Seeing Charlie Woods play with his father, Tiger, at this weekend’s PNC Championship had at least some bettors asking: When can I get in on this action?
Anyone wanting to jump the market and get money down on 12-year-old Charlie to win the Masters some day will have to wait. At least in the United States.
Only one sportsbook in one state — FanDuel in Connecticut — got approval to offer odds on the PNC Tournament, which featured 20 golf champions paired in a scramble with a family member. FanDuel Spokesman Kevin Hennessy said the company ultimately decided to pass on offering betting due to the optics of betting on minors. As for betting on Charlie?
“No gaming commission would allow us and we wouldn’t offer it due to the fact that he is not a professional,” Hennessy said.
Outside of the U.S., these types of bets are popular. In 2004, Ladbrokes offered Rory McIlroy’s father, Gerry, 500/1 odds on his son to win The Open Championship.
Gerry cashed in to the tune of winning more than $340,000.
Ladbrokes is offering odds on Woods to win a major before the age of 30, but the odds are insanely short at +1000 (bet $100, profit $1000).
The interest comes after Charlie shined once again next to his dad as the two finished second in the tournament. Charlie took advantage of the platform, hitting remarkable shots throughout. But 10-1 odds on a 12-year-old to win a major in the next 18 years isn't a bet anyone would recommend. In his most recent junior tournament competing against 11-to-13 year olds, Charlie finished 8th out of 14 participants in the South Florida Fall Junior Open.
Ladbrokes says it receives thousands of requests each year, so much so that they offer fixed long-term odds of 1000-1 for any child under the age of six to play for England and 500-1 to play in the Premier League.
The grandfather of Harry Wilson made himself $165,000 doing just that. When Harry was 18 months old, Wilson’s grandfather bet $65 on Wilson to one day play international soccer at 2500-1 odds. Wilson became the youngest player for Wales in 2013.
The overseas betting on future events isn't just limited to child stars.
In April 1964, a London man was given 1000-1 odds by William Hill that a man should land on the moon by Dec. 31, 1969. When they did in the summer of 1969, David Threlfell won $24,000.
