Scottie Scheffler is shaping up as the main favorite to conquer his third title at the prestigious The Players Championship, and this time, with a considerable lead.
According to bookmakers, Scheffler has odds of +425 to win at TPC Sawgrass in 2026. His closest competitor, the current Players champion, Rory McIlroy, is at 15-1.
To put it in perspective, Scheffler had odds of +475 before the 2025 tournament, where he was seeking a historic third consecutive title, while the next closest golfer had odds of 11-1.
The talented 29-year-old player is the only one in the tournament with favorable odds to finish in the top 5 (-102) or in the top 10 (-194).
Scheffler started the season impressively, with a win at the American Express, followed by two top-four finishes. Although he hasn’t managed to place in the top 10 in his two most recent events.
At BetMGM, Scheffler has attracted the most bets (9.7%) and the second-highest betting volume (12.2%) to win the tournament, but his low odds haven’t made him a liability for the market. Instead, Collin Morikawa (16-1) and Ludvig Åberg (20-1) have generated a considerable amount of bets and money, making them the biggest liabilities for the sportsbook. DraftKings places them at 20-1 and 28-1, respectively, and has also recorded significant activity on each.
Morikawa, who has achieved a victory, a top-five and a top-seven in his last three participations, has seen his odds improve from 24-1 at the beginning. Other players who have experienced a positive rise in DraftKings include Viktor Hovland (44-1 to 37-1), Daniel Berger (57-1 to 50-1) and Nico Echavarria (190-1 to 155-1).
On the other hand, McIlroy’s odds have decreased from 11-1 at the start, while other prominent names like Xander Schauffele (+2250 to 31-1) and Jordan Spieth (59-1 to 72-1) have also seen their odds lengthen.
Due to Scheffler’s dominance at the top of the odds, some bettors will opt for the “Winner without” market, where Morikawa also leads in terms of bets and volume at BetMGM. Scheffler (+1425) has not been heavily selected in the First Round Leader markets at BetMGM or DraftKings, where Morikawa (32-1) and Aberg (35-1) have also proven popular.
