Sunday, May 4, 2008

2008 Men's Australian Open Odds

Since I have already gone out on a limb and proclaimed that 2008 will be the first season that World No.1 Roger Federer does not win the three grand slam titles that he has won in each of the past two seasons, the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, I guess this is the tournament I expect Federer to finally fall in since I genuinely can't see him losing either, Wimbledon or the U.S. Open anytime soon.With that in mind, while it would be foolish to count the indomitable Federer out of a tournament he has won four years running, I sincerely believe that, at least two players have legitimate shots at actually beating Federer, while another one or two lurk on the fringes as dark horses that could luck up into a grand slam title should they get either momentum or a ton of luck on their respective side during the tournament, preferably, both.Here is a look at the Australian Open winners dating back to 2000, followed by my analysis on which player I believe will actually win the 2008 Australian Open.Australian Open Winners2007: Roger Federer2006: Roger Federer2005: Marat Safin2004: Roger Federer 2003: Andre Agassi2002: Thomas Johansson2001: Andre Agassi2000: Andre AgassiOdds to Win the 2008 Australian Open Roger Federer -200 Novak Djokovic +550 Rafael Nadal +650 David Nalbandian +900 Andrew Murray +2000 Andy Roddick +2000 Nikolay Davydenko +4000 Mario Ancic +4000 Richard Gasquet +4000 Marcos Baghdatis +4000 Lleyton Hewitt +4000 Fernando Gonzalez +3500 Tomas Berdych +6500 James Blake +6500 Tommy Haas +8000 Mikhail Youzhny +10000 David Ferrer +2000 Ivo Karlovic +9000 Guillermo Canas +10000 Ivan Ljubicic +10000 Tommy Robredo +12500 Juan Martin Del Potro +12500 Fernando Verdasco +15000 Dmitry Tursunov +15000 Analysis: I'm going to come out and say it right now - I think World No. 3 Novak Djokovic - is going to cost Roger Federer at least one Grand Slam title in 2008.

US Open Golf Odds - Part of a Bigger Range

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Last modified 20 March 2007

US Open Betting Articles

US Open betting has been seen in many quarters as an elitist and in some cases even a boring form of sports betting. But in reality golf betting, especially US Open golf betting is far from boring and in recent years many traces of the traditional elitism surrounding the sport has evaporated. For decades, golf and by association US Open betting had been characterized as sport for often times, wealthy white males. While some of that perception remains, the PGA Tour has taken great strides to erase this image and make US Open betting much more inclusive than in years past.
US Open golf betting fans simply need to take a look at the golf betting field to realize that this is hardly a white man’s sport anymore. Obviously, the majority of the golfers in US Open betting are still Caucasian, but that is also changing rapidly. The best golfer in US Open betting history (Tiger Woods) is of mixed Asian and African ancestry and is far from your typical US Open betting competitor. There are also several prominent Asian golfers on tour and slowly but surely US Open golf betting fans are seeing more and more diversity on tour, although perhaps not fast enough.
This has contributed to knocking down the image of US Open betting as an elitist practice. Also the fact that the PGA Tour and its members have made an effort to bring the sport to disadvantaged children has also helped to shed the image of US Open betting as sport for the wealthy. Golfers like John Daly also give the event an ‘every man’ feel and has helped raise the profile of US Open betting.

US Open Betting at SBG Global Sports Betting

US Open betting is a very unique opportunity for all kinds of sports bettors not simply US Open golf betting fans to try their hand at golf wagering.
Many sports fans are reluctant to get involved with golf gambling for various reasons, but the US Open betting can be one of the most exciting types of sports wagering out there. And with the US Open betting getting under way in several weeks it’s a great chance to get to try something new.

