Scottie Scheffler is anew the leading candidate to secure his third professional championship at The Players Championship, though this instance sees him favored by a vast margin.
Scheffler’s odds for triumph at TPC Sawgrass in 2026 stand at +425, while the nearest rival, current Players titleholder Rory McIlroy, is pegged at 15-1, as per DraftKings. To provide perspective, Scheffler held odds of +475 heading into the 2025 event when he pursued an unparalleled third consecutive trophy, whereas the subsequent golfer was rated at 11-1.
This 29-year-old prodigy remains the sole competitor in the lineup favored to conclude within the top 5 (-102) or top 10 (-194). Scheffler commenced the season in superb form, securing a victory at the American Express, which was succeeded by top-four placements in his subsequent two competitions, prior to landing outside the top 10 in his most recent pair.
At BetMGM, Scheffler has drawn the highest number of wagers (9.7%) and the second-largest amount of money staked (12.2%) for tournament victory; however, his tight odds have not rendered him a risk in the market. Rather, Collin Morikawa (16-1) and Ludvig Åberg (20-1) have accumulated substantial wagers and capital, emerging as the sportsbook’s primary risks. DraftKings lists them at 20-1 and 28-1, in that order, and has likewise received significant wagering interest on both.
Morikawa – boasting a triumph, a top-five, and a top-seven placement across his last three appearances – has observed his betting line improve from 24-1 initially. Other competitors experiencing favorable shifts in odds at DraftKings encompass Viktor Hovland (44-1 to 37-1), Daniel Berger (57-1 to 50-1), and Nico Echavarria (190-1 to 155-1).
Conversely, McIlroy’s odds have declined from 11-1 at the outset, with other prominent figures like Xander Schauffele (+2250 to 31-1) and Jordan Spieth (59-1 to 72-1) also seeing their betting lines become less favorable.
Given Scheffler’s preeminence at the summit of the betting list, certain wagerers may choose instead to turn to the ‘Winner Excluding’ market, where Morikawa also holds the forefront for wagers and money staked at BetMGM. Scheffler (+1425) has not been heavily backed in the initial round leader betting options at either BetMGM or DraftKings, with Morikawa (32-1) and Åberg (35-1) demonstrating popularity in those markets too.