Sports Betting Heats Up on British Open Without Bubka

Tiger Woods is, as usual, the heavy favorite for online sports betting on the British Open Golf Tournament, but many bettors are waiting for Bob Bubka to pick a player before deciding where to place their gambling money.

Perhaps Paddy Power slipped an envelope to Bob Bubka with a generous gift inside, just in case the golf radio announcer is inclined to speculate on the possible winner of the British Open Golf Tournament this weekend. After all, the Internet sports betting service took a bath last month when Bubka correctly predicted the winner of the US Open, making him two for two in golf majors this year.

Most golf bettors and prognosticators are satisfied to take Tiger Woods in any tournament he enters. In fact, many online sports books are offering odds on all players minus Tiger, giving betting patrons a chance to pick from the field without the best golfer in history dominating thoughts.

Padraig Harrington may be the two-time defending champion, and have three majors to his credit over the last two years, but he is only the second distant choice to Tiger, returning +2500 to Woods' +225. Even the entire field, catching Woods still tuning his putting game after a long injury layoff, still is only -350 against Tiger.

But Bubka's fearless prognostication may be the wild card in British Open sports betting. The radio commentator correctly picked Angel Cabrera to win the Masters, then stunned online gambling sites by correctly picking Lucas Glover, who had opened as a virtual unknown at 175-1. Irish golfers, dedicated to the sport, remembered Cabrera and bet Glover down to 3-1, crushing the books.

Bubka may keep quiet until the last minute this week, but the huge number of betting futures for this golf tournament are sure to keep action popping at the Internet gaming sites. Just don't be surprised if the operators have Bubka put on ice until play starts, at least in their dreams.