Oct 09, 2024

⛳️ LIV's Got A Gambling Problem - Plus: Tigers 1981 Golf Digest article, aliens, and more.

⛳️ LIV's Got A Gambling Problem

Plus: Tigers 1981 Golf Digest article, aliens, and more.

The Shanks Gator
October 25, 2023

Good afternoon! Welcome to Shanks. You know what would be a nightmare? If Taylor Swift started dating Tiger Woods and then he won another major. Could you imagine the media circus in golf? Okay, sorry, moving on…

Here's what we've got for ya today:

LIVs Gambling Problem
Tigers 1981 Golf Digest Article
Shots Heard Round The World
Golf Comic
Thing We’d Buy If We Weren’t Broke

LIV’s Got A Gambling Problem…

“Wagering is part of our sport, part of our culture. We don’t know how to play golf without it.” - Tiger Woods

Golf and gambling go together like peanut butter and jelly, ask The Goat.

Betting is prevalent at every level of the sport, from the Wolf game between your buddies, to the dudes on tour - just not the LIV Tour, apparently.

No One Is Betting On LIV

According to Jeff Sherman from SuperBook, they only had one ticket for LIV’s season ending team event. ONE TICKET.

Could This Be A Canary In The Coal Mine? Maybe.

If no one is gambling on your sport in 2023, there’s a chance that’s because no one is watching it. Either way, no action is no bueno.

Our Question: How is LIV actually doing?

Truthfully, no one knows. Earlier this year, they stopped reporting their TV viewership numbers, which seems a little ominous, but could be nothing - they are embracing a less-traditional media approach, after all.

They also got denied OWGR points, which hurts their cause for the time being, but there was a report this week that they are in discussions with the R&A about guaranteed spots at The Open.

It looks like the LIV + PGA merger will fall through, but Phil Mickelson and Greg Norman remain steadfast in their belief that more players will leave for LIV soon.

The lack of betting, however, should be very concerning to anyone involved with LIV - that’s for sure.

If anyone should know the importance of gambling to golf, it’s Phil Mickelson.

Yet, no one is betting on Lefty’s league right now. Someone with real media credentials should ask him about it… we would love to know how Phil interprets the lack of action.