Barracuda Championship Odds & Predictions: Betting on Defending Champ & Live Longshot

For the second straight week, the PGA Tour has an off-field event that is going to be one of the final chances for those way down the FedEx Cup points list to keep their job for next season.

It’s that simple.

This week’s Barracuda Championship is being held at the Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Course in Truckee, California. We’re here to offer up Barracuda Championship odds and predictions ahead of Thursday’s opening tee shot.

Also read: Seven British Open Sleeper Picks to Bet Now | Open Championship Odds 2023 & Futures Betting Guide | British Open Odds & Predictions

While the world’s top players are battling it out across the pond at the Open Championship, those looking to keep their card–or maybe earn one for the first time–will be teeing it up as this wraparound season winds down.

After this week’s two tournaments, there will be just two events for those looking to get into the top 70 and keep their season alive by qualifying for the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Those final events that make up the playoffs are the goal for every golfer when the season got under way last fall. For those outside the top 70 in this week’s field, this may be that one final chance to reach the playoffs.

It’s a great chance as the top-ranked player in the field is Keith Mitchell at No. 62. That gives everyone in this field plenty of optimism they can put a PGA Tour win beside their name.

A victory here, while it’s only worth 300 points (compared to 500 for most PGA Tour events), is one of those that can make or break a career. And there is one other aspect of the tournament the players will need to take into consideration: The scoring.

This week’s tournament will feature Modified Stableford scoring. This means each individual hole is worth points. The more points a player accumulates over the four days, the higher the score. This week, a higher total is great.

A double eagle is worth eight points with an eagle being awarded five points. A birdie is worth two points. That’s the good news. The bad news is players get zero points for pars, they lose a point for a bogey, and they lose two points for a double bogey or worse.

In other words, for this week’s event, it’s time for players to go flag-hunting. Players won’t be holding back.

Odds to Win Barracuda Championship

We list odds from BetMGM, but shop around at other top-rated sportsbooks to find the best prices on your plays.  

Top-70 Playing Across the Pond

For starters, many of those hovering around the top-70 played in the Scottish Open last week and are also in the field at this week’s Open Championship.

But for guys you may not have heard of, this may be their last chance to make a move. After all, with two weeks left, players around the top-70 mark will be teeing it up trying to either get into the top-70 or stay there.

That’s not good news for those around the top-100 who face a do-or-die week. They’ve got to make hay while the big guns are out of the country.

How About the Defending Champ?

During a normal season, the defending champ in a tournament like this one might not be playing, as a victory the prior year could have vaulted his status into playing the big-name tournaments.

That’s not the case this week as the defending champ, Chez Reavie, is hovering near No. 100 in the world rankings and isn’t in this week’s Open Championship.

At +3000, he’s one of the favorites and he’s going to have to play like it to move into the playoff picture. He’s No. 89 in the FedEx Cup rankings, so he’s got to move up almost 20 spots to keep playing in this wraparound season.

Doing the math, it’s simple: Win and you are in and set for the upcoming season, as well as the first round of the playoffs. The 300 points for the winner would move him to around No. 50, and move him into the first round of the playoffs — with a solid chance to get into the top 50 and move into the second round.

So far in the wraparound season, Reavie has had his ups and downs with more downs being prevalent. But all is not lost.

With him coming in as the defending champion, it’s going to give him confidence he can hit his stride as the regular season quickly winds down. Lots of pressure, not so many points. It’s all in his hands this week.

Back This Live Longshot

We’re going to go out on a limb for our second pick — way, way out — and look at one of our hometown (Vegas) boys who is trying to make a comeback.

We’re backing Ryan Moore at +12500. We know, where has he been, and why are his odds so high? The answers are he’s been on the hunt to get his game back into shape while battling a bad back.

It’s taken longer than even he could have imagined to get back on track. Here’s a guy who had one of the best amateur careers of anyone. Yes, it rivaled Tiger Woods’ numbers.

He’s got five PGA Tour wins, but in recent years he’s plummeted down in the world rankings to 407th . Moore’s also way down the list in the FedEx Cup standings at No. 134, and even a first-place finish won’t get him into the playoffs.

At least not yet. A win would move him up to around No. 85, and get him in the field for the final two tournaments before the playoffs and give him a glimmer of hope.

For someone who’s made more than $33 million since turning pro in 2005, it’s great to see him still out there battling and not giving up. His best finish in this wraparound season was a T-7 at the AT&T Pebble Beach event way back in February.

Before and after that, he’s got 13 missed cuts to go along with six also-ran finishes with many of those in the mid-20s. But last week may have shone a spotlight on a comeback.

Moore finished T-14 at the off-field Barbasol tournament, and with this being an off-field event, it might be just the type of event and field he needs to get back on track and back in the winner’s circle.