The chase for the Claret Jug begins Thursday, and golf fans in Iowa may need a jug of coffee to watch their bets at The Open Championship.
The English group of Richard Bland, Andy Sullivan and Marcus Armitage lead off the tournament with a tee time of 6:35 a.m. This year’s tournament takes place at Royal St. George’s Golf Course nestled along the English Channel.
There’s a six-hour difference between Sandwich, England (east of London), and Iowa.
That first group will tee off at 12:35 a.m. here in the Midwest. Not a typo — it’s a.m. The last group of the day begins play at 10:16 a.m. Iowa time, so Wednesday bets are important for fans who want a full list of Thursday options.
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Ireland’s Shane Lowry is the defending champion.
Jon Rahm of Spain (pictured above) is in Lowry’s group, which begins play at 3:58 a.m. Iowa time. Rahm is the consensus favorite at Iowa sportsbooks.
But remember: There are 156 pros and eight amateurs in the field. It’s hard to pick the exact person to finish on top after 72 holes over four days on a difficult course. Placing bets on multiple players could enhance your golf odds for the overseas golf major.
Odds to win The Open Championship
Viewer’s guide: The Open poses a challenge
The Open Championship can be a challenge for bettors and golfers alike. It was founded in 1860 and is considered the oldest golf tournament in the world.
The tournaments are always played on links courses, known for thick, unforgiving native grasses that thrive in the UK’s sandy soil. There are few, if any, trees, so wind sweeps across the terrain. Links courses often feature deep pothole bunkers to hold the sand in place on a windy day.
Where to watch The Open
NBC has broadcasting and streaming rights to The Open Championship. NBCUniversal relegated some of the overnight coverage to its Peacock and Peacock Premium streaming service.
- Golf Channel picks up 11 hours of coverage both Thursday and Friday starting at 3 a.m. From 2-3 p.m., coverage moves back to the streaming platform for a final 12th hour.
- Golf Channel opens two hours of coverage at 4 a.m. Iowa time on Saturday. NBC takes over from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Sunday’s final round coverage begins at 3 a.m. on Golf Channel. NBC takes over at 6 a.m. until the tournament ends at about 1 p.m.
Ways to bet on golf’s final major
Golf is drawing a surge of betting interest and Iowa sportsbooks have offers to help you enjoy The Open:
DraftKings Sportsbook Iowa has a $50,000 “British Golf Major Pool.” There’s a $20 entry fee for customers who then receive a 100% profit boost for a single bet of up to $50.
Customers who place two-player match-up wagers of at least $25 at William Hill Iowa Sportsbook will receive a free $25 bet.
FanDuel in Iowa delivers a pair of odds boosts. The +330 odds for Rahm, Brooks Koepka or Jordan Spieth to win The Open are now +400. Also, customers get a boost of +200 odds boost if Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen and Bryson DeChambeau all make the cut.
Odds to make The Open cut
BetMGM Iowa has a golfer insurance program for customers. Bettors can get up to $25 back if their incorrect pick for the championship still finishes in the top five.
At PointsBet Sportsbook, customers get $25 back if the champion pick falls short but finishes in the top 10.
Odds to finish in the top 10
There’s also a “Bet $50, get $50” promotion at Betfred Sportsbook in Iowa. It’s focused on customers who want to bet on the outright winner.
At BetRivers Sportsbook, if customers bet $25 on any golfer to win the championship, they’ll get another $25 bonus bet to use on the tournament.
