One of the highlights of the sporting summer, The Open is the world’s oldest golf tournament, with a history dating all the way back to 1860. Overflowing with tradition, this is the only Major held outside the USA. It draws millions of TV viewers – and millions more who love betting on the best golf in the world.
Who will lift the Claret Jug? Appropriately enough, the British Open betting on the winner is always as open as its name.
No man has dominated in recent years – the last 13 tournaments have been won by 13 different players. Only five of those winners were American; in contrast with the other three Majors, the rest of the world provides regular winners at The Open.
However, Dustin Johnson of the USA has responded well to the unique challenge of links golf in the past and will contend. Similarly, Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau have consistently beaten The Open cut line and featured high on the leaderboard, while champion Collin Morikawa will hope to defend the Claret Jug in style.
Aside from the Americans, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy are the leading contenders from Europe, with 2010 champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa always worth keeping an eye on, having made the top three in three different majors in 2021.
Look for players in their thirties with experience of links golf and take The Open odds for young debutants with a pinch of salt. Do your research and find players who have been to the tournament before and clearly enjoy the special challenge of playing by the coast.
As well as looking for the winner of the event, you can also bet on the players who will make the cut and play all four rounds.
Finishing high enough after the first two rounds is a serious challenge. Those who do can enjoy the prestige of playing on the weekend of a Major – and the prize money is higher.
This is an example of The Open betting where a bit of research can carry you a long way. Golf’s elite do not play very often on links courses, so work out who has played well in the past. And, just as importantly, who has not.
Some of the best players in the world find it hard to adjust to the unique demands of links golf. These include the need to hit the ball low under the wind and to accept the occasional crazy bounce that can carry an apparently good drive into the rough.
The Open Championship is the oldest tournament in golf - © Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Open – known in the US as the British Open – is the oldest golf tournament there is. And arguably the most prestigious. The battle for the Claret Jug goes back over 160 years.
The tournament, now the fourth and final Major of the year, is staged on one of a select band of links courses in the United Kingdom.
Links golf (courses next to the coastline) is different. The fairways and greens are bumpy and when the coastal wind blows, playing good golf is very tricky indeed.
The Open always attracts huge audiences and, equally, British Open betting entices huge interest in the enormous number of ways to wager on the event.
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith charged his way into history on the Old Course at St. Andrews to secure his first major title by overcoming Rory McIlroy to win the 150th Open Championship. Smith stole the show with five straight birdies to start the back nine and his 8-under 64 was the lowest final round by a champion in the 30 times golf's oldest championship has been played at St. Andrews.
When it comes to The Open betting online always focus on experienced players who have demonstrated that they are comfortable with the demands of links golf.
Whether you are betting on outright outcomes such as the winner of the tournament, or more complex bets such as over/unders, this is a key factor to consider.
The best sportsbooks carrying The Open betting odds are those who are well respected and who have invested heavily in their customer experience. It makes a big difference if you can find a broad choice of markets and can bet quickly and easily on your chosen wager.
There will always be special offers for new customers around The Open. Many, for instance, will offer a free bet when you make your first wager or offer extra places for each-way bets.
The 2023 Open Championship – the 151st edition of golf's original major – will be held at Royal Liverpool and will be the first time in nine years the Open has visited Hoylake after it was the venue when Rory McIlroy claimed the Claret Jug in 2014.
Royal Liverpool has hosted 12 previous Opens, beginning in 1897. Legends of the game, including J.H. Taylor, Walter Hagen, Tiger Woods and McIlroy are among a star-studded list of names to have won the championship there.
The simplest golf bet you can make – although the size of the fields does add to the challenge. Who will win the tournament? Just decide on the player you think will record the lowest score over the four rounds and wager on them accordingly.
Just because the first player has sent his first drive flying down the fairway, that doesn't mean The Open betting has to stop.
British Open betting sites can now update odds instantaneously to reflect the action going on. That means people have the chance to keep wagering – and golf, with its breaks between shots and frequent switches in fortune, is an ideal vehicle for in-play betting.
For instance, even if Dustin Johnson puts his opening shot deep into a bunker, you can still bet on him to make the cut, and to win the tournament., likely at higher odds than he would have been before the tournament began.
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