Forget robins and April showers. The first real sign of spring is the Masters.
The smooth sound of Jim Nantz’s voice rings in the unofficial start of the PGA Tour schedule, with Augusta National hosting the first major tournament of the year. The Masters also marks the first time many sports bettors have placed a wager on golf odds since the snow melted.
Whether you’ve been betting on the PGA Tour all along or just limit yourself to the Masters odds, We have Masters betting tips to keep in mind as you handicap the 2023 event.
18 Masters betting tips
Whether you're learning how to bet on golf for the first time, or a seasoned bettor, these 18 smart Masters betting tips can help you find value as you prepare to make your Masters picks and predictions.
1. Look for hole-in-one odds
The Masters has seen 34 aces in tournament history, with 24 on hole No. 16 – the 170-yard Par 3 more affectionately known as “Redbud”.
The 2022 Masters had one hole-in-one: Stewart Cink got one hell of a roll to find the bottom of the cup on No. 16 in Friday's Round 2. Aces have become a relatively common event at Augusta, with at least one hole-in-one in eight of the last 11 tournaments and six of the past seven.
The 2024 Masters odds have "Yes" there will be a hole-in-one at -200 while the "No" for the prop is priced at +150 (DraftKings).
2. Americans at Augusta
The green fairways of Augusta National have been dominated by the Red, White, and Blue with Americans winning three of the last five Masters titles.
It has been nearly three decades since the United States has gone more than two years without a victory at Augusta. You have to go back to when Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo (2x), and Ian Woosnam helped the United Kingdom claim four consecutive titles.
The U.S. had won three straight Green Jackets before Hideki Matsuyama became Japan’s first Masters champion in 2021 and the Americans returned to Butler Cabin with Scottie Scheffler winning in 2022.
Scheffler (+450), Brooks Koepka (+1,800), and Jordan Spieth (+2,500) are the three Americans at the top of the 2024 Masters outright winner odds (DraftKings).
3. Master margin hard to handicap
The margin of victory could be a popular Masters prop this week – and might very well be one of the more difficult props to handicap, given recent tournament history.
At the last 12 Masters, we’ve seen three playoff wins, two one-shot victories, a two-shot triumph, three three-shot wins, two four-shot victories, and a five-shot rout by Dustin Johnson in 2020’s November version of the tournament.
Winning margin odds have "one stroke exactly" as a +200 favorite, ahead of "four strokes or more" at +350, and "two strokes exactly" at +350. A win of "exactly" is listed at +600 and a playoff is at +350 (DraftKings).
4. Will Brooks cook?
Brooks Koepka was almost an automatic Top 5 bet when it came to majors, however, his hot streak cooled in 2022, when he missed the cut at Augusta for the second straight year.
However, he bounced back in a big way in 2023, finishing tied for second. Koepka is now playing on the LIV Tour and comes into the 2024 Masters with some momentum, having one Top 5 finish this year at Mayakoba and a pair of Top 12 finishes at Las Vegas and Jeddah.
5. Watch for variance in winning-score props
Pinning down the winning score has proven difficult over the past decade-plus. Since 2010, six Masters champions have finished with a total 72-hole score of 275 or lower (Phil Mickelson: 272, 2010; Charl Schwartzel: 274, 2011; Jordan Spieth: 270, 2015; Patrick Reed: 273, 2018; Tiger Woods: 275, 2019; Johnson: 268, 2020).
The other seven have all posted winning totals of 278 or higher. The last two winners, Hideki Matsuyama and Scottie Scheffler, both fired a final tally of 278 in 2021 and 2022.
6. Check these quick-start contenders
A quick start doesn’t always mean Masters success, but it couldn’t hurt to come out of the gate strong.
A couple of guys at the top of the Masters odds board as well as some second-tier contenders lead the way when it comes to Round 1 scoring average (odds to lead after Round 1):
• Scottie Scheffler (+1,200)
• Rory McIlroy (+1,800)
• Jon Rahm (+1,800)
• Xander Schauffele (+2,200)
7. The consistent closers could be good value
Low first rounds are nice, but it’s not how you start — it’s how you finish (you totally knew how that sentence would end). That could hold value with consistent closers. Here are the top golfers in terms of average final round scores in 2023 and their odds to win the Masters:
• Jason Day 67.40 (+6,000)
• Brian Harman 67.50 (+6,000)
• Scottie Scheffler 67.89 (+450)
• Matthew Fitzpatrick 68.00 (+4,000)
8. Watch out for the sleeping Tiger
Tiger Woods hasn't played much since his 2021 car crash and was last in action at the Genesis Invitational back in February (T45). However, despite all that, Woods is always a live bet when it comes to Augusta National and will draw a ton of public play from golf bettors this week.
Tiger was a surprise entry at the 2022 Masters and finished 47th (301 for +13). He finished T38 at the pandemic-postponed tournament in November 2020, and of course, shocked the world with Masters win in 2019. He did not participate in 2023 due to a plantar fasciitis injury.
Bookmakers have Tiger Woods odds on the board, pricing the five-time Green Jacket winner at +14,000 to win, +2,200 to finish Top 5, and +900 to place inside the Top 10.
