Masters

2010 Golf Masters Betting Preview: A lot of hot questions will be answered next week, as one of Golf’s greats, Tiger Woods steps out of the golfing shadow and onto the hallowed fairways and greens of Augusta for the Masters. Four times winner at Augusta, with his last victory coming in 2004, the appearance of Woods this year will court more interest than ever after his admissions of indiscretions. He has been sequestered away from the PGA Tour but will make his 2010 debut in Georgia when he tees off on Thursday. The Masters is the first of four Majors of the golf season and the media circus which will no doubt follow Woods around, will be even more intensified for the 2010 Masters. One of the big questions is how much of a distraction it will all be for the players who have to play alongside him. Even before his admissions of guilt he was the focus of all attention, and his fans would cause problems for other players as they followed his progress around the course.

Woods will find out on Tuesday, which other two players will be in his group for the first couple of rounds at Augusta. Some, like Padraig Harrington are relishing the chance to be in the thick of all the action with Woods, while others will want to keep away from the circus that is bound to follow. It has been five months since Woods stepped away from the game, and the biggest question of all, is the one that online bookmakers will have their minds on, can Tiger Woods win the 2010 Masters? Can he return and win the Green Jacket without apparently breaking a stride after his time away from the world of golf. Can he really be in tip top competitive shape when compared to the rest of the PGA Tour players who have been swinging their way through tournaments this year? Is Woods that good, that much of a golfing legend to put all those factors and adversity behind him to win in Augusta, Georgia. There are many of fans and punters that simply would not bet against him doing it.

How will the fans receive Woods? This is not just any tournament where members of the general public can stroll in and watch the greatest players, so in some respect Woods may be shielded from a lot of potential fan abuse. While not agreeing with aspects of his personal life, no doubt fans of Woods will be heartily backing the legend in his quest for his fifth Masters. Nobody will really know what his own expectations are, but being the perfectionist and driven person that he is, he will probably be wanting nothing less than to roll out of Augusta as victorious. Whatever happens it will no doubt be a huge release of pressure for the American as all expectations will be over. Perhaps the return of Woods to the tour can only be a good thing, as it will raise the profile and interest in the game again, and hopefully take golf from the front pages and to the back pages where it belongs.

Woods has already stepped out at Augusta for a practice round on Sunday, and will be holding a press conference on Monday. Some of the professionals around him who encountered him at his practice seemed buoyed by the great one’s appearance, looking at it is as a positive sign that everything is returning to normal on the PGA Tour. Some have even said that he is hitting the ball further than ever, and bets on Woods could be based on rumours that he is looking impressive during the practice build up to Augusta. There is much anticipation that he is simply going to come back and play great. He is a perfectionist and has been practicing behind the scenes, away from the public eye, and one thing fans can be sure of, is that he will be ready, and his game will be ready.

Betting speculation will continue and Tiger Woods will still draw the majority of golf betting for the 2010 Masters. It is something of a testament to his natural ability that most online bookmakers still have him out as favourite to win in Augusta, Georgia. That, for someone who has not played competitively for five months, is something astonishing.

2010 Golf Masters Betting Outright
Tiger Woods: 5/1 at SkyBet
Phil Mickelson: 11/1 at Totesport
Ernie Els: 12/1 at BetFred
Padraig Harrington: 18/1 at BetFred
Lee Westwood: 22/1 at Expekt
Steve Stricker: 25/1 at Totesport
Retief Goosen: 28/1 at Victor Chandler
Paul Casey: 30/1 at William Hill
Ian Poulter: 40/1 at Totesport
Jim Furyk: 40/1 at BetFred

As you can see, the expected winner is going to come from a small group. Woods sticks out as favourite and is well worth a punt, simply because he has the complete game to pick up his fifth majors, even with all the distractions. Once he gets a few holes behind him, any apprehension should settle, and he could roll on. Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els both represent great bets in the charts, with both players in decent nick. Els has picked up two titles already this season, including the World Golf Championships in Florida, while Mickelson has won twice in Augusta, in 2004 and 2006. Ian Poulter enjoyed success in the World Matchplay and has the variety and bravery to contend, as well as American Steve Stricker, who, if he sticks with his superb consistency, could be right in the mix at the end. Jim Furyk lifted a title in Florida at the end of March, and last year’s winner, Argentinean Angel Cabrera is a long outside 70/1 at SkyBet shot to repeat the feat.

