2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational Odds and Predictions

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This week, the PGA Tour heads to Bay Hill for the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the most iconic stops on the calendar. Known for its challenging course, deep field, and unpredictable finishes, this event has been a staple of the tour since 1979. With some of the best players in the world vying for the title, betting on golf at sports betting sites becomes even more exciting.

Last week’s Cognizant Classic field was a bit watered down, but the PGA Tour’s biggest guns are back at it this week. The top of the Arnold Palmer Invitational odds board features a slew of household names, including Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele, and Jon Rahm.

As part of the PGA Tour, the tournament holds a designated event status, ensuring an elite field and increased prize money. If you’re looking to make informed picks, check out our expert betting guide on golf.

Where Is the Arnold Palmer Invitational?

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is played annually at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. Golf and beverage legend Arnold Palmer himself founded the tournament, and the course has been a true test of ball-striking and patience ever since.

Measuring 7,466 yards, Bay Hill is renowned for its demanding approach shots, penal rough, and water hazards that come into play on several holes.

How to Watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational?

Fans and, of course, bettors can catch the action live on Golf Channel and NBC, with streaming options available on Peacock and ESPN+. Featured groups and marquee pairings will be available for streaming, offering in-depth coverage throughout the tournament.

Who Won the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational?

In 2024, Scottie Scheffler secured victory at Bay Hill, showcasing elite ball-striking and scrambling in challenging conditions. Scheffler finished at -15, holding off a surging field that included late challenges from Wyndham Clark and Shane Lowry.

Scheffler wound up winning by 5 strokes thanks to a terrific 6-under showing in Sunday’s final round. His clutch putting and ability to navigate Bay Hill’s tough final stretch proved to be the difference. In news that should surprise exactly nobody that knows anything about golf, Scheffler checks into the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational as the favorite to win it again at +600 odds.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational Odds

Take a good gander at the latest Arnold Palmer Invitational odds, courtesy of the top golf betting sites on the internet:

PlayerWinner OddsPlayerWinner Odds
Scottie Scheffler+320Rory McIlroy+800
Ludvig Aberg+1400Xander Schauffele+1800
Collin Morikawa+1800Justin Thomas+2000
Tommy Fleetwood+2200Patrick Cantlay+2200
Hideki Matsuyama+2500Shane Lowry+3500
Russell Henley+3500Keegan Bradley+4500
Maverick McNealy+4500Viktor Hovland+4500
Sam Burns+4500Sungjae Im+4500

Scottie Scheffler is the clear favorite given his dominance at Bay Hill in recent years. Rory McIlroy – who won this event back in 2018 – has also played well at this venue, while Xander Schauffele’s steady brilliance makes him a weekly contender.

With several elite players at longer odds, there’s value in looking beyond the top names. If you’re looking for advice from the best handicappers, this is the event to find some profitable plays.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational Favorites

Check out the latest Arnold Palmer Invitational odds:

Scottie Scheffler (+320)

Scheffler is the defending champion and the most consistent golfer in the world right now. His elite tee-to-green game makes him the +320 favorite, and if he can maintain his putting form, he will be tough to beat. In addition to his aforementioned win in this tournament last year, Scheffler also won the 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Scheffler is still searching for his first win of the 2025 season, however. The Texas native has only made 3 starts, and he’s secured a pair of top 10 finishes. The world’s top-ranked player finished tied for 9th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in his first event of the year in January. After that, he claimed a 25th-place finish at the WM Phoenix Open before finishing 3rd at the Genesis Invitational at the beginning of February.

Perhaps having nearly a month off will do Scheffler some good. He’s still in the process of recovering from a hand injury suffered back in December. Scheffler punctured his right hand with a shard of broken glass on Christmas Day, an injury that ultimately required surgery.

While he’s an understandable favorite, fading Scheffler isn’t the worst idea considering he’s been a bit rusty as he tries to regain his top form. The +320 odds are awfully short, as we typically see favorites priced more favorably in the +600-+1000 range.

Rory McIlroy (+800)

A past Arnold Palmer Invitational champion, McIlroy thrives at Bay Hill’s demanding setup. He has the power to dominate the par 5s and the creativity to navigate the tough greens.

McIlroy’s season got off to a good start when he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to kick off the campaign. Like Scheffler, he’s only made 3 total starts since the calendar flipped to 2025. McIlroy tied for 17th at the Genesis Invitational. He also made an appearance on the DP World Tour in January, when he finished tied for 4th at the Hero Desert Classic in Dubai.

McIlroy struggled at Bay Hill last year, as he tied for 21st and finished at just 1-under par for the weekend. That was easily Rory’s worst showing at his last 7 trips to the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He’s finished no worse than 13th in any of his other last 5 starts at Bay Hill with 4 finishes inside the top 10. In addition to winning it in 2018, McIlroy took a 2nd-place finish behind Kurt Kitayama in 2023.

You’re getting a bit more upside with McIlroy at +800 than you are with Scheffler at +320, which makes him worth a long look given his excellent track record of success at Bay Hill.