Past US Open Winners

Year:
Winner:
Rounds (total):
2006
Geoff Ogilvy
71 70 72 72 (285)
2005
Michael Campbell
71 69 71 69 (280)
2004
Retief Goosen
70 66 69 71 (276)
2003
Jim Furyk
67 66 67 72 (272)
2002
Tiger Woods
67 68 70 72 (277)
2001
Retief Goosen
66 70 69 71 (276)
2000
Tiger Woods
65 69 71 67 (272)
1999
Payne Stewart
68 69 72 70 (279)
1998
Lee Janzen
73 66 73 68 (280)
1997
Ernie Els
71 67 69 69 (276)

US Open Golf Odds - Tournament Background

Centrebet's 2007 US Open golf betting odds make it possible for punters to bet on what must be one of the toughest tests in the world of sport. The Masters has treacherous greens, the British Open has high winds and the US PGA Championship has tremendous depth but the US Open's punishing rough makes it the major tournament that strikes fear into the hearts of most players.
It is no exaggeration to say that most competitors view par as a score that could win the first prize, such are the lengths that the United States Golf Association goes to challenge the field.

The US Open

The US OpenThe second major championship of the season has thrown up some shocks in the last few years with the victories of Angel Cabrera and Michael Campbell but the venue of Torey Pines for 2008 should see a more familiar face on the major role of honour for the US Open this year.Previous Winners: 2007 Angel Cabrera2006 Geoff Ogilvy2005 Michael Campbell2004 Retief Goosen2003 Jim FurykBetting Preview:No prizes for originality but there can only be one suggestion for the winner of this years US Open and that is Tiger Woods . The venue of Torey Pines will play right into Tigers paws as the course is usually the host venue for the Buick Invitational which Tiger has won a sensational five times out of the last six years and seven times in all. The course will be toughened up in line with US Open standards but even so Tigers love affair with the course is a huge advantage for the world number one and he looks well ahead of the field.Tiger Woods 4 points Win at 5/4 with Paddy Power

Visit all Major Championship Golf Tours 2008

Visit all Major Championship Golf Tours 2008
2008 US Masters Golf Info
US Open 2008 Betting Info
British Open 2008
PGA Tour Championship
Ryder Cup 2008

Winner of British Open 2007

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland., July 22 - No two ways about it, just about every British Open played at Carnoustie has seen an unbelievable finish. Maybe it's because 16, 17 and 18 could be the toughest finish in golf, the next time the British Open rolls around they should think about giving out barf bags on the 16th tee. The tradition started in 1931 when Agentinian Jose Jurado was cruising along with over 10,000 people and the Prince of Wales watching. As he was standing on the 17th tee, he needed a par-par finish to win. Unfortunely he sent his teeshot into the burn and took six on the hole, followed by a par 5 on the finishing hole to finish one back. In 1975 we had the other end of the spectrum when Tom Watson made a birdie three on the hole just to get himself into a playoff which he beat poor old Jack Newton the next day.

British Open trophy called the "Claret Jug

When the Championship began, the winner was presented with the Challenge Belt, now the Claret Jug or the proper name, The Golf Champion Trophy, is presented to each year's winner of The Open Championship.
The trophy awarded to the winner of The Open Championship is officially known as the Championship Cup, but it is much more commonly called the "Claret Jug" because, well, it's a claret jug.
Claret is a dry red wine produced in the famous French winemaking region of Bordeaux. The British Open trophy was made in the style of silver jugs used to serve claret at 19th Century gatherings.
But the winner of The Open Championship hasn't always received the Claret Jug as the trophy. The first handful of winners were awarded a belt. That's right, a belt. Or "Challenge Belt," as it was designated at the time.
The first Open Championship was played in 1860 at Prestwick (now called Royal Prestwick, it's in Troon, Scotland, just down the road from Royal Troon), and that year also marked the first awarding of the belt.
The belt was made of a wide, red Morocco leather and was adorned with silver buckles and emblems.
1873 winner - Tom Kidd - was the first to be awarded the Claret Jug.
That original Claret Jug from 1873 has permanently resided at the R&A since 1927. The trophy that is presented to the British Open winner each year is a copy of the original, which the winner gets to keep for a year before returning it to the R&A to be passed on to the next champion.

