In a provocative take during SI Golf’s Bad Takes Week, journalist Alex Miceli has suggested that PGA Tour players should be allowed to make casual wagers on golf events. Miceli proposed a limit of $100 for players, noting that the sum represented a psychological threshold. Although his proposal is hypothetical, it draws attention to golf’s sometimes contentious relationship with gambling.

Golf and Betting Have a Long-Shared History

The issue of sports wagering by athletes came to the forefront as Miceli argued for a pragmatic approach, setting a monetary threshold to ensure that bets remain small and for entertainment. He noted that gambling has been intertwined with the fabric of golf since its inception, and the PGA Tour should adapt its policies to reflect this reality.

Betting less than a C-note on golf is just plain fun, and no one is trying to get rich, just entertained.

Alex Miceli

Referencing research by Stanford University and the Journal of Gambling Studies, Miceli contended that gambling was predominantly a form of entertainment. He suggested that rather than restricting this aspect, the PGA Tour should acknowledge and accommodate it within reasonable limits, allowing athletes to enjoy its social side. Miceli argued that small bets would cause harm or compromise match integrity.

The journalist invoked the historical presence of gambling in golf, citing Old Tom Morris, widely regarded as one of the sport’s most famous historical figures, as an example. Miceli noted that Morris often placed wagers on golf challenge matches, advocating that present-day players should be allowed the same privilege. 

The PGA Regularly Engages with Operators

Recent suspensions of Korn Ferry Tour players Jake Staiano and Vince India sparked controversy as many fans noted that their harsh punishments did not reflect the severity of their transgressions. India will have to skip the game for six months, while Staiano’s penalty is milder and will only extend for three months.

Miceli questioned the irony of a Tour with an Integrity Program banning player gambling while maintaining official relationships with multiple betting operators. Staiano and India’s relatively minor bets on golf events led Miceli to advocate for a more lenient stance, accusing the PGA Tour of acting as a “fun police.” 

The PGA Tour needs to lighten up and allow a fundamental tenet of the game to proceed for everyone- including its own players.

Alex Miceli

By proposing a $100 limit, Miceli aims to strike a balance between allowing players to engage in a tradition of the game while ensuring that the integrity of golf remains intact. Despite his good intentions, his intentions are unlikely to gather momentum as wagering scandals in other sports have caused a shift in public sentiment, condemning all gambling from professional athletes.

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Alex Pereira is making his UFC Light Heavyweight debut this weekend, and he’s taking on a former champion, Jan Blachowicz. “Poatan” is one of the best kickboxers on the planet, but his wrestling is nowhere near Blachowicz’s level. So, which style of fighting will prevail in the UFC 291 co-main event? Let’s see!

Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira Odds

*Odds taken from FanDuel on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
• Date: Saturday, July 29
• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: PPV

Jan Blachowicz to Outwrestle Pereira?

Jan Blachowicz is a well-rounded fighter with a 29-9-1 record in his professional MMA career, which started more than 16 years ago. He’s got nine wins by KO/TKO in his portfolio, and as many submission wins. Further, he’s got 11 wins by decision. When it comes to his losses, two happened by knockout, two by submission, and five by decision.

The Polish fighter also has one draw in his portfolio, which happened in his most recent fight. It was the fight for the title against Magomed Ankalaev, which finished in a split draw (one of the judges scored for Ankalaev).

Blachowicz is famously tough as nails, with incredible power. He also has a background in judo, which is something he might decide to use on Saturday. The thing is that he’s a much better wrestler than Pereira, so taking him down shouldn’t be much of a problem. The big question here is whether he can get to Pereira who’s bound to throw a huge volume of kicks and punches his way.

Alex Pereira Hoping to Outstrike Blachowicz

Alex Pereira is a former kickboxing world champion, who’s 7-2 since switching to MMA. In the UFC, he’s 4-1, with his only loss happening in April to Israel Adesanya who KO-ed him in the fight for the title. It was a middleweight fight, the same as all of Pereira’s previous UFC fights.

This time, however, he’s fighting in the light heavyweight division, which could be a problem for the Brazilian. The thing is that despite having the skills and incredible speed, he might not have the power to fight such big guys as Blachowicz.

Plus, what we saw from him in the middleweight fights against skilful wrestlers, “Poatan” might be heading toward disaster. He’s suffered five TDs so far in his UFC career, which actually is a big number considering that he’s fought mainly strikers. In fact, two of those five UFC fights were against Adesanya, who previously had no TDs recorded.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira Prediction

Pereira is a level above Blachowicz in terms of kickboxing, but we doubt he’s got enough power to finish the Polish fighter. But what about the other way around? We think this scenario might play out. Blachowicz has the skills and the power needed to take Pereira down, where we might see him win by ground and pound.

Pick: Blachowicz to win by KO/TKO

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