The final major of the year, the British Open, is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf tournaments in the world. The 2024 iteration marks the 152nd event in its proud history. From July 17-21, all the leading players on both PGA and European tours compete over four days to win the Claret Jug. Our guide covers everything you need for The Open betting, from key event details to the best bookmakers.
- 1 Best Bookies for The Open Championship Betting
- 2 Tournament Structure for the Open Championship
- 3 Prize Money
- 4 The Open Betting Odds, Tips, Promotions & Predictions
- 5 5 Reasons To Bet on the Open Championship
- 6 Betting Sites With British Open Betting Livestreaming
- 7 Popular Open Championship Betting Markets
- 8 History of the British Open
- 9 Recent British Open Winners
- 10 The Open Betting Key Stats
- 11 Similar Tournaments to the British Open
- 12 The Punters Page Final Say
- 13 FAQ
Best Bookies for The Open Championship Betting
UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (11):
    18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (7):
 18+ New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4 x £5 free bets. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (9):
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first 5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x 5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Tournament Structure for the Open Championship
The Open Championship follows the same pattern and routine as all the other tournaments on the PGA and European Tours.
This tournament is played over a 72-hole stroke play format. Golfers play 18 holes daily across four days, depending on the weather. The field includes both professional and amateur players. A significant number of participants gain automatic entry based on their previous performances in The Open, other major championships, or their rankings on the Official World Golf Ranking. Additional slots are filled via a series of qualifying events throughout the UK.
The Open starts with a field of 156 players. After the initial two rounds or 36 holes, British Open organisers establish a cut-off point. Only the top 70 players on the leaderboard, including any ties, make it through to the final stages of the competition.
The remaining players battle it out over the final two rounds, and whoever achieves the lowest score wins the Claret Jug. If the score is tied, the players compete in a playoff over three holes. In the event that a stalemate can't be broken, sudden death occurs until a winner is crowned.
Prize Money
The 2024 Open Championship offers a prize purse of $16.5 million (just over £13 million) — the same amount as last year. The event's winner will walk away with $3 million (equivalent to £2.36 million).
The Open Betting Odds, Tips, Promotions & Predictions
The dates for The 2024 British Open have been confirmed to be the 15th–23th July, at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. We will add more information here as the start of the tournament approaches.
The Open betting odds are up on all the major UK bookmakers, so it’s prime time to get your bets sorted. Coming up, we'll walk you through the current odds landscape, and share The Open betting picks for who might end up lifting the trophy. To round it off, we’ll highlight which bookies are dishing out the best promos for the tournament, so you can squeeze out the most value.
British Open Betting Odds 2024
The latest betting odds for the 2024 British Open will be added here closer to the start date of the event.
Fresh off his second consecutive Masters win, world number one Scottie Scheffler is the odds-on favourite to take home the trophy. Hot on his heels in the The Open betting odds chart are 2014 Open champion Rory McIlroy and 2024 U.S. Open sensation Bryson DeChambeau.
Last year, Brian Harman won the event as the bookies’ dark horse. He was at 125/1 leading up to the tournament.
The Open betting odds will continue to fluctuate all the way to the final shots of the tournament, depending on the players' form and performances. Our team continuously updates the odds pages, so you'll always have the freshest odds at your fingertips.
The Open Betting Tips & Predictions 2024
We will publish our betting tips and predictions for the tournament here once the commencement of the event draws closer.
Last year, Brian Harman clinched the Claret Jug by a solid six strokes, but historical trends suggest a repeat might be unlikely. It's been 17 years since a golfer won back-to-back Opens; the last to pull off this rare feat was Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008.
Here are our top three The Open golf betting picks for the 2024 edition of the tournament:
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Scottie Scheffler: You can't ignore the current world number one, especially with the phenomenal year he’s having. Scheffler has bagged six victories this year, including a memorable win at the Masters. Last year at the Open, he scraped through to the weekend after a clutch birdie from a bunker on the 18th, ultimately finishing T23. His knack for handling crunch moments and versatile game — whether he's slicing neat bunt cuts or smashing lofty high draws — makes him a solid bet. Even though this will be his third appearance at the Open, Scheffler looks primed for a strong showing.
