British Open Championship Odds 2023: McIlroy Favored in Season’s Final Major

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The final major of the season is upon us, and Open Championship odds are available at top sportsbooks, including BetMGM and FanDuel.  

The 151st Open Championship will be held July 20-23 at Royal Liverpool. Cam Smith is the defending champion of the Open Championship.  

The Open Championship is also referred to as the British Open in the US. As the oldest professional event in golf, the first Open Championship was held in 1860. The US Open didn’t begin until 1895, but Americans began using British Open to distinguish the “Open” tournaments in subsequent years.

Click here to bet on 2023 Open Championship odds at BetMGM today

In futures odds at BetMGM, Rory McIlroy +5000 is favored to win the Open Championship. McIlroy is followed by Scottie Scheffler  and Jon Rahm +700 on the Open Championship oddsboard. Cameron Smith +50000 and Brooks Koepka round out the top-five betting choices in current Open Championship futures.

2023 Open Championship Odds

Stay up to date on 2023 Open Championship futures here with live odds that are automatically updated on a daily basis.

 
Average Odds
Chance of Winning
7 Day Change
14 Day Change
21 Day Change

The Open Championship Favorites & Contenders 

As has been the case in previous majors this year, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Jon Rahm can all be found at the top of the Open Championship oddsboard at BetMGM.  

Rory McIlroy +5000

McIlroy, who finished runner-up to Wyndham Clark in the recent US Open, is the betting favorite to win this year’s Open Championship. He’s coming in strong off a victory in this past weekend’s Genesis Scottish Open.

Notably, though, he hasn’t won a major tournament since 2014 (PGA Championship at Valhalla). The Northern Irishman did win the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, so he might be a good horse for the course this time around.

Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler showed out in his first three majors of the year with a T-10 at The Masters, a T-2 at the PGA Championship, and a solo third in the US Open. He also recorded wins at the Players Championship and WM Phoenix Open.

Jon Rahm +700

Rahm has arguably been the best player in golf over the past year, with four victories including his first win at The Masters in April. Among the top-ranked players in the world, he was the only one not to tee it up in Scotland last weekend.

Rahm’s best Open Championship finish came in 2021 when he was T-3 at Royal St. George’s.   

Cameron Smith +50000

Smith is the defending British Open champion after winning at St. Andrews last year. He’s coming into this year’s Open Championship in great form after winning the recent LIV Golf London event.

Brooks Koepka

Koepka is at his best in major tournaments with five career wins. He won the 2023 PGA Championship after starting the year with a T-2 at The Masters. Koepka finished T-17 in last month’s US Open.

Also read: British Open Sportsbook Report: Sharps, Big Bets on Final Major | Seven British Open Sleeper Picks to Bet Now | Eight British Open prop bets to profit on | British Open odds & predictions

British Open Value Picks

The Open betting odds offer some value as you move down the oddsboard. It’s always fun to target players at higher odds that are capable of winning the British Open, and providing a nice payday.

Justin Rose

Justin Rose is a great value at these 2023 British Open odds. The Englishman has two top-fives and three top-10s on his Open Championship resume. His best finish (T-2) came at Carnoustie in 2018.

Rose won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year.

Jason Day +2800

Jason Day’s return to prominence culminated with a recent victory at the AT&T Byron Nelson. His best Open Championship finish (T-4) came at St. Andrews in 2015.

Here’s a look at more British Open sleeper picks to bet before the tourney tees off on Thursday.

British Open: Line Movement & Implied Probability to Win

You can see how The Open odds have changed for players by using the chart below. Each golfer’s implied probability of winning the Open Championship is based on their current British Open odds.

ZOOM: BOOK:

TEAM ODDS PROBABILITY
Brian Harman -190 65.52%
Jon Rahm +650 13.33%
Cameron Young +750 11.76%
Tommy Fleetwood +2000 4.76%
Viktor Hovland +2000 4.76%
Jason Day +2800 3.45%
Rory McIlroy +4000 2.44%
Sepp Straka +4500 2.17%
Joohyung Kim +18000 0.55%
Matthew Fitzpatrick +30000 0.33%

Implied probabilities are calculated using odds offered by DraftKings.
Last Updated: 2023-07-23 00:00:00 PDT.

How to Bet on Open Championship Odds in 2023

One important part of betting on the Open Championship is making sure you wager early. The tournament tees off in the early morning here in the US (like 3 a.m. early), so gets your bets in by late Wednesday night.

Betting on golf, specifically on the majors, is different from betting on baseball, football, and other major sports. First and foremost, it isn’t a team sport; there isn’t a “Team A” or a “Team B.” It’s one player against the rest of the field.  

It is always a challenge to pick the outright winner of a golf tournament. But the good news is there are plenty of other ways to bet on the Open Championship.

