Press Releases
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO THE OLD COURSE AT ST ANDREWS FOR THE 150TH EDITION
Rory McIlroy is installed as the favorite to win the final major of 2022 and the last
top field golf may see for the foreseeable future, according to TheLines.com
After top-10 finishes in the first three majors of 2022, Rory McIlroy has
claimed favorite status heading into the 150th U.S. Open, being played at the
birthplace of golf, the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, according to TheLines,
which tracks odds in the U.S. regulated sports betting market.
A consensus of the nationâs largest legal online sportsbooks â including DraftKings,
FanDuel, and BetMGM â places McIlroy at +1000 to win the Open Championship
outright, meaning bettors would win $1,000 for every $100 wagered. Xander
Schauffele, who won last week at the Scottish Open and who is looking for that
elusive first major, is next on the favorites list at a consensus +1400. World No. 1-
ranked player Scottie Scheffler is part of a trio at +1600 to open the week along with
Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth. U.S. Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick is next at
+1800 with PGA Champion Justin Thomas at +2000.
McIlroy, the 33-year-old Northern Irishman, is looking for his fifth career major title
and his first since 2014. His game is in strong form, with top-10 finishes in each major
this year and a win at the RBC Canadian Open last month.
This is the 29th time the Open has been contested at the Old Course. Past winners at
this course in the field this week includes John Daly, Zach Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen
and, of course, Tiger Woods, who won here in 2000 and 2005.
Woods skipped last monthâs U.S. Open to give his body a chance to recuperate ahead
of the Open Championship. The aging superstar is 17 months removed from a car
accident that caused multiple leg injuries. He is listed at a consensus +6500 to open
the week.
The Old Course features wide fairways, a number of large double-greens and 14 par-4s
on the 7,305-yard out-and-back track. Firm conditions should lead to the course
playing much shorter than the listed yardage in calm conditions. But weather is the
great equalizer and winds and rains are possible later in the week.
âThis is one of the strongest fields weâve seen with 50 of the top 51 players set to tee
it up this week,â said Brett Collson, lead analyst at TheLines.com. âWith a strong
field and a course that could be carved up by longer players if the weather stays
down, bettors will keep a sharp eye on how the forecast develops over the week.â
This may be the last top field professional golf will see for sometime. Players on the
LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabian-backed breakaway tour that has dominated headlines this
year can no longer accrue Official World Golf Ranking points outside of the major
tournaments. That makes it fair to consider that this might be the last major
championship that includes such a deep list of the best golfers in the world.
Consensus odds for the 10 favorites ahead of this yearâs British Open, as of Monday,
June 11:
â Rory McIlroy (+1000)
â Xander Schauffele (+1400)
â Jon Rahm (+1600)
â Scottie Scheffler (+1600)
â Jordan Spieth (+1600)
â Matthew Fitzpatrick (+1800)
â Justin Thomas (+2000)
â Shane Lowry (+2200)
â Cameron Smith (+2600)
â Patrick Cantlay (+2200)
Latest News
THE UNIT TO STEP UP EXPANSION PLANS WITH OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY OFFICE
The Unit aims to grow its presence in the Americas with move to new Manhattan location in January 2025 at Bank of Irelandâs NYC Hub
The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, will proudly open its new office in New York City, as part of its long-term global expansion objectives, in January 2025.
The Americas division was established in 2023 with the launch of The Unitâs partnership with online operator PlayStar Casino. The New York City office, located in the heart of Manhattan, will now be the hub for The Unitâs activity in the Americas.
This new base will be located at Bank of Irelandâs NYC Hub, which was launched to help Irish business owners expand their North American operations. The offices at 2 Grand Central Tower are a great asset to Irish companies aiming to expand their operations in the United States and beyond. This is an ideal location for The Unit to grow its footprint in the region.
The project will be put into practice by The Unitâs Head of Business Development & Account Management Mark OâHare, who has relocated to New York and will be responsible for The Unitâs commercial growth in the region.
With product and development teams in Ireland and Moldova, the addition of an American hub is further proof The Unit holds an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice, on a global scale, throughout the industry.
Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: âThese are exciting times for The Unit, and with plans in place to exponentially grow our presence in the Americas across the next few years, the start of 2025 will be the perfect time for us to move into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
âThis will be the ideal addition to our existing bases in Ireland and Moldova. The flexible workspace the hub can provide will be integral to our plans and will give us the opportunity to grow the team.
âThis is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base with clients in the Americas and strategise further launches. Weâre looking forward to mapping out our future in the region with our team on the ground there.
âI would like to thank Mark OâHare for making the move to New York, and Iâm sure both he and his team will have the skills and experience to execute our vision for the Americas division across the long-term.â
Tania Sheikh, Manager of NYC Hub for Bank of Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to welcome The Unit to the NYC Hub. The facilities we can provide have helped businesses scale up and connect with their partners, and we are proud to offer that opportunity to The Unit.
âWe look forward to hosting The Unit and wish them well in their endeavors to grow their business here.â
The Unit has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.
As The Unit embarks on this exciting period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.
Latest News
Golden Matrix Group to Participate in the 2025 ICR Conference
Golden Matrix Group Inc., a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems, and gaming content, today announced that management will participate in the 2025 ICR Conference on January 13-15, 2025 at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL.
Zoran Milosevic, Chief Executive Officer of Meridianbet, will participate in a fireside chat with an equity research analyst on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 2:30 PM ET and will also be available for meetings during the conference.
Canada
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
âScratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but theyâre not for kids,â said Ryan McCarthy, BCLCâs Director of Player Health. âThe research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.â
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
âWith the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,â said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. âOur research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.â
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
âOpen and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,â said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kidsâ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
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