Open Championship Betting

The Open Championship (commonly called 'the Open' or 'British Open' by golfing fans) is the third of the four major championships on the annual golfing calendar, and the only one of the four not played in the United States. It is also the oldest major, having been inaugurated in 1860.

Every year, the Open is played on the weekend of the third Friday of July on a different course. It is a 4-day stroke play tournament with a £5 million prize pool (2012). Although the prize pool does attracts the world's best golfers, the kudos of winning such an auspicious tournament is an even greater draw card.

The Open Background

The first Open Championship was hosted by the Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, and consisted of three rounds of 12 holes on a single day. It attracted eight professionals including Willie Park, Snr, who won the tournament with a final score of 174. The next year, amateurs were permitted to enter.

In 1872, the long-standing tradition of awarding Open winners with the current Golf Champion Trophy (known as the Claret Jug) was introduced. And in 1892, the event was changed from 36 to 72 holes, and the four-round, four-day tournament that we know today was born. Just two years later, the Open was hosted outside Scotland for the first time in its history, and in 1898 the 36 hole cut-off was introduced.

Open Championship Betting

Betting has always been an important part of the Open, but none more so than today due to the fact that the Open is televised live all over the globe, and that most land and online sportsbooks offer a multitude of Open Championship betting lines and markets. In fact, the internet has played a very big role in betting on this event.

Because there are so many online sports betting sites in operation today, fans of golf can place their selection of bets over the internet safely and securely without having to leave their homes. What's more, as betting sites have evolved, so has the choice of Open bets, which range from outrights to prop bets to specials and more.

Punters who bet on Darren Clarke in the 2011 Open were well-rewarded when the Northern Irishman racked up a notable victory at the Royal St George's Golf Club in England. Incidentally, this was the first club to host the Open outside of Scotland in 1898. Open Championship tournament betting can be very lucrative.

2012 British Open Field and Odds

The 2012 British Open starts on Thursday, June 19 at the Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England, with a field of 156 players. After the cut-off, just 70 players will remain. This year's Open should be very interesting from a betting point of view, as former number one Tiger Woods has been posted as the 7/1 favorite. After winning three tournaments this year, the American seems to be regaining his winning form.

However, in terms of Open Championship odds, he'll have to watch out for the likes of England's Lee Westwood (12/1), Ireland's Padraig Harrington (16/1), Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy (16/1), and England's Luke Donald (18/1), who is currently the sport's number one ranked player.