Really Smart People Keep Betting on Tiger Woods to Win Masters

News flash, folks; it isn't 2005. Nope, not even close. Back then I was a budding college kid, excited to hit the world running. Now I'm old and my haircut lady told me the other day I had a grey hair and my back hurts occasionally and I talk about serious issues way more than I probably want to (or should). Now, it's 2011, and Tiger Woods isn't a Masters favorite. He isn't even close. If you pick Tiger to win the Masters, you've either been hanging on an island with Wilson too long, or you watch very little golf.

But that isn't the case. Tiger is still the favorite in sports books at 7-to-1 despite the fact that he A.) hasn't won a PGA Tour event since September of 2009 and B.) hasn't won at Augusta National since '05.

This is according to Golf Digest's John Strege, who shows that Tiger is still a hot bet in Vegas.

"We're on pace to set another record for golf," Jeff Sherman, the assistant manager of the Race and Sports Book at the Las Vegas Hilton, said. Woods' return to competition in 2010, at the Masters, set a record for golf wagering at the Hilton. "Tiger's right up there with most tickets written compared with other players. But we had most of our money taken [when he was] at 4 or 5 to 1. At the same time, with his odds being higher, Nick Watney at 15 to 1, Dustin Johnson at 20 to 1, all these guys in the 15 to 20 to 1 range, a lot of people are taking a lot of chances on these guys.

Honestly, if you're betting on Tiger to win the Masters, just do me a favor and PayPal me the money. When Masters Sunday ends, I'll send you half of your money back, and you'll feel like a winner. I promise.

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