2024 British Open & Barracuda Championship Bets: Final Thoughts, Golf Betting Card, One And Done

Golf’s fourth and final major is here, with the 2024 British Open at Royal Troon next on tap in Scotland, beginning Thursday. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Xander Schauffele headline among British Open bets this week, as John Haslbauer provides his favorite picks among all the golf odds for this tourney. Below, you’ll find the best odds across betting sites for each player.

The time has come for the fourth and final major championship of the year, as we are just hours away from 2024 British Open bets going live at Royal Troon Golf Club. It’s never easy predicting results or forecasts with great certainty. That’s the nature of links golf betting, but reports from the grounds have begun to tell a clearer story of what we should expect. This tournament will be all about keeping your ball in play, avoiding hazards, mastering intermittent winds, and standing up to continuously nervy shots down on one of the most challenging back nines in golf.

Ahead, we’ll run through all of my bets for the 2024 British Open, as well as a smaller outright card for the Barracuda Championship opposite field event. Click the odds anywhere in this article to place British Open bets at legal sports betting sites. 

For a full breakdown of the tournament and course, visit my British Open preview. 

HOW I BUILT MY BRITISH OPEN Bets & BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING CARD

After much deliberation on how to construct my Open Championship card, I’ve ultimately landed with the industry consensus. Control off the tee and elite iron play are pillars for any contender on a positional venue, and I believe that will be magnified at Royal Troon this week. With weather looking fairly consistent and no wave bias evident, I’ve prioritized the best ball strikers in the field who can separate with their iron play and have put together a resume of proven results on links courses and recent majors.

In terms of unit allocations for my card this week, we are upping the stakes just a bit to match the high-stakes atmosphere of a major for my British Open bets. I’ve also constructed a full card our outright bets for the opposite field event, the Barracuda Championship.

• Outrights (Barracuda) – 3U in to pay 24U each
• Outrights (British) – 4.2U in to pay 30U each
• FRL (British) – 1U in to pay out 15U+ each
• Props (British) – 3U in to pay out 4U+ each

Click on any of the British Open odds below for the best available prices across legal sportsbooks in your state.

BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP BETS: OUTRIGHTS (3 UNITS)

The Barracuda Championship is not the most enticing tournament for golf bettors. Played under an entirely different Stableford scoring system, it can seem impossible to glean any actionable insights from past results. But, I managed to land on the winner, Akshay Bhatia at this event last year. So, we’ll look to conjure up the same process in the hopes of finding redemption for Rico Hoey’s collapse at last week’s opposite field event.

The Barracuda Championship, held at Tahoe Mountain Club, is a 7,480-yard par-71, but plays at elevation, making the true yardage much shorter. That’s mitigated the advantage for length off the tee, as past winners like Chez Reavie, Collin Morikawa, and Richie Werenski have proven. Instead, I’ve looked to hone in on players who excel in Driving Accuracy, SG: APP, Birdies or Better Gained, and SG: Putting.

Michael Thorbjornsen

My Bet: +2500
Best Available Odds:

Sometimes raw talent alone is enough to prevail over the diluted opposite field that comes with the Barracuda Championship. Collin Morikawa and Akshay Bhatia have already demonstrated that with early wins at this event to launch their careers. Stableford format is more conducive to raw talent as well, as birdies help more than bogeys hurt. When I look at this field, I still view Thorbjornsen as the most talented player in it, with the brightest future ahead of him. He’s now available at double the price of last week’s ISCO Championship.

Taylor Pendrith

My Bet: +2500
Best Available Odds:

It’s very rare to see a player win on the PGA TOUR and still have to play in the opposite field event later on in the same season. But with the Open’s quirky qualification criteria, Pendrith was one of the first alternates left on the outside looking in. He’s all but secured a spot on the Presidents Cup team in Montreal later this year, sustaining consistent form with seven top-20 finishes over his last 10 starts. He’s an ideal fit for this course as well, as his distance advantage will open up even more birdie-or-better opportunities on this layout.

Adam Svensson

My Bet: +4000
Best Available Odds:

Less likely to punch his ticket to Montreal this Fall, Svensson has still had a very respectable 2024 season that includes just one missed cut since March. At his best, Svensson is streaky with his irons and putting, a key combination for scoring in the Stableford format. Though he’s fallen out of form on the greens lately, his consistent tee-to-green play still positions the former RSM Classic champion well to score this week.

