2023 Players Championship Betting Picks: Sleepers, Longshots & More

This contrarian edition of 2023 Players Championship betting picks is not for the faint of heart. Look elsewhere if you usually bet favorites like Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Scheffler every week. 

We might feature one of those big guns here — to miss the cut at juicy odds. Otherwise, we’re targeting off-beat plays who could produce wallet-bulging payouts. Come along for the ride as we invest $100 on six bets with a potential return of $2,989. 

The Players Championship takes place annually at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida. It also produces some strange leaderboards. We’re sure you had Anirban Lahiri, Doug Ghim, and Russell Knox among your top-10 picks last year. 

TPC Sawgrass doesn’t favor long or short hitters, or care what your name happens to be, and the course exposes any weaknesses in a player’s game. Let’s have some fun and make some cake.    

All odds come courtesy of our friends at DraftKings. As always, though, it’s best to shop around various sports betting apps to find the best odds for your bets, as well as the sportsbook bonuses that are right for you.

Players Championship Best Sleeper Pick

Sahith Theegala (+8000)

If you don’t his know name by now, you haven’t been paying attention. Theegala is ranked 11th in the FedEx Cup point standings. The Pepperdine product has a pair of runner-up finishes and 13 top-10s in his young career.

It’s only a matter of time before Theegala wins. We’re hoping it’s this week on one of golf’s biggest stages. 

Bet: $10 at +8000 to win $800

Players Championship Best Longshot Bet

Brian Harman (+10000) 

Harman has two top-eight finishes in his last three trips to The Players. He also swings from the proper side of the ball, meaning he’s a lefty, like me. If Si Woo Kim can win The Players, like he did in 2017, so can Harman. He’s worth a toss at these odds.  

Bet: $10 at +10000 to win $1,000

Player to Make a Hole-in-One at 2023 Players Championship

You can’t expect to cash this bet regardless of the player you choose. So why make it? Because it’s fun, and the odds are ridiculous. We’re actually betting the “chalk” here with Viktor Hovland, one of 12 betting favorites to make an ace at +8000.    

https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/1632774191509393410

Hovland turned the trick at Bay Hill last week in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It was his fourth career ace on the PGA Tour. No way he does it for a second straight week, right?

We’re betting lightning strikes twice. 

Bet: $10 at +8000 to win $800

Patrick Cantlay To Miss Cut

Cantlay was among a large sampling of big-name players to miss the cut last year. Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau, Collin Morikawa, Adam Scott, and Justin Rose all failed to play the weekend, too. Granted, last year’s weather was apocalyptic, so we’ll give them all a pass.

But Cantlay has missed the cut here for three consecutive years. Let’s make it four.

Bet: $30 at +330 to win $99 

Players Championship Top-10 Finishers 

Remember how we told you that Lahiri, Ghim, and Knox all posted top-10 finishes here last year? Well, Harman, Talor Gooch, and Victor Perez did likewise in the previous iteration of The Players.

This time around, we’re targeting our longest shots to win in Theegala (+700) and Harman (+750) to crack the top 10. 

Bet: $20 on Theegala at +700 to win $140

Bet: $20 on Harman at +750 to win $150  

Also read: Players Championship Odds: Two Value-Based Win Bets & Prop Picks | Odds To Win 2023 Masters