We’ve already reached the last men’s golf major of the year, and this 2026 British Open betting preview will ensure you’re ready for the first tee shot.
This Open Championship returns to Royal Birkdale, one of golf’s most respected venues, from July 16-19. Scottie Scheffler returns as the defending champion and the player everyone will likely be chasing. Royal Birkdale has hosted the Open Championship 10 times from 1954 through 2017, offering a demanding layout and unpredictable coastal winds that reward patience, creativity, and smart course management.
Bovada’s British Open betting odds provide plenty of ways to get involved. Before placing your wagers, here’s a closer look at the course and its contenders, with insider info from Bovada’s Golf Trading Team.
View the latest Golf odds at Bovada
Royal Birkdale: The Course and Why It Matters
Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, Merseyside, returns to The Open for the first time since Jordan Spieth’s memorable victory in 2017. This will be the 11th Open Championship played at the venue, further cementing its place among the most iconic courses in championship golf.
Unlike some Open venues that encourage aggressive play, Birkdale rewards discipline. The course is known for its tight fairways running between large sand dunes, while a thick rough punishes golfers who take too many bad swings. Accuracy off the tee matters more here, not raw power.
Wind has always defined this course. Conditions can change dramatically throughout a round, forcing players to adjust club selection and trajectory on almost every hole. This places a premium on golfers who excel in links conditions and are patient when scoring opportunities become scarce.
If you’re evaluating players this week, accuracy, links experience, and creativity around the greens deserve extra weight when you’re checking British Open odds. Golfers such as Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Robert MacIntyre are contenders and underdogs who could excel beyond favorites like Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Scottie Scheffler: Can the World Number One Defend His Open Title?
Any discussion about the 2026 Open Championship starts with Scottie Scheffler.
The world number one enters Royal Birkdale as the defending Champion Golfer of the Year after a dominant performance in 2025 at Royal Portrush. Scheffler finished four strokes over Harris English, controlling the tournament from start to finish.
Scheffler captured both the PGA Championship and The Open in 2025 and added another PGA Championship victory in 2026. He’s consistently contended regardless of course setup, weather conditions, or field strength.
“He leads the PGA Tour this season, once again, in Total Strokes Gained and Strokes Gained Tee to Green,” Bovada head golf odds compiler Sean Trump explained. “He’s only finished outside the Top 10 in a Major three times since 2023.”
“It will be no surprise if he’s in the mix again come Sunday afternoon.”
Ultimately, the question for bettors is not whether Scheffler can win; it’s whether backing him provides enough value in a tournament that has historically produced surprises.
Royal Birkdale offers unpredictable weather, awkward bounces, and rapidly changing conditions, which usually narrows the gap between the favorite and the underdogs. While Scheffler has proven he can thrive in these environments, he will also be competing at this course during a major championship for the first time.
The Contenders: Where the Value Is
The Bovada Golf Trading Team revealed that Scheffler has 8% of all bets on the 2026 British Open, but surprisingly noted that an American has the most action overall.
“USA’s Chris Gotterup is the most popular selection currently, with around 15% of all total bets to win his first major,” Trump said. “He’s won twice already this year on the PGA Tour and looks like a solid bet at +4000.”
Another big underdog pick is Jordan Spieth, who won the 2017 Open and has a hefty line to win the event a second time.
“Spieth hasn’t won a major since [2017],” Trump said. “But finished in the Top 10 at The Open three times since his victory and is +5000 to win for a second time.”
That said, when we asked them to share their choice, the team chose a solid underdog who has the control to take the second major of his career: England’s own Matt Fitzpatrick.
“No British player has ever won The Open at Royal Birkdale in the last 10 tries, but this could be the year that changes,” Trump said. He added, “Fitzpatrick leads the PGA Tour this year in Strokes Gained in two categories: Approach to Green and Around the Green. His cross-handed chipping style may look unconventional, but the numbers speak for themselves.
“He was tied for 4th last year; I think this year he will have an Open Championship to accompany his 2022 US Open title.”
Other interesting choices include Tommy Fleetwood, who was born near Southport, Fleetwood, and considers Royal Birkdale his home course. Jon Rahm, who continues to display one of the most complete games in pro golf. And Xander Schauffele, who won the 2024 Open and tied for seventh in 2025.
