Royal Troon will host 158 of the world’s top golfers for the 152nd edition of The Open Championship, which tees off early Thursday morning (U.S. time) from Scotland. After scouring the 2024 British Open odds, we’ve got our Open Championship picks and predictions from the top sports betting apps.
Royal Troon challenges every facet of the game, from its wind-swept hills near the water to its craterous bunkers, plus the infamous Par-3, 128-yard “Postage Stamp” eighth hole that has derailed many championship hopes.
Despite the myriad challenges, Scottie Scheffler remains the overwhelming favorite to win the final major of 2024 on golf betting sites. The Open Championship Odds have Scheffler at +450, well ahead of Rory McIlroy at +800. The only other golfers at +2000 or lower are Xander Schauffele (+1100), Collin Morikawa (+1400), Ludvig Aberg (+1600) and Bryson DeChambeau (+1800).
These are Bookies.com handicapper Adam Thompson’s Open Championship best bets, picks and predictions. When making these wagers, be sure to grab sportsbook promos first by clicking BET NOW next to the offer of your choice.
Open Championship Picks & Odds to Back
Top 10: Xander Schauffele (+125 at BetMGM)
In order to survive at Royal Troon, one must avoid pitfalls right away (the same could be said for making British Open picks, too).
The goal is to get to the green efficiently, but also not have your score blow up if it doesn’t. Greens In Regulation and Scrambling can help us determine who has a better shot than others here. Schauffele is the top scrambler on the PGA Tour, and 11th in GIR. He’s also No. 5 in Strokes Gained: Approach, who he has a better shot than most to make up for bad luck or bad winds that may come his way.
Scheffler has just one win this season, though it was at the PGA Championship. But he has 11 Top 10 finishes in 16 tournaments. This course suits him better than most. We’ll take plus odds for another Top 10 and use the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE for a $1,500 first-bet offer.
Top 5: Ludvig Aberg (+360 at DraftKings)
Aberg’s game isn’t as polished as Schauffele’s, but he’s just getting started. He is, however, perhaps more likely to “go for it” if he’s in contention late. He has seven Top 10s in 15 starts, four of which were Top 5, including at last week’s Scottish Open and at The Memorial and The Masters.
The Swede has made it clear he idolizes countryman Henrik Stenson’s win here in 2016, the last time The Open was on this course. He’ll go for it, and he’s one of our Open Championship best bets.
Top 20: Alex Noren (+300 at Caesars)
Noren gets out of trouble as well as any golfer out there, and this course is rife with issues. That’s how he can stay in the hunt, though his approach and getting to the green stats are solid as well, and his putting above average. He finished 10th at the Scottish Open last week and was 12th at the PGA Championship, so he can play at this level.
Make him one of your 2024 Open Championship picks and use the Caesars Sportsbook promo code $1,000 first-bet offer.
Top 20: Louis Oosthuizen (+220 at FanDuel)
We’re going heavy on Top 20s this week with our British Open picks. Oosthuizen isn’t going to win, but he’s a hang-around type of guy, and perhaps this course suits him better than anyone.
On the LIV Tour, Oosthuizen ranks No. 1 in Scrambling, with a percentage that would beat Scheffler’s on the PGA, and No. 3 in fairways hit and putting. Slow and steady may not win this race, but Top 20? Why not?
Top 20: Aaron Rai (+220 at DraftKings)
We’re going conservative with Rai here, but this might be the favorite Open Championship pick of the weekend, especially at these odds on online sportsbooks.
Rai has back-to-back-to-back Top 7 finishes on the four and his game should play very well on this links course. He’s Top 10 on the tour this season in scrambling, GIR and Strokes Gained: Approach. Few golfers are as hot as Rai. Let’s ride it with great odds here.
