The 154th Open Championship tees off on Thursday morning at Royal Birkdale, bringing the world’s elite golfers to Southport for the final major of the 2026 season.
With leading bookmakers currently paying out on up to 12 each-way places for The Open, finding those high-priced longshots to sneak onto the Sunday leaderboard offers massive appeal. Be sure to explore our expert betting tips to uncover the best value picks and dark horses capable of making a run at this week’s prestigious championship.
The Open Championship betting offers & free bets
The Open Championship starts on Thursday and we’ve got some great offers for you to sign up to if you’re looking for some new UK betting sites. The sign-up offer from BoyleSports is one that always hands out a nice offering of £40 in free bets from a stake of just £10.
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The Open Championship Extra Each-Way Places
Each-way bets are often popular for the The Open Championship, and here we’ve listed the bookmakers with the most amount of each-way places on offer ahead of the major.
| Bookmaker | The Open Championship Each-Way Places |
| BoyleSports | 12 places |
| Ladbrokes | 10 places |
| Coral | 10 places |
| bet365 | 8 places |
| Betfred | 8 places |
The Open Championship 2026 Betting Tips
Hovland’s time is now
Viktor Hovland arrives at Royal Birkdale for the 154th Open Championship as a prime contender to finally secure his maiden major championship title. The Norwegian has already tasted significant success on the PGA Tour this season, notably edging out Scottie Scheffler in a thrilling playoff to win the 2026 Travelers Championship.
Having continually knocked on the door at the majors, including a solo third-place finish at the U.S. Open in 2025 and a tie for second at the 2023 PGA Championship, he possesses both the pedigree and the elite ball control required to navigate Birkdale’s difficult layout.
Backing Hovland this week seems appealing, particularly given his proven track record and prior links success, highlighted by a tie for fourth at The Open in 2022. The 28-year-old represents one of the most reliable selections near the top of the betting board. If his short game can withstand the challenges of Birkdale’s intricate greens, Hovland’s driving accuracy and iron play should provide him with the birdie opportunities needed to finally lift the Claret Jug on Sunday evening.
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Young can surprise the favourites
Cameron Young heads to Royal Birkdale as a proven winner this year, securing titles at both The Players and the Cadillac Championship. The American has built his 2026 success on his driver, consistently ranking at the top of the tour for Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. At a course like Birkdale, keeping the ball out of the deep fairway bunkers is crucial. Young’s combination of distance and control gives him a clear edge in dealing with the winds and tough coastal layout.
He also brings a strong track record at The Open. Young finished second at St Andrews in 2022 and added a top-10 finish at Royal Liverpool in 2023, showing his game naturally suits links golf.
Since bookmakers are paying out on extra places this week, he makes for a smart each-way bet. With his recent tour wins and past major experience, Young could show himself in contention for a first Claret Jug this Sunday.
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Time for Spieth to step-up
Jordan Spieth returns to the venue of his greatest major triumph, having won the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale back in 2017. While his form can be unpredictable, Spieth’s creative shot-making and elite short game are perfect for links golf.
Birkdale requires players to think their way around the course and scramble well from tight lies, which plays directly into Spieth’s strengths. When the wind blows and conditions get difficult, his ability to improvise stands out.
His track record at The Open is highly consistent, featuring four top-10 finishes alongside his 2017 victory. Even when his swing is not quite dialled in, his putting and recovery play keep him competitive on tough coastal setups. With bookmakers offering extra each-way places this week, Spieth seems a potentially appealing option to undertake. He knows exactly how to navigate this specific layout and has the tournament pedigree to contend on Sunday.
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