Maybe it’s not a major championship, but it’s the next best thing — the 2024 Players Championship is upon us. We’ve analyzed the stacked playing field and we’ve settled on a few players worth betting on to win the championship. Keep on reading to get our picks free of cost!
- What: The Players Championship
- When: March 14-17
- Where: TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
2024 Players Championship Preview
Let’s begin this preview of the Players Championship with a hard look at the current odds. These are available across the best betting sites for golf. As it stands, the following players are most favored to take first at the event:
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Rory McIlroy | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Xander Schauffele | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Justin Thomas | +2100 | +2100 | +2100 |
| Viktor Hovland | +2200 | +2200 | +2200 |
| Max Homa | +2200 | +2200 | +2200 |
| Patrick Cantlay | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Will Zalatoris | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
The favored player is none other than Scheffler, as he rightfully should be. On one hand, Scheffler is the No. 1-ranked player in the entire world — a position he’s held for 10 months running now. On the other, he’s the reigning champion. A year ago, Scheffler came into the Stadium Course and ran away with the title. He finished five shots ahead of runner-up, utterly dominating the course.
But here’s the thing: TPC Sawgrass is not kind to defending champions, or former champions in general. We’re now going into year 50 of the Players Championship, and in that half-century, no one has ever gone back-to-back successfully. Moreover, only six players in history have ever won this event twice (no one has won three times). So at the very least, history is not on the side of Scheffler.
We should mention, one thing Scheffler has going for him that past winners didn’t is an easier playing field. The rise of LIV Golf has divided the sport in half. Affiliated golfers from the new golf organization are barred from competing at this PGA-sponsored tourney. That means the likes of Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith (a recent winner of the Players), Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau are not in the field.
Besides those big names, just about every other world-ranked golfer is in Florida for the Players. Awaiting them is the notoriously unforgiving Stadium Course. This place has a long reputation for being a jack of all trades, master of none. That translates into no playing style having a distinct advantage on the greens. Players really have to do it all to have a chance at winning.
With that said, let’s turn our attention to the playing field. After scouring the group of over 100 players, we’ve settled on the betting picks we’ll share next.
Best Bets To Win Players Championship
After what we’ve just told you about the difficulty of this course, even for former winners, you’d be crazy to not take multiple bets on the Players Championship winner. Honestly, you need three picks minimum here. These next three players should be stop your betting list:
Xander Schauffele
The knock on Schauffele is he can’t actually win events. That’s a bit of a stretch considering Schauffele has seven career victories on the tour. But that reputation has stuck on Schauffele cause he’s winless since 2022. That feels like an eternity, especially for a player of Schauffele’s caliber.
We’re throwing money his way regardless. At the very least, Schauffele will be in contention. He already has four top-10 finishes in 2024 so at the very least, him getting another top-10 is a side prop worth taking. But we’re going with a straight-up win wager. Schauffele finished runner-up here before so it’s a course he’s very capable on.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris is the ultimate “heat check” bet. Over the last three weeks, Zalatoris has been on fire. He’s finished 13th, second, and fourth in the last three events. Safe to say the backinjury that required surgery is well behind him. Zalatoris might be the only other player in the field that can hang with Scheffler at ball striking, and that could be advantageous here.
Max Homa
Here’s a value play at +2200 odds. What we like about Homa is his streak of play — both lately and at this event. At last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, he finished eighth overall. Moreover, at this event, he’s placed 13th and 6th in the past two years. You have to like that, especially at these somewhat mid-level odds.
How To Bet On Players Championship?
The Players Championship is packed with betting opportunities. Props are where things can get really fun. To get a full list of bets available this week, hit one of the bookmakers listed below. The five sites featured are tops in our newest sportsbook reviews so you can’t really go wrong with any of them.
The best part about using these sites though? The lucrative sportsbook bonuses they offer. These deals pay out hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play. That’s money you can bet on the Players for free. To get in on the free betting, see the table. We’ve listed some of the best deals right there for you.
