Jon Rahm got some bad news during the Memorial Tournament this weekend when he received a positive COVID-19 test. Due to PGA Tour protocols, Rahm was forced to withdraw from the tournament while holding a six-shot lead in Round 3.
Rahm tweeted a statement expressing his disappointment following his withdrawal.
While this was bad news for Rahm, there was good news for some bettors. Rahm’s pre-tournament odds were +1000 and he was the heavy favorite to win, -1000 at William Hill Sportsbook, at the time of his withdrawal. And bets placed on him to win the tournament will be paid by many sportsbooks, like FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, BetMGM, William Hill, and PointsBet Sportsbook.
In a press release, William Hill said, “Following Jon Rahm’s withdraw from the Memorial Tournament due to COVID, all Tournament bets on Rahm will be counted as winners. Mobile bettors will see the payout in accounts within 48 hours. Those wagering in person can cash tickets starting on Monday, June 7 at a William Hill Sportsbook.”
Other sportsbooks are handling it differently.
Some will only pay out the bets in site credit, meaning bettors will have to play the funds before withdrawing winnings on Rahm.
The SuperBook in Las Vegas and Circa Sports will not be paying out bets on Rahm, saying they will be abiding by house rules and only wagers on the official winner of the tournament will be paid.
In response to a tweet from Darren Rovell about this move, Circa Sportsbook director, Matthew Metcalf, tweeted, “Thru the years, I've shied away from any payouts that involve subjectivity. It never leads to a good place long term from a customer perspective. That said I am happy for the people who received payment and can understand the perspective of those companies choosing to do so.”
FOX Bet also said they would void all bets on Rahm, but then switched their decision, saying all bets on Rahm to finish in the Top Five, 10, or 15 will be paid out.
If you put money on Rahm, be sure to check how each individual sportsbook is dealing with this and hopefully you’re in luck.
Lucy is a sports betting content producer with Audacy and BetQL. She has worked with WEEI and Audacy as a writer, radio producer and podcaster. Lucy lives in Boston and loves Tom Brady and prop bets. Follow Lucy on Twitter at @LucilleBurdge.
