If you happened to bet on Kelly Slater to win the 2009 ASP World Tour, chances are you’ve ripped down your bedroom poster of the defending World Champion.
Prior to the start of the 2009 schedule, Slater was a listed as a heavy -200 favorite at BetUS.com to be crowned World Surfing Champion for an unprecedented 10th time. For those of you not familiar with betting odds, -200 means you would have to bet $200 in order to win $100.
After three stops on this year’s 10-event Tour, the 37-year-old Floridian is ranked No. 25 out of 46 surfers in the ASP World Tour ratings.
Slater has finished a disappointing 17th in each of the first three events – the Quiksilver Pro (Gold Coast, Australia), the Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia) and the Billabong Pro (Teahupoo, Tahiti). He has a mere 1,230 points to date.
Meanwhile, those who bet on Joel Parkinson to win his first ASP title are no doubt liking their investment so far. Parkinson is leading the Tour with 3,000 points. The 28-year-old Aussie won the first two events, and finished ninth in the third.
Next to Slater, Parko had the best odds (+550) to win this year’s title. At those odds, the payoff would be substantial if he were to win (a $100 wager would pay $550).
Behind Parkinson in the ASP ratings is Taj Burrow with 2,318 points, followed by Mick Fanning with 2,208 points. Both Australians had odds of +650 to win the title at BetUS.com (a $100 bet pays $650).
BetUS.com is no longer posting odds or taking bets on who will win overall title. However, the sportsbook may still post odds on individual events, as will numerous other online sportsbooks.
The next event on the Tour is the $340,000 Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in Santa Catarina, Brazil from June 27 to July 5. Odds on this event will likely become available in the next week or two.
Below is the complete listing of the opening odds to win 2009 ASP World Tour at BetUS.com:
| Kelly Slater (USA) | -200 |
| Bede Durbidge (AUS) | +550 |
| Joel Parkinson (AUS) | +550 |
| Taj Burrow (AUS) | +650 |
| Mick Fanning (AUS) | +650 |
| Adrian Buchan (AUS) | +1100 |
| Adriano de Souza (BRA) | +2000 |
| C.J. Hobgood (USA) | +2500 |
| Nathaniel Curran (USA) | +2500 |
| Bobby Martinez (USA) | +4000 |
| Jeremy Flores (FRA) | +4000 |
| Dane Reynolds (USA) | +4000 |
| Luke Stedman (AUS) | +5500 |
| Kai Otton (AUS) | +5500 |
| Jordy Smith (ZAF) | +5500 |
| Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) | +8000 |
| Kieren Perrow (AUS) | +8000 |
| Damien Hobgood (USA) | +8000 |
| Dean Morrison (AUS) | +8000 |
| Josh Kerr (AUS) | +8000 |
| Chris Ward (USA) | +12500 |
| Tim Reyes (USA) | +12500 |
| Tom Whitaker (AUS) | +12500 |
| Dayyan Neve (AUS) | +12500 |
| Taylor Knox (USA) | +12500 |
| Ben Dunn (AUS) | +12500 |
| Mikael Picon (FRA) | +20000 |
| Heitor Alves (BRA) | +20000 |
| Roy Powers (HAW) | +20000 |
| Michel Bourez (PYF) | +20000 |
| Gabe Kling (USA) | +20000 |
| Field (Any Other) | +4000 |
