A shrewd DraftKings bettor cashed in on a million-dollar major golf payday with a calculated cash out on Thursday.
The gambler took a 22-to-1 shot on golfer Patrick Cantlay to lead after the first round of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 with a wager of $80,000.
Cantlay got off to a fantastic start with a 5-under-par 65 in the morning wave in golf’s third major of the season.
The DraftKings bettor was in a great position to take home as much as $1.76 million as long as Cantlay could hold onto the top spot in the leaderboard.
However, if a golfer caught him and finished tied for first, the bettor’s odds would drop to 11-to-1. So a brilliant decision was made to cash out early, netting the bettor $1,183,067.
What a way to start the US Open ?
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) June 13, 2024
(via @FrankieBets11) pic.twitter.com/bnBz7seFfh
Had the original bet stood, the collection would’ve been $880,000 because Rory McIlroy also got to 5-under at the end of Day 1.
The early cash out netted the bettor an additional $300,000.
Cantlay still had to play a second round in hopes of winning a prestigious U.S. Open title and the $4.3 million prize for first place.
The million-dollar payout means a good weekend ahead for the bettor after taking an impressive chunk out of DraftKings.
Scottie struggling
Cantlay wasn’t inside the top five liabilities to lead after the first round. The top spot for that market at BetMGM was Scottie Scheffler, who owned the most tickets and handle from bettors.
Sportsbooks might’ve caught a nice break with the struggles of Scheffler, the favorite in the outright win market with odds between +350 and +400.
The five-time winner in 2024 and biggest liability at some online sportsbooks got off to a slow start with a 1-over-par 71 on Thursday. Scheffler then carded a 74 early on Friday, leaving him at +5 and right around the projected cut line after the second round.
Not being around for the weekend for one of the most heavily bet golfers at any tournament in recent years wouldn’t be bad for operators.
