Geoff Ogilvy Promising Big Payout for Gamblers

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez shared the lead on 65 with American Stewart Cink on 66 after the first day of the 2008 World Golf Championships CA Championship.

Ogilvy, as we pointed out yesterday, was listed with 11 to 1 odds to win the Championship at Find betting odds here

Ogilvy, who had a bogey-free round, birdied the first four odd-numbered holes and added another at the eighth to stand five-under at the turn, then added another at the 12th and conquered the 18th for a final birdie.

"I played well, gave myself a lot of chances and I made those chances," he said.

Jimenez opened with an eagle and birdied four of the last five holes, including the 18th, to seize a share of the lead.

"I played well and holed some four-five footers for birdie," said the 44-year-old from Malaga. "When you're hitting it well and holing some putts, you expect to shoot 65."

Australian bookmakers, including Sportingbet, which does maintain a strong presence in that country, stood to get hurt bad by bets placed on Ogilvy.  The good news for Aussie bookies: There were still three days to go and plenty of time for Geoff Ogilvy to fall back; Tiger is right there breathing down everyone else's back; and a lot of the betting down under went on Adam Scott, who was actually the Australian favorite with 10 to 1 odds. 

Ogilvy, if he were to win, would pay out $1100 for every $100 bet early on.

Last summer, Irish bookies got hammered when their native son Padraig Harrington, won the British Open with pay out odds that cost the books over $6000 for every $100 wagered.

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Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com

Originally published March 20, 2008 9:42 pm EST