Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka futures props end on 50th birthdays

It’s not often that bettors place a wager and have to consider the next of kin to notify in case they’re not around to cash the ticket.

But that consideration came into play recently when the Westgate sportsbook posted a prop on the total number of Brooks Koepka’s career major wins (7½) by May 3, 2040.

That’s the date of Koepka’s 50th birthday, when the four-time major winner will be eligible for the PGA Champions Tour.

“Some of the European shops offer odds on things that don’t have an end date on it. We have to have some type of end date,” Westgate sportsbook manager Jeff Sherman said. “There’ll be no mistaking if he wins a major on the Champions Tour and people think it counts as a major.”

The Westgate previously posted props on the number of Tiger Woods’ career major wins and set the end date at Dec. 30, 2025, Woods’ 50th birthday.

After posting the Koepka prop, Sherman took questions about paying people who die before they can cash their tickets and if winning bettors have to wait until 2040 to collect.

Sherman said the next of kin have one year from the event date to collect and if Koepka goes over 7½ majors, the wager will be graded the day he wins his eighth.

“I don’t think anyone is going to bet under because they would have to wait 21 years,” Sherman said.

$5,000 on Koepka over by 2040

The Woods and Koepka props were put up mostly for publicity but have already generated notable action.

The day after Sherman put up the Koepka prop, a bettor placed a $5,000 wager to win $6,500 on over 7½ majors at plus 130. The over is now plus 110 and the under minus 130.

Koepka, who has won four of the past eight majors, is the 6-1 favorite to win the U.S. Open, which starts June 13 at Pebble Beach.

“Four more majors is still a lot to win,” Sherman said. “Some good golfers, like Rickie Fowler, are still looking for their first major win.”

Tiger tracks

Westgate bettors cashed over 14½ major wins by Woods (at -180) in April when he won No. 15 at the Masters. Odds are posted on Tiger’s major win totals of 15½, 16½, 17½ and 18½. Jack Nicklaus owns the career major mark of 18. Woods’ over 18½ pays 10-1.

“All the options we have up, we have money on them,” Sherman said. “Most of it is on breaking Jack’s record.”

LeBron’s Lakers

The Westgate also has “considerable action” on a prop on the Los Angeles Lakers to win a championship by the 2022 NBA Finals. Yes is plus 350 and no is minus 450.

The prop, which is based on the length of LeBron James’ contract with the Lakers, was posted before this season. The Westgate took five-figure wagers on yes at 2-1 odds and took a lot of action prior to the NBA trade deadline in the hope that Los Angeles would acquire New Orleans Pelicans center Anthony Davis.

But that didn’t happen. The Lakers missed the playoffs, made a coaching change and Magic Johnson recently stepped down as team president.

“Right now, with how chaotic the team is, we bumped the no price up further,” Sherman said.

2022 World Cup

The Westgate also has taken plenty of action on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“Most of the support is on the USA at 60-1,” Sherman said. “They’re our largest liability.”

The Westgate also has sold plenty of tickets on the favorites: Brazil (6-1), France (13-2) and Germany (7-1).

Don’t forget to notify your next of kin.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.