Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026 Golf betting preview: odds, predictions and tips

The PGA Tour heads to Bay Hill in Florida.

Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026 odds

• Scottie Scheffler 3/1
• Rory McIlroy 9/1
• Tommy Fleetwood 16/1
• Collin Morikawa 22/1
• Matt Fitzpatrick 22/1
• Xander Schauffele 22/1
• Hideki Matsuyama 28/1
• Harris English 30/1
• Ludvig Aberg 30/1
• Russell Henley 30/1

Odds with bet365 .

Quick tips for the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026

• Rory McIlroy to win – 10/1 with Betfred
• Jason Day – 70/1 each-way with bet365
• Nicolai Hojgaard for Top 10 – 4/1 with Ladbrokes

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Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026 betting preview

At this stage of the golf season, punters are seeking clues about who will win the first Major of the year – April’s Masters at Augusta National.

In terms of providing them, the Arnold Palmer Invitational is right up there.

Scottie Scheffler won the Arnold Palmer in 2022 and again in 2024 and on both occasions he went on to win The Masters just over a month later.

The World No.1 will be fancied to complete that double again but he’ll need to step up the poor starts that have hampered his bid for more wins in recent weeks.

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Arnold Palmer, of course, was one of the most influential figures in golf and his legacy lives on.

His course, Bay Hill, is considered one of the toughest on the PGA Tour.

It’s a par 72 measuring 7,466 yards and has super-fast Bermudagrass greens.

To highlight how tricky it plays, the winning score at Augusta has only been lower (i.e. played easier) than at Bay Hill in two of the last seven years.

Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026 betting tips

Here are some key betting tips and insights for the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026.

Rory McIlroy ready to win

Rory McIlroy has always enjoyed his trips to Bay Hill.

The highlight was his win in 2018 but he’s also finished second, fourth, fifth and sixth.

Overall, McIlroy has nine top 15s in his 11 starts at the Arnie’s event.

As well as course form, his game is trending in the right direction after he was temporarily sidetracked by a switch to cavity-back irons.

Since putting his trusty blades back in the bag, McIlroy’s approach play has sparkled and last time out he was runner-up – by a single shot – at the Genesis Invitational in California.

In other words, he’s close.

All parts of the game are tested at Bay Hill and McIlroy ranks 1st on the PGA Tour’s All-Around ranking this season.

Back Rory McIlroy to win at 10/1 with Betfred

Jason Day looks best each-way bet

Like McIlroy, Jason Day has slipped his arms into the iconic red cardigan for winning Arnold Palmer’s event.

That was back in 2016 and Day was actually the last man to lift the trophy before Arnie passed away.

The Aussie has seven top 25s overall at Bay Hill and in the last three editions he’s posted eighth (2025) and 10th (2023).

This season, he’s already finished runner-up in The American Express while strong putting stats suggest he’s ready to thrive on the fast greens which he always seems to read well.

Back Jason Day each-way at 70/1 with bet365

Nicolai Hojgaard for Top 10

Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard are really starting to make a mark on the PGA Tour.

Nicolai is the one making most waves right now and in his last two starts he’s posted third in the WM Phoenix Open and sixth at last week’s Cognizant Classic.

He looks strong in all departments and, add in his fourth place in January’s Dubai Desert Classic, and that’s three top 10s in four starts for Nicolai.

Although he’s not made a cut at Bay Hill in two attempts, he broke par in round two on his last visit in 2024 and the 24-year-old is playing at a totally different level now.

Back Nicolai Hojgaard in the Top 10 market at 4/1 with Ladbrokes

How to watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026

• Venue – Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
• Date – Thursday 5th March – Sunday 8th March
• Broadcast – Full coverage on Sky Sports Golf: Thursday-Friday 3.30 pm – 11 pm, Saturday 2.30 pm – 11pm, Sunday 2 pm – 10 pm.

About the author

Dave Tindall is a former golf editor at SkySports.com and Golf365.com and has been writing betting previews for the PGA Tour and European Tour since 1997. He has also written for a range of betting companies, including William Hill and Betfair, as well as being a regular columnist for Rotoworld, The Guardian, Sporting Life, and Planet Sport. His other area of specialty is football while he’s also covered cricket and tennis.

Follow David on Twitter @davetindallgolf

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