Sahith Theegala has been on the verge of victory twice this year on the PGA TOUR, and bettors are hoping the John Deere Classic is where he breaks through.
Late heartbreak was the theme in Theegala's two runner-up finishes this year. At last week's Travelers Championship, he double-bogeyed the 18th and final hole, ultimately losing to Xander Schauffele by two strokes. Back in February, a risky shot on the 17th hole in the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open ended in a bogey. He missed a playoff by one stroke.
But in a watered-down field this week, bettors believe this could be his chance to finish the job.
According to data released by BetMGM on Wednesday, Theegala is clearly the favorite play from the public. He's taken the most tickets and most money in the field to win the tournament, making him the sportsbook's biggest liability.
As a result, his odds have dropped from +3300 to +2500. He's behind only Webb Simpson (+1400) and Adam Hadwin (+1800) on the oddsboard.
It's fitting that those are the two players joining Theegala as the most popular plays. With a field that hasn't attracted top players, casual bettors will look toward the top of the board.
Another popular play is Maverick McNealy, who has seen his odds drop from +4000 to +3000. He's received the fourth-most money in the outright market.
The three longshots of at least 100-1 odds are worse with the most attention in the outright market are Sam Ryder (125-1), Zach Johnson (100-1) and Hayden Buckley (100-1).
