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Legalized Sports Betting and the Tour

captaincaution

captaincaution

@alekbabel -2022 Grandaddy!
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I think it is safe to say that the TOUR is all-in *snickers* on the legalized sports gambling bandwagon. This does not bother me at all. I think gambling should be legalized across all jurisdictions. I don't participate currently, but I might dabble if it becomes legally available in my state.

However, if the TOUR is going to embrace gambling the way that they appear to be, there are some things I would like to see to ensure the integrity of the market.

- Injury status: Reports are coming out that Jordan Spieth had an undisclosed hand injury, which helped put him into the slump he is climbing out of. Reports are coming out that Brooks Koepka's injury could be worse than reported, knocking him out for multiple months. I get that players are independent contractors, but if the TOUR is going to be affiliated with sports gaming outfits, it seems that hiding injuries is pretty shady.

- Rules violations: Players breaking the rules will never end, on camera, or off camera. But with the betting options available, DFS, head to heads, top 20s, etc, a rules violation can mean a lot more than a player winning an event or not. It affects a lot more people and dollars. What does the TOUR have to do to ensure the integrity of the game, especially when there are so many stakeholders in the game.

What say you? Do you embrace the sports betting side of the professional game? Do you dabble in it at all? Does the Tour affiliating itself with sportsbooks give you pause?
 
Great topic. Other entities have rules in place likely for scenarios referenced.

I embrace it and have placed a few wagers since betting has become legal here. Nothing crazy but makes watching a little more fun
 
jdtox said:
Other entities have rules in place likely for scenarios referenced.
Click to expand...
and that is kind of my point regarding injuries. What are the rules? Is everyone just going to be in the dark? I think you're a hockey fan too, and you're familiar with the "lower body injury" but it isn't like Bryson is going to check you hard into a bunker to make sure your "upper body injury" doesn't heal quite as fast :ROFLMAO:
 
captaincaution said:
and that is kind of my point regarding injuries. What are the rules? Is everyone just going to be in the dark? I think you're a hockey fan too, and you're familiar with the "lower body injury" but it isn't like Bryson is going to check you hard into a bunker to make sure your "upper body injury" doesn't heal quite as fast :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
I don't think there are rules just yet :oops: is there going to be a weekly injury report? Will they be required to disclose injuries? Who knows...
 
I would definitely wager on golf. I would likely limit it to selecting a player or players to win. Sports betting is legal here but it can only take place in a licensed casino. I have not yet placed a wager on a sporting event here as I am not comfortable with going into the local casino as of this time. But, that may change in the future.
 
I agree with all your points and am dismayed by all the ads now on TV for gambling sites. I hope not too many people have problems from it and I won't be participating, too much Scotch ancestry in me.
 
captaincaution said:
I think it is safe to say that the TOUR is all-in *snickers* on the legalized sports gambling bandwagon. This does not bother me at all. I think gambling should be legalized across all jurisdictions. I don't participate currently, but I might dabble if it becomes legally available in my state.

However, if the TOUR is going to embrace gambling the way that they appear to be, there are some things I would like to see to ensure the integrity of the market.

- Injury status: Reports are coming out that Jordan Spieth had an undisclosed hand injury, which helped put him into the slump he is climbing out of. Reports are coming out that Brooks Koepka's injury could be worse than reported, knocking him out for multiple months. I get that players are independent contractors, but if the TOUR is going to be affiliated with sports gaming outfits, it seems that hiding injuries is pretty shady.

- Rules violations: Players breaking the rules will never end, on camera, or off camera. But with the betting options available, DFS, head to heads, top 20s, etc, a rules violation can mean a lot more than a player winning an event or not. It affects a lot more people and dollars. What does the TOUR have to do to ensure the integrity of the game, especially when there are so many stakeholders in the game.

What say you? Do you embrace the sports betting side of the professional game? Do you dabble in it at all? Does the Tour affiliating itself with sportsbooks give you pause?
Click to expand...
Certainly an interesting topic and such an alien concept to me that gambling is illegal in your state! I'm from England, you can perfectly legally place a bet with a book maker on anything here! I mean anything. Here's coverage of the story on Rory's dad placing a bet that he would win the Open when Rory was just 15 years old :ROFLMAO:. 🤑 for Gerry McIlroy!
 
