometimes the favorite is not terribly steep, but other times, particularly in undercard events, the favorite can have rather high odds. For example, if you were to bet an overwhelming favorite at -750, you would need to risk $75 to profit just $10. An underdog wager at +190 would profit $19 on a $10 bet.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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