Phil Mickelson’s two-shot win over Louis Oosthuizen and Brooks Koepka in the 103rd PGA Championship at Kiawah Island was a mixed bag for sportsbooks. Payouts included one bettor winning $300,000 on Mickelson at DraftKings Sportsbook off a $1,000 bet at 300/1 odds. For long shots like Mickelson, a few bets can increase liability for books quickly.
“Let’s just say some of our customers will have an enjoyable Sunday,” DraftKings sportsbook director Johnny Avello told VSiN.
Mickelson had odds as long as 300/1 before the tournament, before shortening to around 250/1 prior to Thursday’s opening round. Mickelson’s odds at DraftKings were 90/1 before Round 2, 12/1 before Round 3 and +275 before Sunday’s final round.
By Sunday, Mickelson had the sixth-most bets at BetMGM books (4.3 percent), and the third-highest handle at 6.5 percent. He was the largest liability in the tournament for BetMGM books entering the final round; at the beginning of the tournament, 31 other players had more tickets on them to win than Mickelson.
There were a few notable bets at William Hill sportsbooks, with one bettor in Nevada and another in Iowa wagering $100 at 200/1 odds to win $20,000 each. “We were a good six-figure loser,” Michael Grodsky, vice president of marketing at William Hill, told VSiN.
“It was about break-even for us,” Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk at SuperBook Sports, told VSiN via text. “Phil had some support over the weekend at 14/1 and 3/1, but just some small stuff at 250/1.”
Lefty’s win was better for other books, as Thomas Gable (sportsbook director at Borgata in Atlantic City) reported that Mickelson winning was a good result.
It was an incredible sight to behold the galleries and excitement on Sunday of Mickelson winning another major, even if all sportsbooks weren’t happy to see him victorious.