Sports Betting News And Insights With Johnny Avello, June 16, 2022

Written By Dave Bontempo on June 16, 2022
2022 US Open

It’s never easy for a PGA Tour golfer to spot a ball in the rough.

Nor is it easy for New Jersey sports bettors to find a gambling diamond in the rough.

With the US Open taking place Thursday-Sunday, Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings, guides New Jersey gamblers toward the hidden nuggets of this PGA major.

According to Avello, the gems  can be found, even after the tournament starts.

“Sometimes a guy records  a poor score on Thursday, but you can see he actually didn’t play too badly,” Avello noted. “Things  didn’t go his way. Now that guy who was 20-1 (or +2000) is now 50-1 (+5000) and you feel he can recover.

“Even if you are down 10 strokes after the first day, that is not insurmountable.

“If you can pick up three shots each of the next two days, you are right there. If you feel that player can do that, there’s your opportunity.”

Avello uses the same barometer for measuring a player perhaps five or six shots off the pace after round two. Some pros have even rallied from seven strokes back on the final day to win at betting odds of 75-1.

“You wouldn’t think they can be able to do that, but they actually can,” Avello said.  “Golf is a game of  confidence. When a guy gets it going, he gets the feeling he can overcome anything. And if it’s not there for him, he can’t overcome anything.”

Rank
Casinos
Bonus
Features
Play
1
125% WELCOME BONUS
Up to $1250 to bet on sports
250% Slots + Table Bonus
150 Free Spins On Gorilla Or Buffalo Ways
50 Daily Boost For Your Massive Wins
Grab your 175% + 50 free spins
2
$30 bonus
On Sign Up
$30 Bonus On Sign Up
Up to $100 in Deposit Insurance
Use Promo Code: PLAYBONUS30
3
$30 FREE
On Sign Up
$30 Free On Sign Up
Up To $100 Cashback On First Deposit
Excellent Range of Games
Use Promo Code: 30BUCKS
6
25 Reward Spins
On Sign Up
25 Reward Spins on Starburst
100% Up To $2,000 On Deposit
Use Promo Code: FREE25FS
7
$1,000 BONUS
On Deposit
50% Up To $1,000 On Deposit
New and Improved Site / App
New Casino Tournaments Feature!
Use Bonus Code: BONUS-MATCH
8
Up to $500 Bonus
+ 500 Bonus Spins
100% Up to $500 on Deposit
500 Bonus Spins on Deposit
Slots, Live Casino, Blackjack, Roulette & more
To Claim: Click Play Now
9
$35 Casino Credits
On Sign Up
$35 Casino Credits on Sign Up
100% Match up to $100 (1x PTR) or
100% Match up to $2,000 (15x PTR)
To Claim: Click Play Now
10
$1,000 Bonus
100% Match On First Deposit
100% Up to $1,000 On deposit
300+ Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now
11
In Bonus Bets
UP TO $1,000
Free Live Streaming - Watch Live Games
$1,000 Paid Back in Bonus Bets
Use Bonus Code: PLAYBONUS

‘People love to bet guys like Scottie Scheffler’

To his point, one  recent victim of this rallying concept was New Jersey-born Scottie Scheffler, the top player in the world.

Scheffler may have peaked in winning the Masters in April, for an astounding four wins in six weeks.

The Ridgewood-born Scheffler, who took his first golf swings in New Jersey and later moved to Dallas, was on the verge of establishing a major record a couple of tournaments back. He was about to become the first tour player since Tom Watson in 1980 with five wins in a PGA  tour season before the start of June.

But his buddy Sam Burns came from seven strokes back, tied him and defeated Scheffler with a putt from off the green in the first playoff hole of the Charles Schwab.

Scheffler did not record  a birdie all day, while Burns caught fire. And then he drained  the tournament winner from off the green.

“Scottie is a great player, but he just couldn’t seem to put that one away,” Avello said. “He’s been on some run. The fans and the bettors love him because even though he gets himself in a lot of trouble, he has an excellent short game that helps.

“People love to bet guys like Scottie and they have some other choices based on who has  been hot. He’s been one of the players getting money here. I think a good number of people believe he is  going to regroup and make another run.”

As of Wednesday night, DraftKings had Scheffler’s odds of winning the US Open at +1400 (14-1). The three golfers ahead of him were:

  • Rory McIlroy +1000 (10-1)
  • Justin Thomas +1100 (11-1)
  • Jon Rahm +1300 (13-1)

Speaking of Rory McIlroy at the US Open

McIlroy is playing his best golf in a long time. McIlroy fired a sizzling final-round 62 to capture the Canadian Open last week and he produced a betting rarity this week.

“Rory not only took a lot of money and became the tournament favorite (+1000 or 10-1), but there is something interesting with him regarding the first round,” Avello said. “He’s getting support to be the leader after the first round at odds of something like 20-1.

“That’s surprising. You don’t usually see a big name on top of the leaderboard after the first 18 holes but I think the sentiment of the bettors is that he is going to be able to carry that momentum from last week over to here.”

McIlroy has plenty of company in the sentiment department. Big names  seem to rise at big tournaments.

“There are so many great players up there that you can’t bet them all,” Avello indicated. “They are betting Scheffler. They are betting Will Zalatoris, who is a terrific player.”

Avello noted sports bettors are putting money behind Jordan Spieth, who seems to have it going again. And Max Homa is up there.

“What I love about so many of these tournaments, and even more about the big ones, is the fact that there are some really nice odds out there for solid players.

“Guys like Brooks Koepka are 40-1. Hideki Matsuyama is 40-1. Billy Horschel just won a couple of weeks ago and he is 55-1. Patrick Reed is an excellent player. And he’s at 100-1.

“These guys not only have  great prices, but they can win.”

Avello lists Matt Fitzpatrick, +3000 (30-1) as an outsider to contend.

“He is  one of my outside picks that could win this thing,” Avello noted. “He played that course (The Country Club) when he was younger, in college and as an amateur. That doesn’t necessarily translate into playing it well again, but he is comfortable with the course, he has been around.”

Fitzpatrick is the only golfer in the field who has won at The Country Club.

He won the last big event that was held here, the 2013 US Amateur.

Avello also touts  Cam Smith,  who always appears unruffled.

The odds board of opportunity reflects Avello’s longtime belief that bettors should back longshots with confidence.

Avello further advises bettors to watch wind conditions. They are scheduled to be  17 mph on Thursday and in the vicinity of 11mph the rest of the week.

The Thursday number is in the vicinity of impacting play.

Avello said  DraftKings has  no comment on the burgeoning LIV tour at this time. But it looks like the tour has had zero impact on the book’s PGA betting handle.

Photo by AP/Julio Cortez
Dave Bontempo Avatar
Written by
Dave Bontempo

Dave Bontempo, a multiple national award-winning boxing commentator and writer, authors NFL betting columns for the Press of Atlantic City and others. He writes about all major sports in the booming legal New Jersey sports betting industry. Dave also hosts the Why Eagles Why podcast. Dave is a member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame and the Atlantic City International Boxing Hall of Fame.

View all posts by Dave Bontempo