I’m also all in on it, I think it will be a great addition to viewing. My biggest worry is how the rules officials have been lately on tour and how that could end for bettors. I’d be pretty hot if my guy lost by a stroke, but it later turns out that a bad ruling gave the winner an edge. The tour is not very good right now at equally applying the rules, that has to be in the back of someone’s mind who has actual influence.
 
I just do some weekly picks in a group of friends and do an annual majors player pool but nothing on the regular.

It will be fascinating to see how this goes. As you mentioned, the players are independent contractors and as such are not part of a collectively bargained agreement. So how does the tour get them to disclose this information? Also, if it is being required, then shouldn't all players receive some sort of compensation from the sponsorship deal between the tour and the sponsor?

There is always some sort of quid pro quo and I am not sure what leverage the tour has to get this information.
 
The PGA Tour continues to grow its relationships with legalized gaming. There will be a DraftKings book at TPC Scottsdale:

www.pgatour.com

PGA TOUR, DraftKings expand relationship with Arizona market access and plans for one-of-a-kind retail sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Following the Arizona Legislature’s passage of HB 2772, which would authorize fantasy sports and sports betting in the state pending action from Governor Doug Ducey, the PGA TOUR and DraftKings today announced that they will expand their existing commercial relationship to pro...
www.pgatour.com
 
I’m not against it, but generally I think it is a bad idea to have unlimited easy to access gambling. For every 100 people that do it and have fun, there is probably a few people that becomes addicted and hurt themselves/family’s finances doing it.
Personally I may place a bet or two on the majors even though I hope legalized gambling does not come to Ga.
 
captaincaution said:
The PGA Tour continues to grow its relationships with legalized gaming. There will be a DraftKings book at TPC Scottsdale:

www.pgatour.com

PGA TOUR, DraftKings expand relationship with Arizona market access and plans for one-of-a-kind retail sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Following the Arizona Legislature’s passage of HB 2772, which would authorize fantasy sports and sports betting in the state pending action from Governor Doug Ducey, the PGA TOUR and DraftKings today announced that they will expand their existing commercial relationship to pro...
www.pgatour.com
Click to expand...

Interesting combination there for THP Scottsdale: inordinately large number of fans, alcohol consumption and a Draft Kings book on the premises.
 
Gambling on golf has been legal forever. No reason to make rules for it just because you can do it outside of Vegas now IMO. I could see needing to make a bunch of rules if this was the first time anyone ever gambled on golf, but it's not. They've been doing it since golf has been played at a pro level.
 
captaincaution said:
I think it is safe to say that the TOUR is all-in *snickers* on the legalized sports gambling bandwagon. This does not bother me at all. I think gambling should be legalized across all jurisdictions. I don't participate currently, but I might dabble if it becomes legally available in my state.

However, if the TOUR is going to embrace gambling the way that they appear to be, there are some things I would like to see to ensure the integrity of the market.

- Injury status: Reports are coming out that Jordan Spieth had an undisclosed hand injury, which helped put him into the slump he is climbing out of. Reports are coming out that Brooks Koepka's injury could be worse than reported, knocking him out for multiple months. I get that players are independent contractors, but if the TOUR is going to be affiliated with sports gaming outfits, it seems that hiding injuries is pretty shady.

- Rules violations: Players breaking the rules will never end, on camera, or off camera. But with the betting options available, DFS, head to heads, top 20s, etc, a rules violation can mean a lot more than a player winning an event or not. It affects a lot more people and dollars. What does the TOUR have to do to ensure the integrity of the game, especially when there are so many stakeholders in the game.

What say you? Do you embrace the sports betting side of the professional game? Do you dabble in it at all? Does the Tour affiliating itself with sportsbooks give you pause?
Click to expand...
There is absolutely no way on god’s green earth that rules along these lines will happen.
 