Once again the Masters Snooker tournament will get to see Jimmy White in action at the pinnacle of the game. Jimmy White is one of the legendary figures of sport, a maverick with an edge that captured the hearts of the public. He has battled with his problems, but his most recent scrutiny under the public spotlight came in the shape of appearance in TV’s “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here”. White belies that that experience has put him in good stead to make some progress at the Masters, snooker’s most prestigious event, and new season opener. He has been given a Wild Card into the Masters, and will take his snooker seriously despite being down in the 50’s in the World Rankings.

White will compete in one of two first round fixtures at the Masters, as he takes on Mark King. A match in the second round against Stephen Maguire will be awaiting the winner. There is no doubt that White will draw in the crowds, in the hope that he can make waves in the tournament. Much in the vein of Ronnie O’Sullivan, White was known in his heyday for brave and sometimes outrageous shots that most other competitors would never think of. He was a breath of fresh air against the rigid, perfectionist monotony of Steve Davis.

While he will court some money on him at the bookmakers, the real likelihood of him of him winning is far out there. He has won the Masters once in his career, back in 1984, and made many semi final appearances. His last appearance in the First Round of the Masters was in 2006 where he lost, and since then has been a loser in the qualifying draw. The 47-year old is still an icon of his sport, and still a fan favourite, but he will face more than an uphill battle to overcome the new breed of snooker player. Often an inspiration for a faster paced version of the game, White will, in all likelihood, ironically struggle to keep pace with the modern game.

But, there is no better stage than the Masters to showcase what natural talents “The Whirlwind” still has up his sleeve. The Masters brings together the Top 16 players in the world, with the addition of two Wild Card entrants, this year being Jimmy White and Rory McLeod. The top 14 are already sitting in the second round draw, with Mark King and Mark Williams having to fight their way through first round matches. The matches are the best of 11 frames, and all the action takes place at the Wembley Arena in London and starts on January 10th.

Defending champion Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan, four times Masters Winner, opens his campaign on Tuesday against Australia’s Neil Robertson, while recent UK Championship winner Ding Junhui starts against Mark Selby. So where is the likely winner coming from this year? There is not much of a break between the UK Championships and The Masters, and so some from should be carried over from that. There is also the matter of experience and dealing with pressure at the highest level, and that helps lean favourably towards past winners. Here we cast an eye of the favourites as well as assess the chances of the outsiders.

Ronnie O’Sullivan
Of course he will be the one to beat. The world number one has all the qualities that makes a popular champion. He is down to earth and honest about his game, and his interest in the game. The rise and rise of Ronnie O’Sullivan has taken snooker to a new level, and helped maintain its popularity. Enigmatic and passionate, his emotions do sometimes get the better of him, and if he gets in a moody slump he can look disinterested. Such is the class of the man though, that even on his bad days he can beat anyone in the World. He has never won the Masters back to back, and that would be an achievement he would surely like under his belt. He has reached five of the last six finals, winning three of them in alternating years. An each way bet at the very worst, even when playing with a purple coloured cue (which apparently he has been practicing with).

Stephen Maguire:
Looked in really good shape in the UK Championships until he ran into eventual winner Ding Junhui, losing 9-5 in the semi finals. He has a good game, and decent focus, and has climbed his way up to number two in the rankings, and will be a force to be reckoned with. Have a bitter rivalry with Shaun Murphy. His best appearance in the Masters was a semi final appearance three years ago. Subsequently he has been knocked out of the last two tournaments at the Quarter Final stages.

Shaun Murphy.
Another one who fell to Ding Junhui in the UK Championships, but he was below par with the flu, and it showed in his game. He lost that match 9-3, which in normal terms probably would not happen. Murphy is a class act, but has failed to live up to his own standards when it has come to the Masters. Out of four appearances, he has made three Quarter Final exits and one second round exit. On his day he can easily challenge Ronnie O’Sullivan, and the draw for the Masters look favourable for him. He won the 2009/10 Snooker Premier League, beating out O’Sullivan, reached the final of the World Championships, and if he gets back into the swing of things, as snooker is all about momentum, then he is a great bet for the title. He would make a popular winner, though not with Stephen Maguire presumably (the story goes that Murphy made Maguire have a frame scratched because the Scot had forgotten his chalk and had to leave the arena to fetch it. The match didn’t start on time, Murphy was aggrieved and asked for Maguire to be punished. Maguire had the last laugh though as he won that match). Murphy can exude strength and has a lot of character. It could come down to a meeting of Murphy and O’Sullivan in the semi finals. Opens his account against Stephen Hendry, whose form at the UK Championship didn’t look great.