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Rory McIlroy: It's been ages since Rory McIlroy has lifted a major trophy, with a decade-long dry spell hanging over his head. McIlroy’s recent performance at the U.S. Open was a tough pill to swallow; he held a two-stroke lead over DeChambeau but let it slip away with three bogeys. Heading into the British Open, he’s in fine form, securing multiple top-five finishes this season along with two tournament wins. McIlroy's extensive experience and mastery of links courses make him a formidable contender at major championships, and the 2014 champion could very well clinch the title at Royal Troon.
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Xander Shchaufelle: To mix things up, we’ve included a sleeper pick — the 2024 PGA Championship winner. The smart money often backs an American with a strong short game and the ability to handle blustery conditions — enter Schauffele. He's not just a big-match player; he’s consistently delivered at the majors, racking up 11 top-10 finishes in 26 starts. His knack for staying in contention, evidenced by his last seven majors where he’s never dipped below 18th, makes him a sneaky good bet for Royal Troon.
The Open Betting Tips for Success at Royal Troon
If you're looking to place some savvy bets on the Open at Royal Troon, here are a few specialised The Open golf betting tips to keep in mind that highlight the kinds of players who might just thrive on this tough links course:
Prioritise precision iron players: Zone in on players who are wizards with their irons. Royal Troon's greens can be tricky. The numerous bunkers and challenging run-off areas can catch out even the best players. Those golfers who can dial in their distance and control their shot trajectory will have a serious edge.
Value driving accuracy: With Royal Troon's narrow fairways and menacing bunkers, keeping the ball on the short grass off the tee is more important than ever. Players who can avoid these hazards and set themselves up for easier approaches will likely find themselves in contention.
Bet on wind specialists: When the wind picks up, Royal Troon shows its teeth. Keep your eyes peeled for players who are adept at handling breezy conditions — they're the ones who can keep their cool and their scores low when the gusts get going.
Evaluate the short game: Sharp skills around the greens can make or break a round at Troon. Golfers who excel in chipping and putting will navigate those challenging greens more effectively, snagging birdies or saving pars when they most need to.
The Open Betting Promotions 2024
As one of the biggest events in one of the most bet-on sports, The Open often becomes a hotspot for golf bonuses at bookies, who go all out to cater to the betting excitement and hype up the event. Here are two valuable promotions you can leverage to boost your betting game for The Open.
Welcome Bonus at Coral: If you're new to Coral, you can take advantage of a £20 in free bets welcome bonus that's available for use on any sport, including golf. Simply place a £5 bet on sports at odds of at least 1/2 to qualify. Remember, the free bets expire after seven days, so time your claim close to the start of the tournament.
Welcome Bonus at bet365: Newcomers at bet365 can get a big boost on sign-up — up to £30 in free bets. Just place a bet of £5 or more on any market with odds of 1.20 or higher. This means you can secure a The Open betting bonus whether you’re going for a safer qualifying bet like a top 20 finish or taking a punt on a long-shot like a hole-in-one.
Once you receive your bonus credits, you can use them on any type of bet throughout the tournament.
5 Reasons To Bet on the Open Championship
If you're still mulling over betting on The Open golf, here are five reasons that might sway you towards a punt.
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There's great value in the underdogs — nearly half the winners in the last decade weren't in the top 10 favourites, so look beyond the usual suspects.
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With £13 million in prize money, you can bet everyone’s playing their hardest, keeping the competition fierce and exciting.
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The Open's unique courses change yearly, always throwing in a few curveballs that make betting outcomes less predictable and more thrilling.
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It’s a global showdown that brings together the best from both the PGA and European tours, along with top qualifiers from around the world, so the betting field is wide open.
