Sportsbook.com Offers Golf Odds
NEW YORK – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Tiger Woods has won all of golf's majors in his career. Can he win them all in 2006, starting with next month's Masters? Michelle Wie has yet to capture her first LPGA win, but will she break through with a Major victory this summer? Can Woods lead the US past Europe after the Americans' Ryder Cup drubbing in 2004? Sportsbook.com, the world's largest online sportsbook and casino, is offering golf fans the chance to wager on all of golf's biggest story lines.
The Masters is less than a month away and Woods is already looking to be in top form. Sportsbook.com has installed him as the prohibitive favorite at 5-2 to capture his fifth Masters. Woods currently sits tied for second all-time with Arnold Palmer, two victories behind Jack Nicklaus. Woods' top challengers include Phil Mickelson with odds at 7-1, Ernie Els at 8-1, Vijay Singh at 12-1 and Retief Goosen at 15-1.
Should Woods prevail at Augusta, hype surrounding a possible run at the Grand Slam would hit an all-time high. Odds on Woods completing the feat by winning all four Majors - The Masters, The British Open, The US Open and The PGA Championships - are currently 22-1.
Woods, along with the rest of the top US players, will have more than just personal glory in mind this year as they look forward to battling the Europeans in Straffan, Ireland in September for the 36th Ryder Cup. While the Americans have a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, the Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 1/2 to 9 1/2 thumping in Michigan in 2004. Europe is the slight favorite now with 5-6 odds, compared to 6-5 for the US and 8-1 for a tie.
In the women's golf scene, no name looms larger than Michelle Wie's. At just 17 years of age she is primed to be the next great legend in women's golf and should have a breakthrough year in her first season as a pro. Odds on Wie winning at least one Major this year are set at 9-5. Odds on Wie going without a Major are 1-2.