You can back your pick with Bovada Open Championship odds once you’ve identified the best bet for 2026.
Special Bets and Prop Markets
Outright winner betting will attract the most attention, but The Open offers far more opportunities than simply picking a champion.
Each-way betting is popular because your golfer doesn’t necessarily need to win to cash in. If your selection finishes near the top of the leaderboard, you can still receive a payout. This creates value for link specialists, who are sometimes overlooked.
First-round leader bets can also be attractive because sometimes underdog golfers have amazing tournament starts. Especially when weather conditions change significantly between morning and afternoon tee times. Savvy bettors usually monitor forecasts before making these bets.
Other popular options include top American, top European, and top British player bets. There are hole-in-one wagers, correct winning score markets, and props on players making the cut.
As we get closer to the start of the event, expect Bovada to offer more intricate props with more options.
FAQ
What Is the Open Championship?
The Open Championship is golf’s oldest major tournament and was first played in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Organized by The Royal and Ancient Golf Club (AKA The R&A), it is the only men’s major played exclusively on links courses across the United Kingdom.
The tournament rotates among a select group of historic venues in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland each July. The winner receives the famous Claret Jug and earns the title of Champion Golfer of the Year.
Harry Vardon holds the record with six Open victories, while Tiger Woods and Tom Watson each won five. The Open returns to St. Andrews, the home of golf, in 2027. Preview all of golf’s Majors, with tips from the Bovada Trading Team in our golf hub.
When is the British Open?
The 2026 Open Championship takes place from July 16-19, 2026. Practice rounds begin on July 12, with tournament play starting on Thursday morning at Royal Birkdale.
Where is the British Open being played?
The 2026 Open Championship is being played at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, Merseyside, England. This will be the 11th time the venue has hosted golf’s oldest major championship.
Who won the British Open?
Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. He finished at 17-under-par and defeated Harris English by four strokes.
How to watch the British Open?
Golf fans in the United States can watch coverage on USA Network, Golf Channel, NBC, and Peacock.
How to bet on the British Open?
Visit Bovada’s British Open odds page to access outright winner bets, each-way betting, first-round leader wagers, nationality props, and a wide variety of tournament specials.
Last Year’s Results: 2025 Open Championship
The 2025 Open Championship belonged to Scottie Scheffler. The world number one delivered one of the most dominant major performances of the season at Royal Portrush, finishing four shots ahead of the field. While Scheffler controlled the tournament, Bryson DeChambeau’s final-round 64 and Rory McIlroy’s challenge in front of a home crowd provided some of the week’s biggest storylines.
2025 Open Championship: Final Leaderboard Top 10
Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland | 17-20 July 2025 | Par 71, 7,381 yards
| Pos | Player | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | To Par | FedEx Pts |
| 1 | Scottie Scheffler (USA) | -3 | -7 | -4 | -3 | -17 | 750 |
| 2 | Harris English (USA) | -4 | -1 | -3 | -5 | -13 | 500 |
| 3 | Chris Gotterup (USA) | +1 | -6 | -3 | -4 | -12 | 350 |
| T4 | Wyndham Clark (USA) | +5 | -5 | -5 | -6 | -11 | 300 |
| T4 | Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) | -4 | -5 | E | -2 | -11 | 300 |
| T4 | Haotong Li (CHN) | -4 | -4 | -2 | -1 | -11 | 0 |
| T7 | Robert MacIntyre (SCO) | E | -5 | -1 | -4 | -10 | 225 |
| T7 | Xander Schauffele (USA) | E | -2 | -5 | -3 | -10 | 225 |
| T7 | Rory McIlroy (NIR) | -1 | -2 | -5 | -2 | -10 | 225 |
| T10 | Bryson DeChambeau (USA) | +7 | -6 | -3 | -7 | -9 | 0 |
| T10 | Corey Conners (CAN) | +3 | -2 | -5 | -5 | -9 | 145 |
| T10 | Brian Harman (USA) | -2 | -6 | +2 | -3 | -9 | 145 |
| T10 | Russell Henley (USA) | +1 | -1 | -6 | -3 | -9 | 145 |
Source: PGA Tour official past results. pgatour.com/tournaments/2025/the-open-championship/R2025100/past-results