When Jordan Spieth tied Tiger Woods for the best 72-hole score in the history of the Masters Golf Tournament, many gamblers cashed in on big wagers in Las Vegas. Despite being only 21 years old, Spieth received the 2nd-most bets entering the Masters.
In fact, Jordan Spieth received the most bets and had the most money wagered on him at the William Hill sportsbook. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook more wagers placed on him than anyone else, though more money was wagered on Tiger Woods. Most Las Vegas sportsbooks had more bets placed on Rory McIlroy, the 25-year old 4-time Major winner who was going for the career grand slam.
Westgate Sportsbook at 10:1 Odds
Westgate is likely to end up paying off more money than any other sportsbook, at least as a percentage of the money wagered. Westgate had Jordan Spieth as a 10-to-1 favorite. The MGM Grand, for example, only had Spieth's odds at 6-to-1. (Also, that example should be all the lesson gamblers need to shop for the best odds.)
Pole-to-Pole Leader
When it came time for the tournament, Jordan Spieth led from start to finish. He took the lead with a first-round 64, coming up one shot short of tying a record set by Nick Price in 1986 and tied by Greg Norman in 1996.
Several Course Records Set
Spieth finished 14-under after two rounds, which set the course record after 36 holes. He was 16-under after three rounds, beating the 54-hole record set by Raymond Floyd. Along the way, Spieth set the 72-hole record for most birdies (28), which previously was held by Phil Mickelson (25).
The 21-year old from Dallas, Texas came up 5 months short of Tiger Woods as the youngest player to win the Masters. Woods was 21 years old when he first won a green jacket back in 1997.
2015 Masters Tournament Memories
The 2015 is going to be remembered as a classic for several reasons, besides the emergence of a new phenom at the top of the leaderboard. 3-Time Masters champion Phil Mickelson finished in a 2-way tie for second place. Meanwhile, the two most marketable stars of the past number of years, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, entered Sunday in a tie for 5th place.
With the biggest names in golf competing at a high level, crowds were enthusiastic and the viewing audience at home were huge. Spieth won $1.8 million for his victory at the Masters, but he no doubt earned far more than that in advertising dollars in winning golf's most prestigious tournament (at least on this side of the Atlantic).
2nd-Ranked Golfer in the World
Many gamblers thought Jordan Spieth had the chops to win this year, despite his youth. Spieth has been described as a 45-year old in the body of a 21-year old, due to his seeming maturity. Last year, Spieth led the Masters on Sunday, before surrendering the lead to eventual winner Bubba Watson on the 9th hole. Though Spieth never led on the back nine on Sunday, he had risen up the ranks over the past year and entered the tournament as the 2nd-ranked player in the world.
Shawn Spieth, father of the newest owner of a green jacket, said, "Last year, he wasn't quite ready for that, and we just talked for a couple minutes about that and the fact that this is the greatest game and, yeah, it's the Masters. But it's still a game as opposed to something that is even more critical in our world. I don't know if it helped, but he held it together pretty well."
Michael Greller's Story
The victory brought with it all sorts of feel-good stories to the PGA. Four years ago, Michael Greller was a school teacher in Seattle. He was tabbed by Jordan Spieth to be his caddy in a juniors tournament. When Spieth turned pro, Greller decided to quit his job as a teacher to become the kid's full-time caddy. Now, he's helped the game's newest superstar win in spectacular fashion. Jordan Spieth was glowing in his praise of Michael Greller, who helped keep the young man calm on Sunday at Augusta.
Australian Gambler Won $247K
The Las Vegas sportsbooks were not the only one paying big money. One Australian punter (gambler) bet $250 on a parlay at the Tab bookmaker. The parlay included two horse races and the win by Spieth, and eventually paid $247,500 in winnings for the successful parlay.
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