Sportsbook.com favors Tiger Woods to repeat Masters performance at Pinehurst

Pinehurst, NC (June 15, 2005) – The first round of the 105th US Open begins on June 16th with tournament favorite Tiger Woods gunning for his third US Open title and second golf Major of the season. With all eyes on Woods and the rest of golf’s ‘Big Five’ – Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen – Sportsbook.com has posted several propositions on how the world’s most popular golfers will fare on one of the hardest courses on the PGA tour.

According to the online sportsbook and casino, Woods is a 22-5 favorite to win the tournament and is offering the top odds on a finishing position with an over/under of 6 1/2. By comparison, defending champion Retief Goosen’s odds to win are 14-1 with a finishing position of over/under 17.5. Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson are both listed at an over/under 8.5 for a finishing position with Singh at over/under 9.5.

Other propositions include odds on the lowest opening round score, odds on whether there will be a hole-in-one, odds on whether the tournament will be decided in a playoff and odds on whether certain players will make the cut.

‘The US Open is the most controversial of golf’s Majors because organizers tend to make the greens very fast and difficult for players to read. This was especially the case at Pinehurst in 1999 where players complained that the course was too unpredictable,’ said Peter Childs, odds maker at Sportsbook.com. ‘To give our fans the chance to keep up with the always changing action at this year’s Open, Sportsbook.com is offering the chance to wager live on the action, as it happens.’

Sportsbook.com is also offering odds on how many Majors Tiger Woods will win this season. After taking home the first, The Masters, earlier this year, he’s listed at 3-2 to take home another and 25-1 to win all four, which also includes the British Open and the PGA Championships.

2005 US Open Odds
Tiger Woods – 22-5
Phil Mickelson – 8-1
Ernie Els – 11-1
Vijay Singh – 11-1
Retief Goosen – 17-1
Sergio Garcia – 22-1

2005 US Open Finishing Position Over/Under
Tiger Woods – 6.5
Phil Mickelson – 8.5
Ernie Els – 8.5
Vijay Singh – 9.5
Retief Goosen – 17.5

2005 US Open Odds to Make the Cut Yes/No
Sergio Garcia – -420/+330
John Daly – +145/-175
Mike Weir – -125/-105
Davis Love III – -280/+220

2005 US Open First Round Score Over/Under
Tiger Woods – 70.5
Phil Mickelson – 71.5
David Toms – 73.0
Luke Donald – 73.5

2005 US Open Lowest Single Round by Any Player
Over/Under 65.5
2005 US Open Will There Be a Playoff
Yes +220 No -280
2005 US Open Will There Be a Hole-in-One
Yes +170 No -200
How Many Majors Will Tiger Woods Win in 2005
One 2-3
Two 3-2
Three 8-1
Four 25-1

About Sportsbook.com
Sportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, offering numerous products including sports betting, horse racing, poker, casino and virtual games. It is the flagship brand for Sportingbet PLC, (LSE: SBT). Headquartered in London, England, Sportingbet is the world’s largest publicly traded online betting, gambling and gaming company.