The Players Championship Picks, Predictions & Odds

• The Players Championship tees off Thursday, March 12th
• Two-time Players champion Scottie Scheffler is the +355 favorite over Rory McIlroy
• See my 2026 Players Championship picks, best value bets, and the odds to win the tournament

The PGA Tour’s crown jewel tees off this Thursday, with the famed Players Championship from TPC Sawgrass. The 17th hole island green is iconic, and this course and championship is often referred to as the “fifth major”. Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite, as he was the first golfer to win back-to-back at this challenging track, in 2023 and 2024. However, he’s been un-Scottie like, without a victory the last four times teeing it up, and a T-24th result at Bay Hill, his worst finish in over a year.

Akshay Bhatia won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff over Daniel Berger, and they’ll head down the road to tee it up this week. Course designer Pete Dye created a diabolical track that can yield plenty of birdies, but if a player is off their game, crooked numbers can be posted at the Players Championship just as easily.

The Players Championship Odds (2026)

I’m starting my card this week with Xander Schauffele, who finds himself as the third choice to grab the title, but still sporting very digestible +2250 odds to win outright. He was inside the top-25 at the API, which was his third straight, following a T-19 at Pebble Beach and T-7 at Riviera. He won late last season at the Baycurrent Classic for his tenth PGA Tour title, and contends often in the biggest stages (won 2024 PGA Championship & Open Championship).

Odds as of 7:30 pm ET on Sunday, March 8th, at DraftKings. Check out the full list of DraftKings deposit methods.

Last Five The Players Championship Winners

I also like Schauffele’s steady play and demeanor around a course that can give players fits. He’s almost gone the distance to win the PGA Tour’s ultimate prize, finishing runner-up in both 2018 and 2024 here. The fact he’s the third choice but still at odds longer than +2000 is definitely a bonus, and that number is too enticing for me to pass up on a world class player.

The Players Championship 2026 Picks & Value Bets

1. Ludvig Aberg +3100: Ludvig Aberg finished off a brilliant week at Bay Hill in a tie for third, following his top-20 at the Genesis Invitational. He’s had success at this tourney in the past, securing an eighth place showing just two years ago. He had a stretch last summer till the end of 2025 with eight straight worldwide top-25s, and when on his game, is clearly one of the giants of the sport.
2. Sepp Straka +5200: Sepp Straka often finds himself with longer odds than his talent and his ability to close out tournaments should warrant. He was squarely in the mix at the API until a tough Sunday, but was co runner-up at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am just three events ago. The big Austrian has had success at this track also, with three top-20s in his last four attempts.
3. Sahith Theegala +9000: I was on Sahith Theegala last week in the top 10/20 markets and he paid off, securing a tie for sixth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. That was his third top-10 of the campaign, where he’s been T-22nd or better in five of seven starts. At this +9000 price, you can do a whole lot worse for a player regaining his form, following an injury plagued 2025 season.
4. Brian Harman +18500: 2023 Open champion Brian Harman is a fun longshot to sprinkle some money on. He’s had a solid history at this venue, with four career top-10s, including a runner-up result in 2024 and a tie for third in 2021. He’ll be interesting to monitor in the top 10/20 markets.

Sign Up for SBD’s Newsletter Now

Did you want the latest sports betting news, analysis, picks, betting trends, and relevant data straight to your inbox? If so, you’ll want to subscribe to SBD’s newsletter now!