Key Takeaways
- Scottie Scheffler enters the 2026 PGA Championship as the clear favorite with +385 odds, marking his 14th straight major as the favorite or co‑favorite and the shortest odds he has ever carried into a PGA Championship.
- Despite heavy betting volume on Scheffler (most tickets and handle at BetMGM and Caesars), bookmakers view him as low liability because his short odds (-120 for a win, -235 for a top‑5 finish) leave little room for profit.
- Cameron Young’s rapid rise—wins at The Players Championship and Cadillac Championship plus a T‑3 finish at the Masters—has driven his odds from ~80‑1 to +1475, with Caesars now listing him as a second‑best +800 due to substantial public action and resulting liability.
- Rory McIlroy (+900) sees less betting interest after a toe injury and limited tournament play since his Masters win, while Jon Rahm (+1400) remains a steady but less‑popular option.
- Public bettors are also backing long‑shots such as Jordan Spieth (59‑1), Matt Fitzpatrick (23‑1), and Rickie Fowler (65‑1), hoping for a return to form or a sentimental payoff, and many are parlaying Scheffler with other sports futures (e.g., Oklahoma City Thunder NBA champs, Los Angeles Dodgers World Series champs).
Scottie Scheffler’s dominance in the odds market continues into the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings listed him at +385 to win the tournament, making him the outright favorite. This marks the 14th consecutive major championship in which Scheffler has been either the favorite or co‑favorite, a streak that underscores his sustained elite performance since breaking onto the scene. Notably, these +385 odds represent the shortest line Scheffler has ever carried into a PGA Championship in his career, according to SportsOddsHistory, indicating that the market views his chances of victory as higher than ever before for this particular event.
Behind Scheffler, the next three names in the betting hierarchy are Rory McIlroy at +900, Jon Rahm at +1400, and Cameron Young at +1475. McIlroy’s odds come despite his recent back‑to‑back Masters victories; however, a lingering toe injury and limited tournament activity since Augusta have tempered public enthusiasm. Rahm, while still a top‑tier player, does not attract the same volume of wagers as the leaders, likely because his odds are longer and his recent form has been more variable.
Scheffler’s popularity translates directly into betting action. He has accumulated the most tickets and the largest handle (total amount wagered) across both BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook, reflecting a broad consensus among bettors that he is the most likely victor. Yet, because his odds are so short, bookmakers do not consider him a significant liability. Anthony Salleroli, Caesars’ lead golf trader, noted that Scheffler’s odds for finishing in the top‑5 (-120) and top‑10 (-235) are remarkably low, meaning that even if he performs well, the payout to bettors is modest and the sportsbook’s exposure remains limited. Consequently, Scheffler is not a common pick for those seeking larger returns via top‑finish props; bettors tend to use him instead as a “banker” in parlays, combining his relatively safe win probability with longer‑odds selections from other sports to boost overall payout. DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello observed this trend, citing examples where patrons pair Scheffler with futures such as the Oklahoma City Thunder winning the NBA Finals or the Los Angeles Dodgers capturing the World Series.
While Scheffler dominates the straight‑win market, the betting landscape is also being reshaped by the meteoric rise of Cameron Young. Over the past two months, Young has captured The Players Championship, won the Cadillac Championship, and finished tied for third at the Masters. This surge of success has propelled him from a long‑shot of roughly 80‑1 when the PGA Championship market opened almost a year ago to +1475 entering the week, and further shortened by robust public betting. Caesars now lists Young as a second‑best +800, acknowledging the sizable liability they hold on him due to the volume of money and tickets backing his candidacy. Salleroli admitted, “We’re sitting on some liability with him… I’d be surprised if we drifted anywhere lower. He may climb a little higher come Thursday, but yeah, we’re sitting on some liability for him because everybody’s bearing witness to his elite status. I mean, kid’s a monster.” BetMGM mirrors this sentiment, reporting the second‑most bets and money on Young, with Avello noting that patrons are “betting him really, really big” while still feeling the book’s price is fair.
Other golfers drawing notable public attention include Jordan Spieth, who sits at 59‑1 at DraftKings. Despite not winning a major since 2017, many bettors are wagering on Spieth in hopes of a return to his former glory, illustrating the sentimental and hopeful nature of a portion of the betting market. Additionally, Matt Fitzpatrick (23‑1) and Rickie Fowler (65‑1) are cited as liabilities for sportsbooks; Fitzpatrick’s recent strong play and Fowler’s enduring fan appeal, bolstered by his solid showing at the 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink, have driven considerable action on their long‑shot odds.
In contrast, Rory McIlroy’s betting interest remains relatively muted. His recent toe injury and limited schedule since his Masters win have kept him out of the spotlight for many bettors, despite his +900 odds. This disparity highlights how current form, health, and recent tournament participation heavily influence where the public places its money, even when a player’s pedigree suggests otherwise.
Overall, the 2026 PGA Championship betting market presents a clear favorite in Scottie Scheffler, a rapidly ascending challenger in Cameron Young, and a mix of sentimental long‑shots and strategic parlays that together shape the dynamic landscape of golf wagering heading into the tournament at Aronimink.