Last week, Scottie Scheffler — sporting a beard and a brand-new mallet putter — took down his first title in nearly a full year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Scheffler dominated with a win by five strokes over Wyndham Clark and plenty of other heavyweights.
This week, the players return to the scene of Scottie’s most recent win before last week: TPC Sawgrass, the home of The PLAYERS Championship. Dubbed “the fifth major” in previous years due to the star power that attended, this event routinely brings out the best (or worst) in the field.
Due to the March weather that can come into play in Ponte Vedra, this event can feature volatile results. We’ve seen this happen in 2022: Nearly half of the field put up high-70s-to-low-80s scores as an average during a stretch when torrential wind and rain limited ball carry to half of their expected distance.
Nonetheless, The PLAYERS always promises a terrific atmosphere and outcome. I’m wading through the uncertainty to bet on these golf picks.
Best PLAYERS Championship Prop Bets
Xander Schauffele: Finish Top 20 in The PLAYERS (+105) • Hard Rock Sportsbook
This volatile event could allow nearly anyone to contend. TPC Sawgrass is a Pete Dye course that can be scoreable with its below-average length.
However, some of the big guns have plenty of solid results here. Xander is no exception.
Xander Schauffele is a perfect example of being unpredictable but often honing his skills toward some strong finishes. The American has married three missed cuts at TPC across his last five appearances, with a T2 last season and a T19 in his first appearance.
Schauffele enters the event in solid form, with four Top 10 finishes in six events this season. I have plenty of confidence in him handling anything that TPC Sawgrass throws at him, especially with his efficient greens play this year.
For these reasons, this bet makes the most sense as my golf betting pick of the day.
Justin Thomas: Win The PLAYERS (+2500) •
Justin Thomas didn’t get a fair shake in 2022 with one of the most impressive rounds that I have ever watched: a 3-under round of 69 in Round 2, when the winds were gusting at nearly 50 mph and nearly everyone in that wave was shooting high 70s scores.
His follow-up didn’t go as well in 2023, and the whole season was kind of a wash. However, so far in 2024, we have seen the old JT peeking through, with four finishes of T12 or better in five starts.
Thomas is one of the few players that I’d trust in nearly any weather. His proficiency with an iron in hand is tremendous, allowing him to strike the ball as well as anyone when he’s on. All he needs is the putter to be working.
Thomas has the upside to light the world on fire on one of golf’s biggest stages.
2024 PLAYERS Championship Winner Odds
Golf betting odds to win the PLAYERS Championship are current as of Wednesday, March 13, at 1 p.m. ET and can be found at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Here’s how the top golfers rank:
- Scottie Scheffler (+550)
- Rory McIlroy (+1400)
- Xander Schauffele (+2000)
- Viktor Hovland (+2500)
- Max Homa (+2500)
- Justin Thomas (+2500)
- Will Zalatoris (+2800)
- Patrick Cantlay (+2800)
- Collin Morikawa (+2800)
- Ludvig Aberg (+3500)
- Sam Burns (+4000)
- Jordan Spieth (+4000)
- Hideki Matsuyama (+4000)
All other golfers sit at (+4500) odds or longer.
How Golf Prop Betting Works
Golf is great to watch, and it’s even better to win big by betting on tournaments.
But predicting the outright winner is hard, which is why betting on props — with their shorter odds and quirky options — is a great way to cash in while enjoying the sights and sounds of golf’s best tournaments.
But there are a plethora of golf markets to gamble on, so choosing which one can be overwhelming. Our Pat Pickens takes a look at how to figure out which is right for you.
Prop bets are any wagers that don’t necessarily rely on the overall outcome. There are a ton of prop bets for each golf tournament, with bettors able to pick who they think will be the leader after each round, or who will be the top finisher from various countries — including the United States. You can also predict which golfer will have a bogey-free round or a hole-in-one.
There are markets for betting on a player to finish with the lowest score in a threesome in a round, or for a player to finish in the top five, top 10, top 20 or even top 40 at a given tournament. There will be even more options depending on which site/app you choose to gamble with.
Best PGA Tour Prop Betting Sites
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings has loads of terrific prop-betting markets for golf, including Futures props. You can find odds for specific players winning a major, or specific golfers in head-to-head matchups, as well as odds on each player to have a bogey-free round. Prospective gamblers may also wager on an individual player to have a hole-in-one or for there to be a hole-in-one during four-day action.
Plus, DraftKings has great odds and a great user interface, and it offers great promos and boosts that make betting on golf props a breeze.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel is the No. 1 sportsbook in America, and it’s no surprise when you spend some time on its app. The FanDuel Online Sportsbook has loads of great props for golf bettors, including the top finisher from each country — including the United States — the top European finisher and many others.
Plus, FanDuel provides Same-Game Parlays, which golf bettors can use to combine multiple prop markets from the same tournament. FanDuel upped the ante in 2022 by offering Same-Game Parlay+, which golf bettors can use to combine multiple markets from multiple tournaments for an even bigger payout.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook is one of the best sportsbooks in the United States, with dozens of prop-betting markets that are perfect for prospective golf bettors. Gamblers can bet on the margin of victory or which player will have the best score in a threesome, as well as much more.
