Neither before, or during the Masters was Tiger Woods ever the favorite of the New Jersey sports bookmakers.
Most of them for most of the time saw him as being no better than a 14-1 shot. They eventually paid heavily for this miscalculation.
The figure so many saw as a fading Colossus never able to reach the towering heights of old, stunned them all.
Summoning up the iron resolve of his greatest years, he came from behind to win his 5th green jacket. It was also his 15th major title.
He shot no more than a 70, but it was good enough. The sensational day saw one after another of his rivals fall by the wayside.
Now that the clamor and tumult of his still-huge fan base have subsided, things are very different. On Monday he was everybody’s favorite, bookie-wise, for each of the next three majors.
Bets now open on Woods winning the ‘Grand Slam’
Bets were even being offered on him winning the Grand Slam (all four majors in the same year).
FanDuel, New Jersey’s sportsbook market leader was offering +10000 (100-10) on this unique achievement. Also on offer were odds of +150 on his winning two majors or more and +1000 on three majors or more.
Getting back to individual futures bets on the majors, he was the sole favorite for each of the next three majors this year.
There was one notable exception. FanDuel at +950 had him as the joint favorite with Dustin Johnson to win the US Open in June.
Otherwise, currently, he’s New Jersey’s sole favorite to win both the PGA in May and the British Open in June
FanDuel’s current odds are generous
FanDuel’s odds of +850 for the PGA and +950 for The Open are as generous as its +950 on the US Open
However, whereas most NJ odds favored Woods, then Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepke, and Rory McIlroy, they varied considerably
Play SugarHouse and 888Sports, for example, were a lot less generous than FanDuel.
They both had Tiger at +700 for the next major, the PGA. Johnson, meantime, was at +800 for this one, Koepke and Mcllroy at +1200.
The same story applied for the British Open, where Tiger will be playing on a course he has never played on before.
Royal Portrush last hosted the British Open in 1951
Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland last hosted The Open in 1951 before he was born.
FanDuel’s odds on him for Royal Portrush at +950 are once more most generous.
However, SugarHouse and 888sports at +600, which better reflected the NJ sportsbook trend, were even tighter than for other majors.
This is somewhat surprising. Ironically, it’s because Tiger has won well on both of the other two courses hosting 2019 majors.
Pebble Beach was the scene of his stunning triumph by 15-shots in the US Open in 2000. Bethpage Black on Long Island, NY, is where he won the USA Open wire-to-wire in 2002.
Perhaps the biggest question punters now face is this one:
Will Tiger be a better bet now than he was before his latest Green Jacket triumph?
Will the upturn in his fortune after more than a decade in the wilderness strengthen his confidence and resolve?
Or will media and fan pressure take a toll on his aging, 43-year-old persona?
Quite frankly, I would say no. Before he ran into women and injury problems, no golfer in the 21st Century has ever handled pressure better.
In fact, he absolutely thrived on it. No one could match him when it came to holding onto the lead.
With his confidence restored, initially by his big win in the Tour Championship and now in the Masters, watch out. The Tiger is back – and roaring
Jack Nicklaus might also have to watch out. His record of 18 majors could well be in jeopardy.