9. New Augusta course records are rare
Going low at Augusta is predictably difficult, as evidenced by the fact that only two golfers have ever shot 63 there. Nick Price established the course record in 1986 with a sizzling 63 in his third round – he went on to finish fifth that year. Greg Norman was on fire in 1996 (at least in the early going) as he opened with a score of 63.
Rory McIlroy went out with a bang in 2022, shooting a 64 on Sunday which tied the final-round record en route to a runner-up finish.
10. American Gladiators
Scottie Scheffler (+260) is the notable favorite to be the top-finishing American at the 2024 Masters. Xander Schauffele (+800), Jordan Spieth (+1,100), and Brooks Koepka (+1,100) are behind him in the golf props odds (DraftKings). Scheffler enters the major with momentum, having won two of his last three tournaments.
11. Rory and Rahm lead Euro charge
The odds for the low European at the 2024 Masters is a two-horse race between Rory McIlroy (+330) and Jon Rahm (+330). Ludvig Aberg is at +800, followed by Matthew Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland both priced at +900. McIlroy is still hunting for his first Masters title after finishing runner-up in 2022.
12. Rain, rain go away
The pending forecast for the 2024 Masters looks like it could include some precipitation, with rain forecasted for Thursday.
That wet weather could have Augusta National playing softer and longer, for one day at least. Second shots and approach will also be a little more forgiving, which means the players with pinpoint accuracy could stick the ball wherever they want. Keep up to date on the whims of Mother Nature with our Masters weather guide.
13. Bettors run to Scheffler, Koepka, and Clark
Scottie Scheffler is a popular pick to win the 2024 Masters, with BetMGM sportsbook reporting 8.1% of outright tournament winner bets on the red-hot US golfer. Brooks Koepka (8%) and Rory McIlroy (5.5%) round out the Top 3 in terms of ticket count.
As for handle, Scheffler has drawn 18.7% of the money wagered on the outright market, with Koepka (11.8%) and Wyndham Clark (5.6%) also drawing a good chunk of the overall handle on the 2024 Masters odds.
14. Hideki back in top form
Scottie Scheffler leads the PGA in Top-10 performances this season and is listed at -200 to post another Top 10 at Augusta this week.
2021 Green Jacket winner Hideki Matsuyama has three Top-10 finishes including a win at the Genesis Invitational already this season. He's priced at +170 to log another Top 10 this week.
The Japanese star has three Top 10s among eight Top 20s at Augusta in his 12 career showings at the Masters, with his best being his 2021 victory.
15. Playoffs common at past Masters
Remember that earlier reference to the margin of victory? The Masters has seen more than its share of playoffs, and not just in recent years. Augusta National has been home to 17 playoffs throughout its 85-year history, including six in the 2000s. The longest gap between playoffs: 12 tournaments, between Nick Faldo's second straight triumph in 1990 and Canadian Mike Weir's unlikely victory in 2003.
The last playoff at Augusta came back in 2017 with Sergio Garcia prevailing. Bettors are getting +350 odds on a playoff in 2024, with "no playoff" coming back at -500 (DraftKings).
16. Masters matchup bets offer intrigue
Bettors have a long list of matchup plays to consider in the days leading up to Round 1, and there's no shortage of intriguing pairings this year.
Some of our favorites: Tony Finau -120 vs. Wyndham Clark +100, Dustin Johnson -120 vs. Sahith Theegala +100, Brooks Koepka -120 vs. Viktor Hovland +100, and Bubba Watson -140 vs. Phil Mickelson +115.
17. Scheffler has a shot at a wire-to-wire win
There have only been five wire-to-wire winners in Masters' history: Craig Wood (1941), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Raymond Floyd (1976), and Jordan Spieth (2015).
If anyone has a shot at going wire-to-wire this week it's Scottie Scheffler. He's the favorite to win the 2024 Masters at +450 and is favored to lead the tournament after Round 1 (+1,200). He's also +300 to be inside the Top 5 after Round 1, +140 for an opening-round Top 10, and -150 for an opening-round Top 20.
18. Pick high-performing putters
It seems fitting to finish with putting, as this tournament – like most majors – will come down to which golfers excel most with the flat stick.
Augusta's greens are notoriously brutal and have been known to ruin a golfer's chances in minutes (paging Ernie Els). Staying away from three-putts is critical, so consider golfers whose three-putt avoidance is elite. And the lowest three-putt rate of any player in the field: Scottie Scheffler (+450).
Scheffler finished the 2022 Masters with nine bogeys and one double bogey, firing twin 71 scores on the weekend after putting up 69 and 67 in the first two rounds.
Need more golf betting tips?
When betting on golf odds, there are a few key factors to consider before placing your wager. Get more golf betting tips in our comprehensive golf betting guide.
Where can I bet on the Masters?
With the Masters being the most popular golf event in North America, all sportsbooks and betting sites will offer Masters betting markets. The trick is finding one that is reputable, trustworthy, and has all the bells and whistles you're looking for. Luckily, we've done that work for you. Check out our recommendations for the best golf betting sites before you deposit and start betting.