As someone who has gambled more than most and on various sports, props, etc. The rules thing is way overblown and will have no impact on whether the casual sports fan places a bet. I doubt it even stops the professional gambler. There have been plenty of blown calls, point shaving scandals, etc in pro sports none of them have slowed down gambling on sports. Bad beats happen in gambling. If someone can't accept that they shouldn't bet.
 
Sorry, but just not a fan.

Sure, I've been in the odd football pool and bought a square here and there but i don't think the current trajectory of bringing "mainstream" gambling, to the masses, will end well for many. Tap a link on your phone and start whizzing away some hard earned, after tax, dollars. They're making it too easy for people to screw up (especially those who can't afford it) and laughing all the way to the bank. I think we screw up well enough without state sanctioning.

Bottom line; Let's keep gambling illegal.... where it belongs. I don't need my tax dollars going to bail out organized crime because we took away a revenue stream!! :p
What's the thrill of putting a 100 timer down but NOT running the risk of getting kneecapped ??
 
Personally, I am not a fan of this huge boom is sports betting. I think it ruins the sport.
 
I don't care one way or the other as far as gambling goes - I don't do it, but don't have a problem with others doing it. I don't see the PGA Tour changing any rules to facilitate gambling, though, as I'm not sure they want that close of a nexus with it.
 
The best way to bet golf is to bet the ML on the Head to Head pairings...

Example: Patrick Reed was paired with Kevin Na Sunday at the Masters.
The Line was (2-way)
Patrick Reed -160
Kevin Na +120
 
I'm all for Sports Gambling getting into golf. You bring up good points with the injuries. They should be a similar requirement I think the the NFL has with reporting injuries, but still, even then, you might not get the 100% honest truth of the severity of injuries.

I do some Daily Fantasy Sports now and then, I do fantasy football, but besides those I dont do much sports betting. However, if/when Texas legalizes that, I will probably get into it more. Like someone else said, its makes games much more interesting haha
 
I can make legal bets on some of the various golf tours. However, I don't place bets on th pga out comes ever week. Usually just on one, two of the majors during the year. If I'm placing a wager on another sport, and see what I believe to be an intriguing number for a weekly pga event, I might place a bet.

I have to say, I don't bet on sports games to get rich. I bet small wagers just to make the contest more interesting to watch. To be honest, most of my Vegas casino visits involve the various poker tables.

I can remember betting against Tiger during his prime time, playing stretch. Betting on others was the only way to make any money, with him in the field. Betting a dollar to win $0.50+/- ($1.50+/-) didn't make a lot of sense to me.

I think the sports books are the ones who will want to know, and they will find out about any physical (or mental) situations for pga players. When it comes to producing the odds on winners, they rarely make mistakes. Vegas didn't build all these hotels, and casinos by letting bettors win, more than they lost. They move the betting lines contantly to make sure they don't take a big loss. They want bettors betting on both sides of the line.

The old Vegas joke still rings true today. That Vegas was the only town you could arrive at in your own $5K Cadillac, and leave town in a $20K. Greyhound Bus. (Adjust those numbers for current inflation.....lol)

Although available, sports books are not obligated to share their inside knowlege on injury, or state of mind reports. That's required home work for the serious bettors.

Idk, I think betting on pga out comes won't be a big part of the sports book's take. Certainly not like football, basketball, baseball, and horse racing.
 
I'm fine with allowing gambling on golf, but you will never see me do it. 😂 Betting on golf is some of the worst odds in gambling. Probably better odds playing table games at the casino.
 
It’ll be all fun and games until someone yells in the middle of a backswing so their boy can win.

Gambling is for weak minded folks and the house always wins.

Redneck 401k.
 
I place a wager from time to time. My favorite is doing so on a golf trip with the boys. We each pick our guy and it makes things fun and interesting.
 
Bosco... said:
It’ll be all fun and games until someone yells in the middle of a backswing so their boy can win.

Gambling is for weak minded folks and the house always wins.

Redneck 401k.
Click to expand...


a couple of those “weak minded” folks make a yearly living off of Vegas lol. Just because you are losing doesn’t mean everyone else is :ROFLMAO:
 
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