Barkley again longest shot to win celeb tourney
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- Charles Barkley is listed at 7,500-1 to win the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, the longest odds of any player in the field per Caesars Sportsbook, matching his longest-shot status from 2025.
- Mardy Fish, a two-time champion at the event, and Joe Pavelski, the 2023 winner, are co-favorites at 3-1, with Stephen Curry (2023 champion) and John Smoltz next at 7-2.
- Caesars lead golf trader Anthony Salleroli said Curry has attracted more individual bets than any other golfer, but Barkley's 7,500-1 odds have drawn enough action to make him the sportsbook's biggest potential liability — a scenario Salleroli compared to UMass winning the college football national championship.
- Barkley, the NBA Hall of Famer nicknamed "Slim" after his recent weight loss, finished a career-best 58th in 2024 and 69th in 2025; the over/under on his 2026 finish is set at 63.5, with the bulk of bets landing on him finishing worse.
- Fellow competitor Smoltz told reporters Barkley has come "so far" since they played together 20 years ago, citing his motivation, weight loss, and improved appearance as reasons he could surprise the field this week.
- Salleroli noted early betting action "doesn't suggest many people have faith in 'Slim' to have a good showing across the next three days," even as Barkley's own peers are publicly backing a turnaround.
Why it matters: For Caesars Sportsbook, Barkley at 7,500-1 represents an asymmetric worst-case liability — long-shot odds mean even a modest volume of bets creates outsized payout exposure, with Salleroli explicitly comparing the scenario to a long-shot college football title. Early handle is concentrated on Barkley finishing outside the top 63, suggesting public bettors price him as a novelty wager, yet his recent 58th-place finish and peer endorsements make a surprise run more plausible than the odds imply.