John Higgins:
The Scot has seen something of a resurgence in form as he is back in the top four. He made the final of the UK Championships, where he couldn’t get the better of Ding Junhui either. Has lost some of his edge from when he was dominating things, but on his day he can compete well. Probably more of an outsider than the others above, but is capable of causing an upset.

Ding Junhui.
He could be classed as the form player after winning the UK Championships. Quite an exciting player in a strangely understated and methodical way. Has an all round game and always looks composed under pressure. Still looks at times as if he as a little more to learn, but there is little doubt that he will get better and better, and he can be a world champion and dominate for a long time. Will be in the mix of things, as he won the UK Championships against the odds in many ways as he was fighting jet lag for his opening match.

Mark Selby.
Drifting out there in the odds, but has the repertoire of shots to pull through. If he can beat Ding Junhui in the second round, than that should do his confidence a whole world of good, and with that behind him he could very well make inroads into the opposition. An excellent choice for an outside bet, could be one to watch if he can navigate the somewhat daunting first hurdle which he faces. If you’re looking for Experience, then Selby won the Master two years ago, with an emphatic performance against Stephen Lee.

Snooker Masters 2010 Draw:
First Round
Mark King (Eng) v Jimmy White (Eng)
Mark Williams (Wal) v Rory McLeod (Eng)

Second Round:
Mark Selby (Eng) v Ding Junhui (Chn)
Marco Fu (HK) v Peter Ebdon (Eng)
Shaun Murphy (Eng) v Stephen Hendry (Sco)
Stephen Maguire (Sco) v King/White
Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) v Neil Robertson (Aus)
Allister Carter (Eng) v Williams/McLeod
John Higgins (Sco) v Mark Allen (NI)
Ryan Day (Wal) v Joe Perry (Eng)

Masters Outright Winner Odds
Ronnie O’Sullivan – 11/4 at BetFred
John Higgins – 11/2 at Totesport
Stephen Maguire – 10/1 at Expekt
Shaun Murphy – 10/1 at Bet365
Ding Junhio – 11/1 at ExtraBet
Mark Selby – 11/1 at ExtraBet
Neil Robertson – 14/1 at William Hill
Ali Carter – 18/1 at SkyBet
Ryan Day – 22/1 at Ladbrokes
Mark Allen – 25/1 at SkyBet
Mark Williams – 40/1 at Ladbrokes
Peter Ebdon – 30/1 at Bet365
Joe Perry – 40/1 at SportingBet
Marco Fu – 50/1 at Totesport
Stephen Hendry – 50/1 at William Hill
Mark King – 125/1 at BetFred
Rory McLeod – 150/1 at Boylesports
Jimmy White – 250/1 at SportingBet

If you are looking for more bets on the Masters snooker, then there are plenty of other markets  to keep you interested. How about these options to boost your interests:

Will there be a 147 at the Masters 2010? Boylesports says Yes at 9/4 and No at 1/3

Who will make the Highest Break? This is in an interesting field, as everyone really is in with an equal shout at winning this. O’Sullivan (9/2 at SportingBet) is favourite, and he posts a lot of quick rapid scores, but is not necessarily one to follow in the highest break. More methodical break builders like John Higgins (8/1 at SportingBet) and Shaun Murphy (9/1 at Boylesports) could be. Remember Stephen Hendry (28/1 at SportingBet) who holds the joint record for the most professional 147’s with O’Sullivan, is in the competition too, if you’re looking for accomplished break builders, but everything comes down to the rub of the green on the night.