British Open Golf Odds and History

British Open Golf Odds and History
The British Open is the oldest of the four major championships in men's golf. Each year the event is hosted by one of several prestigious golf clubs in Britain; however, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) administers The Open regardless of its site.
It is always played on a links course.The British Open Championship is played in July and is the third major to take place each year, after The Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open, but before the PGA Championship. It has been an official event on the PGA TOUR since 1995, which means that the prize money won in the Open by PGA Tour members is included on the official money list. In addition, all Open Championships before that date have been retrospectively classified as PGA Tour wins and the list of leading winners on the PGA Tour has been adjusted to reflect this.

Future British Open Golf Championships

2009 July 16-19 Ailsa Course, Turnberry, Ayrshire2010 July 15-18 Old Course, St Andrews, Fife
2011 Royal St George’s
2012 Royal Lytham & St Annes
British Open Golf Odds and History

ROYAL BIRKDALE GOLF CLUB

The 137th Open Championship
ROYAL BIRKDALE GOLF CLUBSOUTHPORT, ENGLANDJULY 17th – 22ND, 2008
The Open Championship is to return to Royal Birkdale from July 17-20, 2008. It will be the ninth Championship to be played over the Lancashire course where Peter Thomson won the first and last of his five Open titles and where Arnold Palmer's victory in 1961 marked the virtual re-birth of golf's oldest championship.In 1954 Thomson won the first Open to be played at Birkdale, finishing just one shot ahead of a three-way tie for second place between Bobby Locke, Syd Scott and Dai Rees. Thomson returned in 1965 to round off his collection of Open wins, this time by two shots from Brian Huggett and Christy O'Connor, in what he believed was his greatest win.No less than 13 players were in a position to win over the closing holes when Thomson settled the issue beyond doubt with a second shot that hit the pin at the 510-yard 17th. He described Birkdale as man-sized but not a monster"."Royal Birkdale has endeared itself to all of the world's top golfers," said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A. "And we must remember that with his win there in 1961, Arnold Palmer is rightly credited with starting the renaissance of The Open. We are delighted to be returning in 2008."
David Hill, the R&A's Director of Championships, said: "Royal Birkdale is a venue which, in addition to setting a rigorous examination of the abilities of all golfers, also has a first-class infrastructure which is capable of coping with large numbers of spectators.
Royal Birkdale was founded in 1889 and eight years later, in 1897 moved to its present home at Birkdale Hills. Much of the present layout was modelled on a design by Hawtree & J H Taylor Ltd in the 1920s and the present-day clubhouse was constructed in 1935 on elevated ground behind the 18th green. In preparation for the 1965 Open the clubhouse was extended, a new par-three12th hole was built into the massive dunes and the closing holes considerably changed.

The British Open

The British Open. In 2008, this time honoured event will be staged at Royal Birkdale Golf Club,just north of Liverpool. This course will hold special memories for Australian fans as both Peter Thomson (twice) and Ian Baker-Finch have been good enough to take home The Claret Jug.
The 2008 British Open will be played in Southport, England.
The Open Championship returns to the Lancashire Course at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th July 2008. This will be the ninth time Royal Birkdale has hosted the Championship, from Peter Thomson's win in 1954 to Mark O'Meara's in 1998.
The Royal Birkdale Golf Club is situated in the North West of England, on the same stretch of coastline as Royal Liverpool and Royal Lytham St Annes, both also Open Championship venues. As well as England's Golf Coast, the Northwest region also contains Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.
Betting on the 2008 British Open
The Open has been the third tournament of the PGA TOUR's Grand Slam of golf for decades, although the PGA TOUR did not recognize it as one of its official events until 1995. The PGA European Tour has always recognized The Open as an official event.
Sportbet offers a range of 2008 British Open Golf betting odds. Betting golf is fun and often profitable since you can place wagers on individual golfers. Check out the odds on our British Open Golf Futures and put your money where your mouth is. Sportbet.com offers golf odds on everything from the tournament winner to the number of hole-in-ones.