The Open Championship also offers an extensive list of prop bets. “Will there be a hole-in-one?” or “will there be a playoff?” are good examples.

You can also wager on head-to-head matchup bets on one player to beat the other. Another example of Open Championship prop bets? Betting on top finishers by country.  

Where to Bet on The Open

Here is a list of top-rated sportsbooks for betting on The Open. You’ll find the best British Open odds and betting bonuses across the industry. There are more than $5,000 in sign-up bonuses available to new users. Check them out, and claim some today!

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Latest Golf News

Golf Odds: News & Updates

British Open Winners History

Here are British Open winners dating back to 2000, with their pre-tournament odds via www.sportsoddshistory.com

Biggest Open Championship Longshot Winners of All-Time

As you can see below, there was a three-year run of the biggest Open Championship longshots in the modern era between 2009-2011.

In 2009, British Open champion Stewart Cink cashed at odds of +12500. The following year saw Louis Oosthuizen come home as the biggest longshot to win The Open at odds of +20000. In 2011, Darren Clarke rewarded bettors with a payout at +15000 odds.

Keep some longshots in mind when making your 2023 Open Championship predictions!

YearBritish Open WinnerOdds
2022Cam Smith+2000
2021Collin Morikawa+3000
2020Canceled Due to CovidN/A
2019Shane Lowry+8000
2018Francesco Molinari+2500
2017Jordan Spieth+1200
2016Henrik Stenson+2500
2015Zach Johnson+8000
2014Rory McIlroy+1200
2013Phil Mickelson+1500
2012Ernie Els+4000
2011Darren Clarke+15000
2010Louis Oosthuizen+20000
2009Stewart Cink+12500
2008Padraig Harrington+3000
2007Padraig Harrington+2500
2006Tiger Woods+500
2005Tiger Woods+300
2004Todd Hamilton (not listed, part of field bet)+400
2003Ben Curtis (not listed, part of field bet)+300
2002Ernie Els+1200
2001David Duval+2500
2000Tiger Woods +150

Other Major Tournament Odds

Check out odds and betting guides for other major tournaments at Gaming Today, including The Masters, PGA Championship, and US Open Championship.

Open Championship Odds FAQs

Who is the favorite to win the British Open?

BetMGM is among the sportsbooks dealing Rory McIlroy as the +700 betting favorite to win the 2023 British Open as of this update. Be sure to shop around the industry for the best odds and betting bonuses on The Open. The Open Championship odds can vary at different sportsbooks.

Can anyone play in the Open Championship?

More than half of the 156 players in the field are granted eligibility through exemptions. Any past British Open winner under the age of 60 qualifies, as do the top-10 finishers in last year’s Open Championship. Check out the full list of exemption categories here.

The Open Qualifying Series and Final Qualifying determine other spots in the field.  

What are the odds for Rory to win the British Open?

At BetRivers, Rory McIlroy is the +700 betting favorite to win the 2023 Open Championship as of this post.

What is the highest score in the Open Championship?

John Hughes recorded the highest 18-hole score in the 1894 Open Championship with 130 strokes in the second round at Royal St. George’s.

 

 

What is the lowest score in British Open history?

In the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon, Henrik Stenson recorded the lowest-ever 72-hole score in the event at 264 (68-65-68-63). He was -20 in relation to par. See how that compares to the US Open Championship record score.

How many times did Maurice Flitcroft enter the Open?

Maurice Flitcroft infamously attempted to qualify for The Open on six occasions. Far from a professional golfer, Flitcroft was known to use aliases to gain access to Open qualifying sessions. He is most remembered for shooting 121 in the qualifying event for the 1976 Open Championship. 

What are the odds of Tiger winning The Open?

Tiger Woods will not play in the 2023 British Open, as he continues to recover from ankle surgery after The Masters.

Has anyone won the British Open back to back?

Yes. Five players have won back-to-back British Open titles. Padraig Harrington (2007-08), Tiger Woods (2005-06), Tom Watson (1982-83), Lee Trevino (1971-72), and Arnold Palmer (1961-62) are members of that exclusive club.  

What do you win if you win the British Open?

The prize purse for the 2023 Open Championship has been raised to $16.5 million, with the winner taking home $3 million.

Cam Smith won $2.5 million for winning the 2022 Open Championship, which featured a then-record purse of $14 million. See how that stacked up against the winner of the PGA Championship.

How many players make the cut at The Open?

The top-70 finishers (and ties) make the cut at The Open.

Who has won the most British Open tournaments?

Harry Vardon owns the record for most British Open wins with six.

About the Author
Chuck Bausman

Chuck Bausman

Sports Betting Writer
Chuck Bausman is a sports betting writer at Gaming Today. Bausman has worked 30+ years in journalism and is a former executive sports editor of the Philadelphia Daily News and managing editor of Philly Hockey Now. He is a journalism professor at Rider University.

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