Tuesday, June 20, 2006

The Bodog.com Sportsbook lists Tiger Woods as a slight favorite over Phil Mickelson to wín the U.S. Open, which is set to tee off Thursday at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. For sports fans looking to hedge their bets, the Bodog.com Sportsbook also posts odds on Head-to-Head matchups and futures for the year's second major golf tournament. Currently, Bodog.com bookmakers have Woods at 9/2 odds to walk away with his 11th career major while 2006 Master's champ Mickelson is at 5/1. "The U.S. Open will be a physical and mental test for golf's finest players," says Calvin Ayre, Founder and CEO of Bodog.com. "Once the golfers get a handle on Winged Foot - one of the most demanding courses in the U.S. - the mental aspects of the game will come into play. With Woods back in action, bettors are certain to put to test their predictions on how he and the rest of the field will do."

As always, Woods will garner most of the attention from fans and the media, but the circumstances surrounding his game and life are much different than usual. Woods has not played since the Master's - a nine-week layoff that's the longest of his career - and the fact that he will be playing for the first time since his father's passing has raised many questions about how he will fare. Nonetheless, Bodog.com bookmakers have Woods sitting as the favorite to wín his third U.S. Open and first one since 2002.

Meanwhile, Mickelson is seeking his third consecutive major after winning the 2005 PGA and this year's Master's. Mickelson has been a runner-up three times at the U.S. Open.

Looking to enhance your betting experience, Bodog.com is offering "Hole-by-Hole" betting for the third and fourth rounds. Bettors can now wager on which player will come out ahead with the lower score.