2020 U.S.Open: Johnson Opened as Favorite But Mickelson is the Popular Bet

The first major of the PGA Tour’s 2020-21 season begins this week with the U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Course in Mamaroneck, New York. Originally scheduled last June, the 120th edition of the U.S. Open will be held from September 17-20.

With the tournament starting this morning, betting action has picked up, and here are some of the latest betting trends from some of the top sportsbooks in the world:

Dustin Johnson Opened as the Favorite

Dustin Johnson heads to the U.S. Open as the odds on favorite at +850. The world’s no. 2 golfer is fresh off winning the FedEx Cup Championship for the first time in his career. He has finished at least second in the last four tournaments he’s played in an is coming off a win at the Tour Championship.

World no. 2 John Rahm is next to DJ in the current odds board at +1000.

The 25-year old has finished in the Top 6 in his last three tournaments and was the winner of the BMW Championship. Rahm finished 4th in the Tour Championship.

World no. 7 Xander Schaufelle and world no. 3 Justin Thomas follow at +1400 each. Both were tied for 2nd in the Tour Championship. Other notable golfers include fending U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland at +7000, Phil Mickelson at +5000, and Tiger Woods at +4000.

Most Popular Bets

Although he has never won the U.S. Open before, Mickelson has been generating plenty of betting attention. In fact, William Hill reported on Wednesday that the most popular bet wagered at its sportsbook at 29% is Phil Mickelson at +5000 odds. The next most popular trend was Dustin Johnson at +850 which comprised 9% of the total dollars wagered as of the same date.

Johnson is the most popular bet by the total number of tickets at 7%. Schaufelle, Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, and John Rahm each have 5% of the total betting tickets at William Hill while Tony Finau, Daniel Berger, and Rory McIlroy each have 3% of William Hill’s total U.S. Open tickets.

The Westgate SuperBook also has heavy betting action on Phil Mickelson. According to Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk management for the SuperBook, Only Xander Schaufelle has attracted more bets to win the tournament than Lefty. Sherman also said that Tiger Woods has attracted a lot of bets but not much money. In contrast, FanDuel revealed that Woods has more bets to miss the cut than any other golfer.

Mickelson’s Six Runner-Up Finishes

Last week, William Hill attracted a $45,000 bet on Mickelson at +7500 odds. The bet would cash in $3.375M if Mickelson wins the U.S. Open. That’s the second-largest liability that William Hill has taken for a golf wager. Last year, a Nevada bettor wagered $100K on Tiger Woods to record a grand slam. That wager would have paid out $10M.

Other notable bets for Mickelson at U.S. Open betting sites include a $10,000 ticket at +6500 which would cash in $650,000 and a $1,000 wager at +5000 which would net a potential $50,000 if Mickelson wins at Winged Foot this week.

Mickelson, who opened at +8500, has never won the U.S. Open before. However, when the tournament was last held at Winged Foot in 2006, Lefty infamously lost the tournament by one stroke to Geoff Ogilvy. Heading to the 18th hole, Mickelson needed par to win and a bogey to force a playoff. He double-bogeyed after attempting to go for the green from behind a tree after a wayward tee shot. That was one of Mickelson’s six runner-up finishes at the U.S Open