2024 Senior British Open: Best Bets, Odds and Predictions for Carnoustie

The final major of the Champions Tour golf season is set to take place at Carnoustie this week.

Dec 9, 2023; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Team International s Steven Alker points out a spot for a putt in the 18th hole during the pro-am event at The Concession Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

One week after Xander Schauffele won the Claret Jug at Royal Troon, the top senior golfers will tee it up at Carnoustie for the Senior British Open. This will be their final major of the season.

So far, Doug Barron won the Tradition, Richard Bland won both the Senior PGA Championship and the U.S. Senior Open, and Ernie Else captured the Kaulig Co. Championship.

Alex Čejka enters as the defending champ, having beat Padraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcrawl last season.

Let's take a look at the odds to win this week and then I'll break down my top bet.

The Senior Open Odds

The top 10 odds listed below are via FanDuel Sportsbook

• Padraig Harrington +430
• Steven Alker +850
• Bernhard Langer +1300
• K.J. Choi +1800
• Stephen Ames +1800
• Miguel Angel Jimenez +2000
• Richard Green +2000
• Doug Barron +2000
• Y.E. Yang +2000
• Jerry Kelly +2200

The Senior Open how to watch

• Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. (Golf Channel/Peacock)
• Friday: 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. (Golf Channel/Peacock)
• Saturday: 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. (Golf Channel/Peacock)
• Sunday: 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. (Golf Channel/Peacock

The Senior Open purse

• Date: Thursday, July 25–Sunday, July 28
• Purse: $2.75 million ($447,800 to winner)*
• Defending champion: Alex Čejka

*figures from 2023, this year's purse has yet to be confirmed

The Senior Open best bet

Steven Alker +850

Carnoustie is going to provide a real test for this field, especially if we see some heavy winds throughout the weeks. That's why I want to bet on someone who can hit greens at a high rate.

This week's strategy should be to just get the ball on the green as quickly and simply as possible and then hope you can hole a few putts. That's exactly the type of golf Steven Alker plays. He leads the Champions Tour this season in greens in regulation percentage at 79.25%, which is 2.97% better than the next-best golfer.

Alker has already proven he can play links golf at a high level. He was the leader after 36 holes at the Senior Open last year and posted a T3 finish at the Senior British Open back in 2022.

I think he's worth a bet this week at +850 odds.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!