The DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic is happening right now — but it’s not too late to throw money on it. Read this for expert betting advice on doing so. We’ve analyzed the competitive playing field and hand-picked two players to bet to win the Dubai Classic!
But first, let’s take a hard look at the odds available on golf’s top betting sites. These sites have betting lines to win for every single player, but as it stands, the following players are most favored to win it:
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | +330 | +330 | +330 |
| Tyrell Hatton | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Shane Lowry | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Min Woo Lee | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Robert MacIntyre | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Adrian Meronk | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
2023 Dubai Classic Preview
It’s a good mix of players in Dubai for the tourney. The field includes top names from the PGA Tour, European Tour, and even LIV Golf. The two names most likely to draw attention are McIlroy and Fleetwood, though. With both participating, this is one of the stronger fields in recent years, which is the main thing to keep in mind as we preview the 2023 Dubai Classic.
There’s a lot at stake in Dubai over the weekend. Yes, we’re talking about money. Par for the course for sporting events in the United Arab Emirates, massive prizes await the top players. In total, the prize pool is a cool $9 million — that’s a three-time increase from just a few years ago. The winner will net $1.5 million of that.
The 2022 event marks the 35th in the history of the Dubai Classic. Viktor Hovland is the defending champion with a sensational win in 2021. Hovland outlasted Richard Bland in a playoff to capture the title. For what it's worth, McIlroy was tied with the two going into the 18th hole but faded late and missed the playoff.
Best Bets To Win 2023 Dubai Classic
If you’ve bet golf enough times, you know the smartest betting strategy is dropping multiple bets on who a possible outright winner could be. By betting only one player, you really put yourself in serious risk. All it takes is one bad round to be “out of the money.” With that said, we have an alternate bet to go with our main one. Here’s who we’re backing to win the Dubai Classic:
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy is, simply, on top of the world. He’s fresh off a sizzling 2022 season that included near-wins at majors, four straight-up PGA titles, a FedExCup and Order of Merit championship, and a return to the world’s No. 1 ranked player. This will mark his first competitive game of the new year, and the first since November.
Not only does McIlroy have that momentum going into this event, but he also has a checkered history at the Emirates Golf Club, which is playing hosts for the event. He’s won this tourney two different times in his career. So how about lucky number three? We sure think so!
We think you’d be crazy not to throw some money on a possible McIlroy win. Given the history here and stellar play as of late, McIlroy is must-bet material — despite an ongoing drama with Patrick Reed which is stealing the headlines. Block out that noise and bet McIlroy to win a third title here.
Min Woo Lee
There’s no better backup bet in the field than Lee. Here’s another player that’s streaking hot going into this tourney. Get this, in his previous seven starts, Lee has finished top-four on five occasions. During this same period, he’s finished no worse than 12th too.
And here’s one thing Lee has over McIlroy: he played just last weekend, thus there’s no “rust” factor. Lee finished second overall at an Abu Dhabi competition just a short drive away from Dubai. Taken together, Lee has a whole lot going for him right now, which is worth backing.
How To Watch 2023 Dubai Classic
The Golf Channel is the exclusive place to watch the 2023 Dubai Classic. The network will live-air the games in the United States. However, due to the massive time difference in the US compared to Abu Dhabi, Americans will have to stay up late or rise early to follow the action in real time. Here’s the full TV schedule:
- Thursday, January 26 — Round 1 (2:30 am - 8:30 am EST)
- Friday, January 27 — Round 2 (2:30 am - 8:30 am EST)
- Saturday, January 28 — Round 3 (2:30 am - 8:00 am EST)
- Sunday, January 29 — Round 4 (2:30 am - 8:00 am EST)
How To Bet On 2023 Dubai Classic?
Ready to bet on the 2023 Dubai Classic? You should be if you’ve read this entire article. We’ve given you everything you need know, aside from one thing: where to actually bet at. But we got that below too. You can find the very best bookies in the table — all of which rated high in our latest sportsbook review section. Pick one and you’ll have access to industry-leading golf lines all year long!
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