2023 U.S. Open: Best live betting strategies ahead of Thursday’s first round

The U.S. Open may begin at 9:45 a.m. ET on Thursday morning, but that doesn’t mean that it’s pencils down for bettors. In fact, it’s probably a wise decision for punters to set aside some of their bankroll for in-play wagering at Los Angeles Country Club this week.

No matter the course, the U.S. Open is always set up to be one of the toughest tests in golf. Players fall apart, the leaderboard shuffles all week and the chasing pack is usually deep.That makes the U.S. Open one of the great live-betting events in all of sports.

Here’s a few strategies to keep in mind after we get underway on Thursday morning.

Jon Rahm was one of the favorites to win the 2023 Masters along with Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Plenty of pundits were picking the Spaniard to win at Augusta National as he was coming into the tournament in tip-top form.

Then he four-putted for a double-bogey on his first hole. His odds to win the Masters doubled.

Seventy-one holes later, Rahm was wearing the Green Jacket.

The point is that an early mistake is not likely to completely wreck an elite player like Rahm or Scheffler, especially at a tournament where those kind of moments will be common for everyone. The better way to look at a slow start is a blessing in disguise, since it will provide you an opportunity to buy in on one of the favorites at a bigger number.

So, if you like a player like Scheffler, you can exercise some patience and wait for things to get going before getting invested. Sure, there’s a chance that Scheffler comes out of the gates firing and his number shortens a bit on Thursday, but unless he truly pulls a stormer, his odds won’t be drastically different.

On the other hand, if he scuffles early doors, you’ll have a terrific buying opportunity on the pre-tournament favorite.

» READ MORE: U.S. Open predictions: Three long shot bets worth betting includes putting expert Denny McCarthy

The fairways at LACC are wide and the course is long, so the general consensus is that it should favor long hitters who can bomb-and-gouge.

But reports from the course (and U.S. Open history) seem to suggest that the greens will be firm and fast, meaning that we could see plenty of players fall apart around the flagstick.

That means bettors should circle some short-game stalwarts that can rely on their craft to keep them from completely tanking after a mistake or two.

If you see players like Denny McCarthy, Cam Smith or Patrick Reed just off the pace, they may be worth a punt since they could be the last ones standing when the dust settles.

» READ MORE: U.S. Open predictions: Four long shots to bet at this week’s golf major in Los Angeles

You only have to go back one week for a reminder of why it makes sense to set aside some scratch for an in-play bet or two.

Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor, who defeated Tommy Fleetwood with a 72-foot eagle putt in a playoff to seal the win, was tied for 120th after Round 1 at Oakdale Golf & Country Club.

The Canadian was already a big price — around +7000 — to win the tournament before Round 1, so his odds were downright massive after he posted a 75 through 18 holes. According to Justin Ray, Taylor was in the worst position after Round 1 of any PGA Tour winner since Ian Poulter at the Houston Open in 2018.

» READ MORE: Microbetting is on the rise, with endless live-betting possibilities on the horizon

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.