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The famously fickle British weather means every shot counts, offering savvy bettors the chance to capitalise on the conditions if they can read the skies right.
Betting Sites With British Open Betting Livestreaming
Livestreaming is an absolute must for anyone looking to do their betting on The Open live. It's the perfect companion to live betting as it gives you a real-time view of the action, providing insights you just can't get from simple trackers and stats sheets. You can see for yourself if a golfer is on form or if they're struggling, and use those observations to make smarter bets.
Here are four top The Open betting sites where you can catch livestreams of golf events. Just a heads-up: you'll likely need to have an active bet, some cash in your account, or a recent deposit to access the streams, and you must be a registered member.
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Unibet
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Betfred
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Ladbrokes
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Betfair
Popular Open Championship Betting Markets
Betting on golf is hugely popular with many punters. With a field of 156 players and (at times) unique weather conditions, the Open Championship is one of the toughest tournaments to win, regardless of which British links course is hosting. All the usual betting markets will be open for this event, including the following below. We also recommend checking our beginner’s guide to golf if you want to expand your knowledge.
Open Championship Winner
Who will win the Claret Jug and follow in the footsteps of the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Francesco Molinari? This bet sees you making your best guess at answering that question and backing it up with a suitable stake. If your bet is correct, you will make a profit.
Best Open Championship betting site for Open Championship Winner: bet365
Each-Way British Open Betting
Only one man can win the Claret Jug, making the task of picking the winner from a large field a difficult prospect. As a result, you can split your stake with an each-way bet, backing a player to finish in a parameter set by the bookmaker in question — usually the top eight or 10, depending on the operator. Your odds will be worth ¼ of the outright price of the player you select. If your player finishes in the top eight or 10, you will receive a decent payout. Targeting players with big odds can be a good tactic to increase your potential profits.
Best Open Championship betting site for each-way betting: Paddy Power
Top Performing Player From a Nation
For this market, punters are required to place a bet on who they think will be the highest performing player from any nominated country. As long as your pick outperforms his compatriots, you’re in the money. This can be a particularly useful bet on a country such as the United States, where you can find great value in the field.
Best Open Championship betting site for Top Performing Player From a Nation: Coral
First Round Leader
This simply involves backing a player to end up on top after day one of The Open. Players can often get out to fast starts and then tail away further on in the tournament. However, for this bet, all you need to do is correctly guess which man will be leading after the first round. McIlroy is a notable player for this wager as he often starts with a strong round before fading.
Best Open Championship betting site for First Round Leader: William Hill
Two-Ball Betting
With two-ball betting, players are grouped off into pairs, and your bet aims to pick which of the two will have the better tournament. If your pick fares better than his rival, then your bet pays out as a winner.
Best Open Championship betting site for two-ball betting: bet365
Group Betting
There is another variation on two-ball betting known as group betting. On the first two days of a major competition, the players are grouped in threes. You can place bets on which player will have the lowest score out of the group. It is just like an outright bet on the winner, just with a smaller pool of players, which does affect the value of the odds available.
Best Open Championship betting site for group betting: Ladbrokes
Hole-in-One
This is a bet where absolutely any participating golfer in the field needs to get the ball into the hole in one solitary shot. The hole-in-one can be scored by anyone at any time over the course of a tournament, and as such is exceptionally rare. In truth, it’s far more likely that there will be no hole-in-one score, and you can bet on this particular instance too.
Best Open Championship betting site for hole-in-one betting: Paddy Power
Make the Cut
All players at the start of the British Open have one goal: to ensure that they are battling for the Claret Jug by the final two rounds of the competition. That is because the cut comes after the second round, removing a large portion of the competitors out of the tournament. Even the best players can fail to make the grade. For this British Open betting market, you simply have to predict whether your selected player will make the cut or not.
