Ben Everill said Straka is ‘being disrespected’ at +5000 in a 30-player playoff finale after a season of steady performances. He argued that, with only Scheffler taking real win equity, everyone else’s number should be shorter. Everill likes the form Straka showed all year and says the missed start was family-related, not injury-related, so +5000 is more than fair if you want a non-elite outright.

Ben Everill advised steering clear of JJ Spaun’s 33-1 outright number, saying the Californian "might have had his moment and might be on the way back down." Everill admitted Spaun has burned him before but still questions whether Spaun’s inconsistent driver can stand up to East Lake’s punishing rough and the pressure of a no-cut, 30-player shoot-out where every bogey is magnified. Bettors looking for sleeper tickets should look elsewhere or consider Spaun head-to-head fades instead of chasing an outright win.

Everill liked Pat Mayo’s boosted 35-1 on Cam Young, pointing out the American is still auditioning for a Ryder Cup captain’s pick. That urgency should keep him grinding all four rounds regardless of early position. Young’s recent ball-striking surge aligns with East Lake’s demand to keep drives in the fairway to avoid thick collar rough introduced in last year’s renovation. With everyone starting at even par, Everill believes Young’s combination of length, motivation, and improved accuracy makes him an appealing outright or top-5 wager at long odds.

Ben Everill endorsed betting Tommy Fleetwood outright at 16-1, arguing the Englishman’s winless narrative actually sets up perfectly this year. With the Tour scrapping staggered starting strokes, every player begins at level par, giving Fleetwood only 29 opponents to beat instead of chasing a ten-shot head start. Everill noted Fleetwood is “hitting it amazingly,” carries solid past results at East Lake, and benefits from a setup where fairway finders can attack newly renovated greens if they avoid the gnarly Bermuda rough. For risk-averse bettors he suggested using ‘without Scottie Scheffler’ markets, but still sees a full-field outright as a live ticket in what would be a storybook FedEx Cup finish.

Ben Everill highlighted Sam Burns as a bullish play in East Lake finish and place markets, noting that Burns knows ‘he needs to put up a big performance’ to cement himself as Scottie Scheffler’s Ryder Cup partner. Everill reminded listeners that the U.S. side was ‘boat-raced’ in Rome when Scheffler lacked a comfortable teammate, and Burns’ surge last week arrived just in time to catch captain Johnson’s eye. With extra motivation, recent form trending up, and a proven rapport with Scheffler, Everill expects Burns to attack pins aggressively and cash top-10/20 tickets.

Ben Everill urged listeners to look for opportunities to oppose Corey Conners this week. He pointed to a lingering wrist issue, a Sunday collapse in Chicago and whispers from inside the camp that something is still ‘niggling.’ Conners has never finished better than 20th in three prior Tour Championship starts—despite East Lake rewarding elite ball-striking—and bookmakers continue to price him around 14th-15th in position markets. Everill sees that as a disconnect and will be hunting head-to-head matchups to fade the Canadian until he proves the injury talk is overblown.

Ben Everill said the best way to profit from Scottie Scheffler this week is through derivative markets instead of the tiny outright number. Scheffler has a reputation for slow Thursdays, yet Everill reminded listeners that last year the Texan posted the low opening round at East Lake and now faces only 29 opponents. With that context, Everill prefers Scheffler to record 5-plus birdies, finish inside the first-round top-5, or even grab first-round leader—prices that still sit in the mid-single to low-double-digit range instead of the sub-+250 outright. He added that if Scheffler takes off early, bettors can still attack round-by-round matchups later, but these props capture ceiling value while avoiding the “without Scheffler” markets that merely slash the odds board.

Ben Everill advocates betting Jason Day (+190) to finish top-20 including ties, noting Day's resurgence at Arnold Palmer Invitational before minor mistakes halted his chances. Everill believes Day is ascending ahead of a potential Augusta peak, making him a safe and smart top-20 wager for THE PLAYERS Championship.

Ben Everill highlights Justin Thomas (+2200) as a strong outright winner pick, having stated pre-season Thomas would secure a victory by THE PLAYERS Championship. He emphasizes Thomas' past success as a former winner, suggesting he is close to putting together four strong rounds necessary for victory at Sawgrass.

Ben Everill is bullish on Hideki Matsuyama (+3300) due to his underrated historical performances at TPC Sawgrass, despite having never sealed a win here. Matsuyama's season victory puts him within a key trend—each of the past three PLAYERS champions had a win earlier in their winning season—giving further confidence in this pick.