JJ Spaun

My Bet: +5500
Best Available Odds:

A bit of a disappointment at last week’s ISCO Championship, I’m running back JJ Spaun on the card yet again, on what should prove to be a much better fit for his game. While Keene Trace is more suitable to pure bombers, the high altitude at Tahoe Mountain Club makes the course play much shorter than the scorecard might suggest, leveling the playing field between bombers and plodders. Accurate players have fared well at this event over the years. Spaun’s found success here as well, looking to build off of a T10 finish at this event last year.

Hayden Springer

My Bet: +6000
Best Available Odds:

Quickly becoming one of my favorite players to bet on TOUR, Hayden Springer consistently shows up at the events he’s supposed to. That is, the easiest layouts with an emphasis on birdie-making and less penalty for long-yet-wayward drives. He has three top-10 finishes this season between the Puerto Rico Open, Rocket Mortgage Classic, and John Deere Classic, and his game should once again translate to this comparable course in Tahoe Mountain Club.

british OPEN BETS: OUTRIGHTS (4.2 UNITS)

Collin Morikawa

My Bet: +1800
Best Available Odds:

I deliberated all week on how to construct my Open Championship betting card, waiting as long as possible to take in all the key factors of weather updates and on-the-grounds reporting of how the course will ultimately play. Morikawa, however, is the exception, as he has been a fixture on my betting card since the start of the week. It’s been fun to watch the evolution of Morikawa’s game in 2024, as he’s quickly matured from an accurate ball-striking specialist with glaring short game deficiencies, to a complete all-around player who can contend on any given course in the world.

In the case of Royal Troon, the pendulum has swung as far it can towards approach and accuracy emphasis amongst courses on the Open rota, a quintessential fit for Morikawa’s game. It would have taken a drastic weather wave disadvantage to keep Morikawa off of my card this week. As of Wednesday, conditions look to be fair throughout the week, with intermittent wind one would expect to see on a Scottish links course. It’s all systems go for me on Morikawa now. He is well positioned to pick up his third career major this week.

Tyrrell Hatton

My Bet: +2800
Best Available Odds:

This is may not be the most appealing value bet for a player who was available closer to 70-1 odds at the U.S. Open, but the sudden steam is all sensible. He brings a consummate game for links golf. Say what you will about the value of performance on the LIV Tour, but a win and T3 finish over his previous two starts is nothing to ignore. The T3 at Valderrama is perhaps more encouraging and impressive than his Nashville victory, as Valderrama provides a more stern challenge in terms of hitting fairways and tiny greens in regulation.

A winner at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Hatton is up to the task of contending in difficult, windy conditions. His links history is great as well, with two wins at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and four top-20 finishes at the Open over his career.

Tony Finau

My Bet: +5500
Best Available Odds:

If approach proves to be the end-all-be-all at Royal Troon, Tony Finau is a slam dunk bet for me at this number. While not exactly known for his ability to close in big moments, Finau has an extra gear to his game that has allowed him to dominate from tee-to-green at times when everything is clicking. Coming in to this week, there’s no question that’s the case. He ranks top five in SG: APP and SG: T2G with top-10 finishes in each of his last three starts.

Tom Kim

My Bet: +6000
Best Available Odds:

My official pick to win the 2024 Open Championship is Tom Kim. Kim has shown nothing but promise on links courses in his early career with four top-15 finishes between the Scottish and British Open over his first five career appearances. Considering the low spin on his tee shots and approaches, it makes sense that Kim has managed to dial up a repeatable game plan to combat the unpredictable gusting winds that come with links golf. He was a runner-up finisher at last year’s Open Championship and lost in a playoff to Scottie Scheffler in his latest signature event start. The 22-year-old continues to improve as each day goes on, and has a perfect combination of Driving Accuracy and Approach skill needed to score at Royal Troon.

Corey Conners

My Bet: +7000
Best Available Odds:

I would have never believed you if you told me just a few months ago I’d be betting Corey Conners at a shorter number to win a major than Justin Thomas or Max Homa, but here we are! While Conners is no prolific winner, Brian Harman has exposed that that is no detriment from contending at the Open, considering how different this style of play is and how much randomness the unpredictable weather can inflict on the tournament. Conners’ resume in majors continues to build, as he’s finished top-15 in all four since 2020. He’ll now bring his consistent ball-striking form to Royal Troon with three top-10 finishes over his last five starts.

Tom Hoge

My Bet: +25000
Best Available Odds:

I understand the prospect of Tom Hoge winning a major may sound far-fetched. But if it’s going to happen, it will be on a course that allows the best approach player (outside of Scottie Scheffler) to separate from fairway to green. The more I’ve researched Royal Troon, the more it reminds me of Pebble Beach, with its slow and small greens, costal winds, and emphasis on accuracy and mid-iron play. Hoge has contended in big events like THE PLAYERS before, and it would not shock me to see the former AT&T Pebble Beach champion in the mix again this week.

