Tiger is missing, but golf betting is booming

Not that long ago, the golf world revolved around Tiger Woods. If he was in a tournament, he was the favorite. If he was not in a tournament, there was no interest in it.

Woods was the undeniable driving force behind the sport’s TV ratings and wagering popularity.

So, how odd is this? Woods is absent from this week’s Masters, but he’s not really missed because the business of golf betting is booming.

“The Masters handle is incredible. It’s scary,” said Nick Bogdanovich, William Hill sports book director. “There are so many stars right now.”

Instead of one player propping up the sport, it is riding a wave of new faces. The public’s fascination has shifted to Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott and others.

And Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, is still hanging around to pull in the older generation of fans.

“Tiger got a whole new generation involved,” Westgate golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman said. “It’s crazy because he brought golf to where it is today. The young guys on tour now are the better players.”

Mickelson, 45, has the most tickets written on him this week. Spieth, 22, has attracted the most money. Spieth won his first major at Augusta National last year, when Mickelson made a charge to finish second.

Golf bettors are gradually letting go of the past and gravitating to the stars in their 20s.

“I remember when golf was not cool,” Sherman said. “It just keeps on growing.”

Sports betting is surging in all areas. In February, Nevada reported a record Super Bowl handle of $132.5 million. In March and early April, the NCAA Tournament generated an estimated handle of $200 million in the state. The Masters wagering handle is miniscule by comparison — estimated at $2 million in the state this week — but it is by far the biggest event on the golf calendar.

Woods changed the game and grew the fan base. But the last of his 14 major wins came in the 2008 U.S. Open. He tied for 17th in last year’s Masters, and he withdrew this week with a back injury.

Despite his lack of success in recent years, Las Vegas books still were seeing action on Woods at odds as high as 100-1 in this Masters. Those wagers will be refunded.

“We wrote a lot of tickets on Tiger,” Bogdanovich said. “I think we will see him back in the summer.”

The game is thriving in his absence. If Woods returns this season, his presence would provide only a minor boost to a sport he once carried at the betting windows.

Contact sports betting reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247