BetMGM joint-owner and international gambling company Entain plc. revealed on Wednesday that The Masters is its fourth-most bet sports event of the year.
Key takeaways
- The Masters is only behind the Grand National, Champions League, and Super Bowl in popularity
- Scottie Scheffler (+450) is favored to win the 2025 Masters
- The Masters’ history at Augusta makes it more predictable than events at rotating courses
"The Masters is more than just a golf tournament – it’s a springtime tradition that brings out the fan in all of us,” Greg Ferris, Managing Director for Sports at Entain, said in a company release. “The combination of iconic players, a legendary course, and unique betting opportunities makes it the perfect stage for patriotic punting and exciting new markets.”
The Masters will take place at its customary Augusta National Golf Course on April 10-13 in what is golf’s most popular event of the year for fans and bettors alike.
The $20 million event is only behind the Grand National, Champions League final, and Super Bowl for annual betting draws at Entain. It generates about 40% of bets across the sport's four major events, which produce one-third of all golf bets in a given year.
Betting platforms are coming equipped with new golf betting attractions for customers ahead of this year’s four-day showdown. The development of live betting and the increase of available markets will give bettors even more options than they experienced in years past.
“This year, with stars like [Bryson] DeChambeau lighting up social media and fresh in-play options like 'nearest the pin' bets, we’re expecting record engagement across both sides of the Atlantic,” said Ferris.
Why is Masters betting different?
The term “styles make fights” is often attributed to boxing. However, it can also be likened to most sports, especially golf.
Players will perform differently at different venues and in varying weather conditions depending on how they match their strengths and weaknesses. For example, a dry day on a course with long fairways will favor the best drivers of the ball.
On the other hand, a soggy afternoon on a shorter course with winding turns and small greens will give the upper hand to more controlled players with better short games.
The Masters is different from other events since it is played at Augusta every year. That means that anyone who is wagering on the event will be able to analyze past performances in a direct like-for-like comparison instead of having to predict how players will hold up on a new course.
This distinction has been reflected in the odds of past event winners. The +2,345 average starting price of Masters winners is significantly lower than those at the US Open (+3320), The Open Championship (+4240), and the PGA Championship (+5310).
It’s also been at least 10 years since a player with pre-event odds longer than +5,000 won The Masters.
2025 Masters odds and favorites
BetMGM’s 2025 Masters odds are topped by American Scottie Scheffler (+450), the 2024 and 2022 winner of the event.
Rory McIlroy (+650) is close behind Scheffler, followed by a chase pack of Collin Morikawa (+1400), Jon Rahm (+1400), Bryson DeChambeau (+1600), and Ludvig Aberg (+2000).
Only Rahm of those four previously won The Masters (2023).
DeChambeau has been a popular pick for American golf bettors in recent years. His longer odds and growing social media popularity are possible explanations for this trend.
Enjoying this Tuesday morning in Augusta! #TheMasters pic.twitter.com/Sbq9tBcLbF
— Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondech) April 8, 2025
Scheffler, the winner of two of the last three events, has not been as highly favored. His pre-event price last year was the shortest of any Masters winner since Tiger Woods during his prime years.