The Caesars app also enables users to cash in on Caesars rewards, which allow users to earn hotel and dining credits and much more simply by using its service. Every wager gives users Caesars rewards, win or lose.
bet365 Sportsbook
Bet365 has perhaps the best selection of golf-betting markets of any online sportsbook, and its website and app are so easy to navigate, making it the ideal option for golf prop betting. The bet365 app enables golf bettors to find props from the LPGA Tour, Champions Tour, and even the Korn Ferry Tour, as well as Futures for each major and even the Ryder Cup.
The bet365 Online Sportsbook and app makes perusing these markets simple, and betting is a breeze.
BetMGM Sportbook
BetMGM has a partnership with the PGA Tour, which means they offer a spectacular line of prop bets for each pro golf tournament each week. BetMGM has one of the most robust selections of golf-betting props, including boosted specials like whether multiple players will make the cut and head-to-head player props.
The BetMGM app is one of the easiest sportsbook apps to navigate and even offers a live stream option for marquee golf events, so bettors who may not have a cable subscription can follow along live.
How To Pick the Best Golf Prop Betting Sites
Choosing your golf prop betting site is a matter of preference. Here are some ways to decide which one is best for you.
- Odds: We bet on sports to win money, right? We do that by finding the best odds. Great bets are the ones we win, but the best bets are the ones we win that have the best odds. Shopping around for the best odds is a great way to determine which is the best for you.
- Markets: You’ll never regret placing a bet you love. But what if you can’t find it at the sportsbook you have become accustomed to using? Look somewhere else. There’s no shortage of online betting apps, especially if you’re in a state where betting has been legal for some time. Search around to find the best bet that will help you cash in.
- Boosts: See the “odds" description above. The best odds have the best payouts. Sometimes sportsbooks will boost odds on things like a player making the cut or one finishing in the top 10. Other sportsbooks will offer profit boosts of a certain percentage periodically. Finding those and cashing in will make winning even sweeter.
- Welcome offer: Welcome offers are basically free money to try a new sportsbook, and every sportsbook has one that is good. Maybe it’s a risk-free bet. Maybe it’s a new-deposit bonus. Whatever the case, cash in on the best ones and let that be your guide.
PGA Tour Prop Betting Promotions
Some apps and sites will boost props during specific tournaments, like for whether a player will make the cut or if multiple players make the cut. Some sportsbooks will offer bet-and-gets about players making the cut — where a $5 wager on any of Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia or Jon Rahm to make the cut will net $200 in free bets — or boost a player’s odds of finishing in the top 10 or top 20 to motivate gamblers into putting down their money.
If any of these prop options sound alluring, seek them out and take them. Boosts happen frequently, but they vary from round-to-round and tournament-to-tournament. Take advantage if there’s one you love. Be sure to check out our Promotions page for all the top offers.
Best PGA Tour Prop Bets
It’s always fun to bet on a hole-in-one, especially at a tournament where there’s a short par 3, so that’s one of my favorite prop golf bets to wager on. The odds may be long at a tournament like The Masters, as there are no easy par 3s on the course, but that would lead to a bigger payday.
The best golf prop bets are the ones we love, though. Just like taking the field to record a hole-in-one is one of my preferred props, you might have a preferred prop-betting option that jumps out that you’ll want to take at an upcoming tournament as well.
Golf Prop Betting Strategy
There are a lot of prop betting options for each golf tournament, and even more for the four major tournaments. The best strategy for finding prop bets is to do your homework. Is there a hole on the course conducive to a hole-in-one — Hello, Sawgrass! — or does a specific player tend to play well in early rounds or at a specific course?
If the answer to those is yes, then search for a prop like a specific player to win his threesome or for there to be a hole-in-one in the tournament.
Maybe you like an upstart player to win but don’t want to lose if he is in second place. Take him to finish in the top five or top 10 at lower odds and put a smaller sprinkling on him to win as well.
The best strategy is to pick the market you love and choose it. We will rarely regret putting our money on those bets, even if they fall short.
Benefits of Golf Prop Betting Online
Prop betting on golf online is beneficial for so many reasons. For starters, you don’t even need to leave your house. You can monitor all the action from home and cash in while watching the action from your couch.
Another benefit of golf prop betting online is you can shop for the best odds for the markets you want to wager. For instance, if your preferred prop is +110 at one sportsbook but +140 in another, that is a substantial enough difference to warrant choosing one book over another.
How to Place a PGA Tour Prop Bet Online
Placing a prop bet online is as easy as logging into your preferred sportsbook, perusing the prop markets and placing the best one. Here is a look at the steps.
- Register for a new account by clicking GET BONUS at your sportsbook of choice on the top menu
- Be sure to take advantage of any new player offer
- Click on the Golf or PGA Tour tab at the top of the screen
- Click on the props tab at the top of the app or peruse the screen to find the best market to wager on
- Click it, then enter the amount you wish to wager
- Press ‘Place bet’
- Watch your prop bet hit and collect the winnings
Where Can I Legally Golf Prop Bet Online?
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
- Florida*
- Maryland*
- Nebraska*
- South Dakota*
- Washington*
- Wisconsin*
*Those with asterisks are pending with online sports betting available in the near future
Choose More Than One PGA Tour Prop Betting Site
The best way to cash in on golf prop betting is by odds-shopping, and odds-shopping is only an option when you have money in multiple betting accounts. Plus, each sportsbook has a terrific welcome bonus that new bettors should absolutely cash in on, which means it is essential to have money in more than one gambling account.