Matthieu Pavon

My Bet: +27000
Best Available Odds:

My favorite boom-or-bust player to bet this year, there is no telling which version of Pavon you’re going to get. But his upside continues to be worth chasing. All of his five top-15 finishes this season have come in signature events or majors, including his victory at Torrey Pines in January. That shows me Pavon is best suited for courses that test your all-around game and mental toughness, key attributes for the Open Championship. He has plenty of links experience to his name as well, with three career top-20 finishes at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

british OPEN FIRST-ROUND LEADER BETS (1 UNIT)

Tony Finau

My Bet: +5500
Best Available Odds:

Tony Finau has a world-beating gear that few others in the world of golf can compare to when his putting gets hot. He seems most liable to heat up on these slow, costal greens as well, as evidence by his wins at the Puerto Rico Open and The Northern Trust.

Sahith Theegala

My Bet: +6000
Best Available Odds:

Though Sahith didn’t quite make it onto my outright card, I still love his fit for Royal Troon and links golf in general. His irons and putting are as streaky as anyone else’s in this field, and has an aggressive style of play that should go rewarded on this gettable front nine.

Aaron Rai

My Bet: +7000
Best Available Odds:

Aaron Rai has never been hotter than he is right now, with three consecutive top-10 finishes. The Englishman and former Scottish Open champion is an ideal fit for links golf. He may prove to be a threat beyond the first day alone at Royal Troon.

Russell Henley

My Bet: +9000
Best Available Odds:

Positioning is key at Royal Troon, and Henley leads that category, ranking No. 1 in Fairways Gained. Like the rest of the players on my card this week, Henley leans on the strength of his irons to separate, which is crucial on a course like Royal Troon to generate scoring opportunities on these tiny greens.

Tom Hoge

My Bet: +12500
Best Available Odds:

Another FRL hero, Tom Hoge suits this course perfectly on paper. I just have reservations about his ability to close out a major championship. As insurance, we’ll roll with the Horned Frog to pace the field on Thursday.

British OPEN PROPS (3 UNITS)

Top-20 Finish: Corey Conners

My Bet: +260
Best Available Odds:

I still contend Corey Conners’ floor at the Open is higher than 95% of his opponents. He carries a streak of 26 consecutive events without a missed cut, and has rinsed and repeated his ball-striking each week that goes by. He continues to lead in Fairways and Greens in Regulation. There is a huge premium on both this week, which makes Conners a “safe” play at Royal Troon.

Top-20 Finish: Matthieu Pavon

My Bet: +550
Best Available Odds:

Much more volatile than Conners, this is still a great value in the placement market on a player who has already posted top-20 finishes at the Masters and U.S. Open this season. Pavon’s resume on links courses leaves me encouraged that another spike week looms at Royal Troon.

Top-20 Finish: Tom Hoge

My Bet: +550
Best Available Odds:

I’m rational enough to expect there is a reality where Tom Hoge does not contend in a major championship this week. However, this major will emphasize the importance of the skillsets Hoge has leaned on for continued success on positional venues like Pebble Beach and TPC Sawgrass with great consistency. So at these odds, I’m very drawn to the value.

Top Rest of World: Tom Kim

My Bet: +900
Best Available Odds:

I love Tom Kim, but struggled to find a prop betting market with any discernable value. That is, until I found this one, which essentially translated to “Top finisher amongst the International Presidents Cup team prospects.” Kim is a co-favorite in this market alongside Hideki Matsuyama. However, his heightened consistency in terms of Driving Accuracy and Approach lead me to believe he is the No. 1 contender this week among this grouping.

ONE AND DONE

My Pick: Tyrrell Hatton

Since joining the LIV Tour, there are few opportunities to deploy Hatton in OAD. With this being the final major of the year, few viable options remain. And Hatton’s upside is the highest this week of any LIV player outside of Bryson DeChambeau, in my opinion. It’s always a good idea to back Hatton on a links course. I expect his ownership to remain low with so many big names ahead of him on the odds board still.

If not Hatton, I would also consider Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood, or Tom Kim as OAD picks.

British OPEN: THE BETTING CARD

That’ll do it for this week’s British Open bets. Best of luck this week with your own British Open bets, and see you on Sunday for the 3M Open! For more, follow TheLines on Twitter.

British OPEN BETS: ODDS TO WIN

Compare odds across sportsbooks in your state, and click any of the odds below to make British Open bets now.