Best Open Championship betting site for make the cut betting: bet365
History of the British Open
The Open Championship is the oldest of all four major championships in professional golf, and was first played on October 17, 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. The Open is administered by the R&A — the governing body of golf outside North America — and is held every year on one of ten links courses in the UK.
The tournament has taken place in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, but never Wales — although the R&A, who appoint the host of the championship around three years in advance, have suggested this might change soon. In 1873, The Claret Jug replaced the Challenge Belt as the physical prize, and has been awarded to the winner each year since.
St Andrews, host of the 2022 British Open, has been used more than any other venue.
The 2024 British Open will be the 152nd edition and is set to take place at Royal Troon in Scotland for the 10th time. This par-71 course stretches over 7,385 yards and is famous for its challenging par-3 eighth hole, known as "The Postage Stamp".
The last Open held at Troon was in 2016 when Henrik Stenson won with a record-breaking 264 score, finishing 20-under par, three strokes ahead of Phil Mickelson.
Recent British Open Winners
| Year | Champion | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Brian Harman | United States |
| 2022 | Cameron Smith | Australia |
| 2021 | Collin Morikawa | United States |
| 2020 | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2019 | Shane Lowry | Ireland |
| 2018 | Francesco Molinari | Italy |
| 2017 | Jordan Spieth | United States |
| 2016 | Henrik Stenson | Sweden |
| 2015 | Zach Johnson | United States |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | Northern Ireland |
| 2013 | Phil Mickelson | United States |
| 2012 | Ernie Els | South Africa |
| 2011 | Darren Clarke | Northern Ireland |
The Open Betting Key Stats
| Established | 1888 (renovated in 1923) |
| Course Measure | 7,385 yards |
| Sponsors | Hugo Boss, Doosan, HSBC, Mastercard, Mercedes-Benz, Nikon, NTT DATA, Rolex |
| Prize Pool | $16.5 million (over £13 million) |
| Date | Jul 18-21, 2024 |
| Place | Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland |
Similar Tournaments to the British Open
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August 7–10, 2022, (August 7 – 11, 2024) The Wyndham Championship: The Wyndham Championship is a summer event held annually at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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August 14–17, 2022, (August 15 – 18, 2024) FedEx St. Jude Championship: The FedEx St. Jude Championship is a premier event on the PGA Tour and takes place at TPC Southwind, Tennessee.
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August 21–24, 2022, (August 22 – 25, 2024) BMW Championship: The BMW PGA Championship is one of the final events of the PGA Tour season, and in 2022 will be staged at the Wilmington Country Club, Delaware.
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September 11-14, 2022, (September 17 – 22, 2024) BMW PGA Championship: One of the signature events on the European Tour, which takes place towards the end of the campaign at the Wentworth Club.
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September 18-21, 2022, Italian Open: A standout competition on the European Tour staged in Italy, changing locations on an annual basis.
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September 26-29, 2024, Presidents Cup: This prestigious team event pits a team from the USA against an international team excluding Europe.
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October 10 – 13, 2024, French Open: A historic European Tour event, played at Le Golf National in Paris, France.
The Punters Page Final Say
The Open is a four-day golf spectacle that caps off the major season, bringing together the best players from around the globe. Now that you're clued up on the event, understand what to watch for, and know the best The Open betting sites, you should be all set to make your moves. A quick tip: don't limit yourself to one bookmaker; spread your bets across different bookies to seize the best The Open golf betting odds and promotions.
FAQ
The best sites for the Open Championship are bet365, Coral, and Ladbrokes.
You can watch the 2024 Open Championship on Sky Sports Golf in the United Kingdom.
The 2024 Open Championship tees off at Royal Troon in Scotland from July 18th to 21st.
You can bet on a variety of markets for the British Open, including Outright Winner and First Round leader. Each-way betting will also be available.
Free bets, placing offers, and acca insurance promotions are usually available from the leading betting operators.
Yes, the cut is enforced on the Friday, and you can bet on who makes it.
Yes, top online bookmakers do accept bets on the nationality of the winner.