Even though the calendar still says it is February, it is never too early to start thinking about the Masters. This is one of the biggest golf tournaments of the season, and it attracts a large amount of sports betting enthusiasts.
The odds to win the Masters are out, but these odds will be changing every single week. Golf is a hard game to predict, but the golfers that come into this week with some momentum will usually be up at the top.
If history is any indication, you can expect this to be a loaded leaderboard and come down to the final few holes. This event is not always won by the best players in golf, but rather those players that are able to play this unique golf course well.
Big Names at the Top
The early odds have a clear betting favorite up at the top, but there is a loaded group of golfers right behind him. Jon Rahm is the betting favorite at +850, and he just delivered an amazing year of golf in 2021.
Rahm has three top-10 finishes in his four starts at the Masters, and it is clear that he knows his way around this golf course. Jordan Spieth is next on the list at +1100, and he is going to be a betting favorite at Augusta for as long as his playing career is.
Here is a look at the next group of golfers that could factor into the mix at the Masters:
Justin Thomas +1200
Collin Morikawa +1200
Dustin Johnson +1200
Rory McIlroy +1400
Xander Schauffele +1600
Bryson DeChambeau +1600
Brooks Koepka +1900
That is a loaded list of names, and the future of golf is in that list above. Not all of these players have played well at Augusta National in the past, but all of these golfers have won some huge tournaments along the way.
Terrific Second Group
You might think that it would be a surprise if someone outside of the group of favorites won at the Masters, but that is not how this even works. There are surprises every year, and you will see some interesting names on that leaderboard over the weekend.
This also provides a great betting opportunity as there is some value when looking outside of the loaded group of favorites. Here is a look at those golfers:
Patrick Cantlay +2000
Viktor Hovland +2000
Hideki Matsuyama +2600
Cameron Smith +2700
Patrick Reed +2900
Tony Finau +2900
Daniel Berger +3700
Will Zalatoris +3700
This group of golfers also features the two golfers that finished first and second in the 2021 Masters. Matsuyama outlasted Zalatoris a year ago, and each golfer will be looking to play well again.
Will Tiger Woods Play?
One of the biggest questions surrounding the Masters Tournament is the status of Tiger Woods and his potential to play. Woods has absolutely dominated opponents at Augusta National throughout his career, and his presence will greatly impact how this whole thing plays out.
Tiger Woods currently has odds set at +4200, but those odds will change if he is able to play at close to full strength. It’s hard to envision Woods winning the Masters this year, but it’s also hard to see him showing up at Augusta National and not playing well.
Bubba Watson (+6500) and Phil Mickelson (+10000) are two other golfers that have had plenty of success at this golf course during their careers. It would be a huge upset to see either of those two men win, but they have so much history here that it might be worth it to make a bet on either of them.