Betting for golf’s first major of the year shifted considerably from last year.
Key takeaways
- Scottie Scheffler is the current favorite to win the Masters, but is largely being faded and passed over for more value.
- Bryson DeChambeau is the most-bet LIV player and a popular name behind Rory McIlroy.
- Bettors think Phil Mickelson is good to make the cut at Augusta National.
Heading into the 2025 Masters Tournament, it’s not a Scottie Scheffler world anymore, despite the two-time Green Jacket winner sitting as the favorite to capture a third. Instead, bettors are backing a golfer who’s yet to win the event in 16 tries.
Rory McIlroy leads ticket counts at sportsbooks in the Masters outright winner market this year as he finally looks to exorcise his Augusta National demons when the 72-hole event kicks off Thursday.
“There is lots of love for Rory,” Caesars lead golf oddsmaker Anthony Salleroli said. “He's currently our ticket leader, and we anticipate him to finish at the top of the ticket count. He's had year-long support, and his current form has given him a lot of attention.”
Scheffler is a +470 favorite in the Masters odds at bet365, but the online operator said Wednesday he’s largely fading for other options, including what would be an historic win for McIlroy, listed second at +675.
“There is plenty of support in the U.K. for Rory McIlroy to finally box off the Grand Slam of Majors with a victory at Augusta, but what is noticeable is the backing he’s getting in the United States,” said bet365 sports and trading expert Steve Freeth. “A remarkable 22.69% of U.S. wagers placed in the Outright Market have been for Rory to be in the company of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods in winning all four Majors.”
Needing Scottie
At DraftKings, McIlroy (+650) leads the field with 14% of the handle and 10% of the tickets. Scheffler (+400) is fourth.
McIlroy is getting 8.9% of the bets and 15.3% of the handle at ESPN BET, both the most of any golfer on the Masters field.
BetMGM saw 16.2% of the handle and 10.8% of the bets on McIlroy, who’s also the sportsbook’s biggest liability. The Northern Ireland native’s BetMGM odds opened at +1,200 but came down to +600.
“Despite a down year by his own standards, Scottie Scheffler is the clear favorite this weekend in Augusta, but bettors are finding more value elsewhere,” BetMGM senior sports trader Matt Wall said. “Rory, Ludvig Aberg, and Bryson are the worst results for the book, and we wouldn’t mind Scottie getting his third Green Jacket.”
Entain, which runs the BetMGM brand, calls the Masters its fourth most bet event of the year.
Backing Bryson
FanDuel reported Bryson DeChambeau, a LIV golfer who’s yet to win a Green Jacket, is the sportsbook’s ticket leader ahead of second-place McIlroy.
Last year’s U.S. Open champion has the third-highest ticket count and third-most money at BetMGM. DeChambeau (+1,700) leads all LIV players in tickets at bet365 and has the second-most bets of any player in the U.S.
DraftKings reported DeChambeau (+2,000) is tied with Colin Morikawa (+1,800) with 10% of the handle and just ahead with 9% of the bets. Scheffler has 9% of the money and 8% of the tickets.
Ludvig Aberg (+2,200) has 6% of the money and bets, followed by Justin Thomas (+2,500) and Min Woo Lee (+6,000) at 4% of the handle, and Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry, and Joaquin Niemann at 3%.
Other markets
Thomas received the most tickets at BetMGM to make the cut at -400, while Max Homa is the most popular golfer to miss it at -155. Phil Mickelson, a former Green Jacket winner, is the second most-bet golfer to make the cut with -165 odds.
McIlory has the most tickets to finish in the top five. Morikawa (+125) is the most popular golfer in the top-10 market. Russell Henley (+138) received the most wagers to finish in the top 20, while Lucas Glover leads the top 40 market at -110.
Scheffler is BetMGM’s biggest liability to lead the Masters after the first round with 13.4% of the bets and 15.6% of the handle.
At bet365, bettors are backing a golfer who’s familiar with the Thursday lead.
“The first tee-off is less than 24 hours away and bet365 customers are sticking with a tried and tested formula in the First Round Leader market with Justin Rose aiming to take that mantle for a fifth time,” Freeth said.
