College basketball season is over, and even though it left us hungry for more after a ridiculously good National Championship, other activities are on the horizon to whet are sports appetites. Before the NBA heads into postseason play later this month, the best golfers in the world are set to roam the hallowed grounds of Augusta later this week…. Tiger Woods, y’all.

(All odds provided by Sportsbook.ag unless otherwise indicated).

The Masters

Tiger Woods (+300) – In general, the only thing on Tiger’s mind is the number 18 (major titles, not holes on a golf course). This week, however, it’s five. The world No. 1 has donned the green jacket four times — tied with Arnold Palmer for second behind Jack Nicklaus — but not once since 2005. Current form suggests another triumph at Augusta could be in store. Tiger has already won three times this season, including his last two starts at Doral and Bay Hill.

Rory McIlroy (+800) – McIlroy has not been playing well — especially not by his standards — in 2013. That being said, he picked up some much-needed momentum last week in San Antonio with a second-round 66 and a final-round 67 that propelled him to a second-place finish. McIlroy has never finished in the Top 10 in four starts at the Masters, but he was in control of the 2011 event until an 80 on Sunday and he was in prime contention until a Saturday 77 last year.

Phil Mickelson (+1000) – The fact that Lefty has played particularly well only once (third place at Doral) since Phoenix (which he won in early February) should not be cause for concern. After Phil drives down Magnolia Lane, he simply becomes a different person. Three of his four major championships have come at the Masters — in 2004, 2006, and 2010. He has 10 additional Top-10s (13 total), including a third last year.

Charl Schwartzel (+2500) – Schwartzel won the Masters in 2011 with a legendary birdie-birdie-birdie-birdie finish. He has not had any other strong finishes at Augusta but is three-for-three in cuts made at the same time. The South African has made all five of his cuts this year with two Top-10 showings. Keegan Bradley, Justin Rose, and Lee Westwood (arguably the best player never to win a major) are also +2500 to win.

Champions League (odds provided by Bovada Sportsbook)

FC Barcelona (+175) – Barcelona has brought home the bacon from the Champions League four times, including two titles in the last four years and three in the last seven. Lionel Messi and the rest of his loaded squad only tied with Paris Saint-Germain in leg one of their quarterfinal clash, but they did manage two away goals. Barca is a -1.5 goals favorite against PSG on Wednesday.

Real Madrid (+225) – Real is the all-time leader in Champions League titles with nine, but it has none since 2002. Ronaldo and company are back in the semis after holding off Galatasaray on Tuesday (a 3-0 win was preceded by a 3-2 loss).

Bayern Munich (+275) – The four-time champions of this event finished runner-up for the fifth time in club history after a heartbreaking 2012 loss to Chelsea. Bayern is on course to make a return trip at least to the semis after blanking Juventus, 2-0, at home in the first leg. The visitors are +150 to win straight up on Wednesday, while Juventus is +180 to win.

Borussia Dortmund (+600) – Dortmund scored a victory that won’t soon be forgotten during the second leg of quarterfinal action against Malaga on Tuesday. Trailing 2-1 both in the game and on aggregate after a scoreless tie at Malaga, the home team needed two goals in stoppage time in order advance. Dortmund did just that in the final minutes to book its place in the semis.

Most Regular Season Home Runs

Giancarlo Stanton (+600) – The artist formerly known as Mike is still the favorite, but that won’t be the case for long if this keeps up (zero homers through eight games). Getting intentionally walked by the Braves in the bottom of the eighth on Tuesday despite representing the go-ahead run is not a good sign, either.

Jose Bautista (+700) – Hyped-up Toronto is a disappointing 2-5 to start its season. While much of the pressure is on the newcomers, Bautista — a veteran team leader — is batting just .188 so far. He at least has knocked two out of the park, which isn’t too terrible.

Albert Pujols (+800) – Pujols has two home runs through six games (as of Tuesday evening). That may not seem like a lot, and it isn’t, but it’s a lot better than last season—when the newly-acquired slugger did not go yard for the first time with L.A. until May 6.

Justin Upton (+800) – Upton leads the majors in dingers with six through eight games, and he narrowly missed a seventh on Tuesday. Similarly, a .400 batting average is nothing to sneeze at. Safe to say Atlanta’s blockbuster offseason trade is working out quite well.

Kentucky Derby


Verrazano (+300) – Verrazano is undefeated, a perfect four-for-four in 2013. His first three wins were all routs, including one by an outrageous 16 lengths. Verrazano had more competition at last weekend’s Wood Memorial, which he won by less than a length.


Goldencents (+800) – Recently, everything Rick Pitino has touched has turned to gold. Pitino is a small-percentage owner of Goldencents, which bodes well for the in-form horse. It certainly did last Saturday, when he won the Santa Anita Derby to gain automatic entry into Kentucky.   

Orb (+800) – Trainer Shug McGaughey will have his first horse in the Kentucky Derby since 2000. He has a serious contender, too, after Orb rolled to a convincing win at the Florida Derby late last month.

Revolutionary (+1000) – Revolutionary is trained by Todd Pletcher, a multiple Kentucky Derby winner. Pletcher has a good chance of winning it again, because this horse is coming off a recent triumph at the Louisiana Derby.

Read more articles by Ricky Dimon