Xander Schauffele (+1800)

Xander Schauffele is one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour, yet it’s been a while since we’ve seen him. The San Diego native hasn’t played since finishing tied for 30th at The Sentry back at the beginning of January.

Schauffele won a pair of majors last season – The Open Championship and the PGA Championship – but his 2025 season has been derailed by injury. Schauffele has been sidelined by an intercostal strain, which is awfully hard to play golf through. Imagine trying to swing a golf club if your side is killing you.

The injury forced him to miss several of the biggest early-season events on Tour, but he’ll make his return this week in Orlando. Schauffeled finished tied for 25th at this event last season, while he took 39th place the year before that. His track record at Bay Hill isn’t quite as favorable as some of the other tournament favorites, and the fact that he could be rusty on the heels of an injury makes him a risky bet at +1800 to win.

The Best Arnold Palmer Invitational Betting Value

Patrick Cantlay (+2200) has the consistency and precision needed to excel at Bay Hill, yet he remains undervalued in the betting market. His putting ability will be key in converting birdie chances. Cantlay randomly pops up to win every now and again, and the profit potential on his odds looks pretty appealing.

Matt Fitzpatrick (+8000) has the short game and patience needed to contend in tough conditions. As a past U.S. Open winner, he thrives when scoring is difficult, making him a sneaky value play. One issue is Fitzpatrick’s form to begin the season. He’s finished no better than 24th in any of his first 4 starts, including a missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open.

The Top Arnold Palmer Invitational Longshot

Shane Lowry stands out as a high-value longshot at the +3500 odds. He’s an elite wind player, which is crucial at Bay Hill, and his iron play gives him an edge when conditions get tough. If he can avoid big mistakes, he could be a Sunday contender at long odds.

Remember, Lowry entered last week’s Cognizant Classic as the early betting favorite. He’s slipped in the odds for the Arnold Palmer Invitational thanks to the much stronger field of competition. Lowry finished tied for 11th last week, and he carded a 2nd-place finish back at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in early February.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational Predictions

Given his elite tee-to-green play and history at Bay Hill, Scottie Scheffler is the obvious frontrunner to win again in 2025. His ability to handle difficult conditions and fast greens gives him an edge over the field.

That said, his continued recovery from a nasty hand injury gives me some pause. Scheffler winning again at some point this season is likely inevitable, but I’d rather take the extra value we can find on some of the golfers with longer odds. McIlroy at +800 is the one I’m eyeing the most, as his history at Bay Hill is tough to beat.

My golf pick this week is Rory.

Bet: Rory McIlroy (+800)

The Best Arnold Palmer Invitational Prop Bets

The following PGA Tour prop bets are courtesy of Bet365:

Best Top 5 Finish

  • Viktor Hovland (+700)

Viktor Hovland’s impressive ball-striking should keep him in contention all week. If his short game holds up, a top-5 finish is well within reach. Hovland is going largely overlooked by oddsmakers, as he’s all the way down at +4500 to win this week.

Hovland finished tied for 10th at the 2023 edition of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, though he plunged to a tie for 36th a season ago. The Norway native is also off to a fairly shaky start to begin the new campaign, as he’s finished no higher than 22nd in any of his 3 starts on the PGA Tour. Hovland also missed the cut at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour in January.

Still, the +700 odds on a finish inside the top 5 are worth a mention.

Bet: Viktor Hovland (+700)

Best Top 10 Finish

  • Will Zalatoris (+350)

Will Zalatoris has just 2 professional wins to his ledger, including one on the PGA Tour. However, he’s come awfully close in several other events, as he has 3 total 2nd-place finishes at major tournaments.

While his putter is inconsistent, his ability to hit greens in regulation makes him a great top-10 bet at the +350 odds. Zalatoris is often in the running come Sunday, though his struggles to close have cost him on several occasions.

Zalatoris has made the cut in each of his first 4 starts of 2025, though he hasn’t topped a 12th-place finish in any of them. After finishing in 53rd place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2 years ago, Zalatoris took a tie for 4th at Bay Hill last season.

Bet: Will Zalatoris (+350)

Final Winning Margin

  • Rory McIlroy by 2 Strokes or More (+1400)

McIlroy has a habit of starting strong at Bay Hill. If he avoids the mid-round slump that has plagued him in several high-profile tournaments over the years, he should be in the final pairing on Sunday.

I mentioned that I like his chances to win, so why not take a shot on a market for McIlroy’s margin of victory? The +1400 odds on Rory to win by at least a couple of strokes are potentially advantageous.

This is typically a very competitive tournament. 4 of the last 5 winners won the Arnold Palmer Invitational by just 1 stroke, though Scheffler destroyed the field with a 5-stroke win last season. McIlroy himself won it by 3 strokes back in 2018. I like the upside on this prop bet.

With a strong field and Bay Hill’s challenging setup, the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational promises to be one of the most compelling tournaments of the young PGA Tour season. Whether you’re betting on a favorite, value pick, or longshot, this week offers plenty of opportunities for golf bettors.

Good luck!

Bet: Rory McIlroy by 2 Strokes or More (+1400)

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