About this Video

• Video Title: BEST BETS: 2025 Rocket Classic Odds, Picks | The Early Wedge
• Channel: SportsLine
• Speakers: Eric Cohen, Patrick McDonald, Jason Sobel, C.J. Nadon
• Duration: 00:57:50

Introduction

This SportsLine video, "BEST BETS: 2025 Rocket Classic Odds, Picks | The Early Wedge," is a golf betting preview show hosted by Eric Cohen. The show features expert analysis and predictions for the Rocket Classic tournament, including outright winners, matchups, and first-round leader picks. The hosts discuss various betting strategies and storylines surrounding the event.

Key Takeaways

• Tommy Fleetwood's collapse: The show begins by discussing Tommy Fleetwood's surprising loss at the Travelers Championship, highlighting the risks of betting on him outright.
• Successful Outright Bets: Patrick McDonald's successful bets are highlighted, showcasing his winning streak in outright predictions.
• EC's "Do Not Bet" List: Eric Cohen's infamous "Do Not Bet" list is a recurring topic, with discussions on its accuracy and potential jinx effect. Several high-odds golfers are considered for inclusion on the list.
• Rocket Classic Predictions: The hosts offer detailed betting predictions for the Rocket Classic, focusing on various markets such as first-round leaders, matchups, finishing positions, and long shots. Different betting strategies (e.g., parlays) are explored.
• Course Suitability: The discussion emphasizes course suitability for different players, affecting betting decisions. The impact of weather conditions on the tournament is also considered.

The transcript doesn't offer a single definitive "winner" pick from all the hosts. Instead, several golfers are suggested as potential winners by different hosts, often with varying levels of confidence and based on different betting markets (outright win, top 10, etc.):

• Patrick McDonald: Favors Matt Fitzpatrick. Also mentions Ben Griffin as a strong contender.
• Jason Sobel: Likes Max Homa and Ben Griffin, but doesn't explicitly state who he thinks will win overall.
• C.J. Nadon: Highlights several golfers (Lee Hodges, Rico Hoey, Ben Hogan, Rasmus Hojgaard) within a parlay bet, suggesting belief in their potential for strong finishes but not necessarily a win. Also suggests Cam Davis for an Oceana nationality bet.
• Eric Cohen: Prefers Cameron Young for an outright win but admits skepticism about his ability to win overall. Also suggests Ben Griffin, and acknowledges the strength of Patrick McDonald's picks.

The hosts frequently discuss various golfers' chances, betting odds, and course suitability, but avoid definitively declaring a single winner prediction.

The transcript doesn't explicitly detail all of EC's (Eric Cohen's) fades (players he's betting against) and outrights (players he's betting to win outright) for the Rocket Classic. However, we can glean some information:

Fades:

• Tommy Fleetwood: Explicitly stated as a fade due to his recent poor performance.
• Colin Morikawa: While not explicitly called a fade at first, EC expresses increasing skepticism about Morikawa's chances throughout the show and strongly considers adding him to his "Do Not Bet" list. By the end, he leans toward fading Morikawa.
• Cameron Young: Though considered for outright betting by others, Eric expresses doubt about Young's ability to win outright. This can be interpreted as a partial fade or at least a lack of strong confidence in an outright win.
• Players on his "Do Not Bet" List: Several other golfers are mentioned as potential additions to his "Do Not Bet" list, implying they are being faded. The exact names are not definitively stated at the time of the question.

Outrights:

The transcript doesn't explicitly state all of EC's outright bets, but he mentions considering some players for outright bets without fully committing. He strongly implies a lack of outright bets on several players (like Young and Morikawa) His specific outright choices aren't fully revealed. Later in the show, he reveals that he does bet on Tommy Fleetwood in tournaments outside the US.