Sports betting week 23 - 29 November

Date	Sport	Org.	Venue	Event
24-25 Nov		UEFA	Europe	CL - Group stage
27-29 Nov		DFB	Germany	Bundesliga
28-29 Nov		FA	England	Premier League
28-29 Nov		RFEF	Spain	Primera Division
28-29 Nov		FFF	France	Ligue 1
28-29 Nov		FIGC	Italy	Serie A
22-29 Nov		ATP	London	Tennis Masters Cup

Sports betting week 16 - 22 November

Date	Sport	Org.	Venue	Event
18 Nov		FIFA	worldwide	WC-Qualification matches
16-20 Nov		FIFA	Dubai (U.A.E.)	Beach Soccer WC
21-22 Nov		FA	England	Premier League
21-22 Nov		RFEF	Spain	Primera Division
21-22 Nov		DFB	Germany	Bundesliga
21-22 Nov		FFF	France	Ligue 1
21-22 Nov		FIGC	Italy	Serie A
22-29 Nov		ATP	London	Tennis Masters Cup

Sports betting week 9 - 15 November

Date	Sport	Org.	Venue	Event
14-18 Nov		FIFA	worldwide	WC-Qualification matches
24 Oct-15 Nov		FIFA	Nigeria	U-17 WC
8-14 Nov		ATP	Paris	BNP Paribas Masters

Did you know there are three bridges on the Augusta National course home, of course, of The Masters? One is named after Ben Hogan, one Byron Nelson and one Gene Sarazen. Maybe they should consider naming something permanent after Gary Player, who is making his 52nd appearance at The Masters this year, two more than the legendary Arnold Palmer. The veteran South African can boast 15 top ten finishes in the year’s first Major but that’s still seven less than Jack Nicklaus. I must admit that the only time I’ve encountered a bridge on a golf course it led to a windmill which steadfastly refused to allow my ball through so I could make the clown’s nose light up – but that’s a story for another day. The darling of the Augusta crowd nowadays is, of course, Tiger Woods. Already a winner four times, the 33-year-old has returned from serious knee surgery as good as ever judged on his win in last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational Tournament at Bay Hill. This is Woods‘first Major since he pushed Rocco Mediate all the way in last year’s US Open on virtually one leg and he’ll be keen to impress. But it must be remembered that Tiger has had to settle for place money on three occasions since beating Chris DeMarco in a sudden-death play-off in 2005 so you must make your mind up whether sportingbet and betdaq‘s 9-4 represents value. I’d prefer to look at a few of the alternative markets. For example, how about an interest in Justin Rose to finish the top European? The Briton’s best-ever finish in a Major remains his debut fourth in the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale but he has a fantastic qualifying record at Augusta, He led at the halfway stage in 2004 and tied at the end of the opening round in 2007 and again last year with eventual winner Trevor Immelman, only to fade away disappointingly after. Rose is very selective in the tournaments he plays nowadays, which means he arrives at Augusta relatively fresh so the 12-1 in this section with Paddy Power and William Hill is certainly worth a second look.

The Champions League emerges from its winter slumber next week with some mouth-watering ties on the table. The pick is arguably Inter Milan against Manchester United and another head-to-head between Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. Inter, available at 10-1 to win the Champions’ League, are dominating the Scudetto in the same way that United, 11-2 with most layers, are beginning to run away with the Premier League. But they are likely to find the bang in-form Red Devils a different proposition to what they normally come up against in Serie A and it’s difficult to see them coming out on top over two legs. United and Barcelona are unsurprisingly favourites to lift the trophy in Rome in May with Lionel Messi and company preferred in all lists at a general 3-1. They should prove too strong for Lyon, available at 50-1, in the last 16 but great Primera Liga rivals Real Madrid (16-1 with Coral) face a tough task against Liverpool (12-1 in most lists) who traditionally save their best for this competition. The Reds could easily go further than Chelsea (9-1 on betfair and betdaq) and Arsenal (as big as 16-1 in several places) who both face tricky Italian opposition en route to the quarter-finals.

There was a great boost for golf fans this week as Tiger Woods revealed he is to make his first appearance since undergoing extensive knee surgery at a matchplay event in Arizona next week. Tiger will face Australian Brendan Jones in the opening round of the Accenture Championship in his first tournament since winning last year’s US Open and extrabet are taking no chances about the world number one returning as good as ever, offering only 8-15 that Woods wins at least one major in 2009. Tiger is currently 9-4 to win The Masters, the opening major, with the same firm but you can get 11-4 with totesport, skybet and betfair.