Aaron Rai’s first career major victory at the PGA Championship came as one of the biggest long-shot wins in golf betting history, DraftKings Sportsbook reported. DraftKings listed Rai at 290-1 to win the Wanamaker Trophy on Thursday morning before the tournament began, and ESPN Research says that makes him the biggest long shot to win a major in at least the past 20 years.
DraftKings also reported taking a $288 wager at 230-1 that paid out $66,240. Odds varied across the sportsbook marketplace, with BetMGM closing Rai at 150-1 and the Westgate in Las Vegas listing him at 200-1, the report says. Caesars Sportsbook said one patron in New York placed a $190 bet on Rai at 200-1 that cashed for $38,000.
DraftKings odds showed Rai at 18-1 entering Sunday and as long as 44-1 during the final round, per the report. The betting public was largely not behind Rai, according to BetMGM, which reported that he accounted for just 0.1% of tickets before the tournament and reached only 0.6% by the end of the third round.
The report says sportsbooks likely profited overall in the tournament despite paying out a few large winners. Scottie Scheffler entered the event as the +385 favorite and was a popular play, coming into the tournament tied for 14th. Cameron Young was one of the largest liabilities across the sportsbook marketplace and finished tied for 26th, the report adds.
Other popular choices that proved cautious for sportsbooks included Matt Fitzpatrick, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler, listed in the report as tied for 14th, tied for 18th and tied for 60th, respectively. The varying odds and limited public backing for Rai underscore how rare a long-shot winner of a major proved to be in this event, per the report.
