When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn As the first of the four golf majors to run each season, knowing how to bet on the Masters is an important skill in the golf betting calendar. What makes this tournament unique is that it’s the only golf major to run at the same course annually – the Augusta National Golf Course in Georgia.
With this in mind, there are some Masters-specific betting strategies to learn, and knowledge you can gather, to help maximize your profits. In our guide on how to bet on the Masters, get an in-depth look at everything you need to know about the tournament.
How Does Masters Betting Work?
The process of betting on the Masters is relatively straightforward. You need to head to the golf section of one of the best online sportsbooks to start with. As for how many Masters golf betting markets are available, it will depend on how long you have until the tournament begins, or if it’s already started.
We’re still a couple of weeks away from the Masters on April 11th – 14th. Because of this, only the tournament winner market is live on BetOnline. But as the first tee time draws closer, the range of markets will grow.
In the main menu of the left of the page, got to Futures > The Masters, where you’ll then see the full market. Then it’s a case of making your pick.
This market will only pay out if the player wins. There is no place or each-way betting option in this market, just the outright win, which includes if they win via a playoff. Outright win is one of, if not the, most common and popular markets for Masters betting.
How to Bet on the Masters Golf Tournament
Create a sportsbook account
Head to the BetOnline homepage and click JOIN in the top right corner. It’s in the same place whether you access the site on a desktop or mobile device. You will be asked to fill in some information before you can make a deposit and place a bet. The details they require to get started are your name and email address. You’ll need to verify your account to withdraw money from it but this can be done at a later date.
Enter personal information
One you’re logged in, click DEPOSIT at the top of the page and follow the steps to add funds to your account. BetOnline accepts traditional payment methods like credit and debit cards but the quickest and best way to avoid fees is to use crypto.
Find the sportsbook's golf markets
Use the main sportsbook navigation menu down the left to find the golf betting section. You’ll see all markets for current tournaments or those soon to start. The Masters market is listed under Futures.
Place your bet
As the tournament gets closer, more and more markets will go live. They will all be fully formed once the field is set on Monday April 8th.
Types of Bets for the Masters Tournament
The US Masters is arguably one of the most important events on the men’s golf calendar. As a result, the buzz around this tournament is rivaled by few, with sportsbooks keen to take advantage. Online betting sites often create a wide variety of betting markets for the Masters than most PGA Tour events.
How to Place Live Bets on the Masters
Live betting is extremely popular in golf due to the length of rounds and the overall tournament. It allows for a more measured approach, especially compared to basketball or football. You can bet on the tournament winner right up until the final few holes on Sunday afternoon.
To get started, simply go to one of the best live betting sites such as BetOnline and locate the sports markets. Some brands also offer markets as specific as who will win an individual hole in a group of three players.
Now, head to the ‘Live Betting’ part of the site and all Masters live markets will be up to date and ready to play.
Masters Golf Live Betting Example
Live betting offers real-time opportunities to place new bets and adjust pre-tournament bets as things unfold. To explore live betting in the Masters golf tournament, our example uses Rory McIlroy as a potential bet for the overall winner.
Let’s assume you’re watching the Masters in its final round and want to place a live bet on the potential winner.
- At the beginning of the tournament, McIlroy’s odds to win were set at +1200. This means betting $100 on McIlroy winning would make you an $1200 profit, along with the return of your initial stake (meaning $1300 total).
- As the tournament progresses, McIlroy’s performance during the final round means he is only a couple of strokes behind the leader, making him a strong contender to win. Live betting markets now state that McIlroy’s odds have shifted to +450.
With this shift in odds, the adjustment reflects the changing situation – you now have increased chances of McIlroy securing victory. At these updated odds, a $100 live bet on McIlroy would make you a profit of $450, along with your initial wager (meaning $550 total).
Understanding Live Betting Factors
The shift in McIlroy’s odds in the final round can be attributed to several factors:
- Performance. McIlroy’s consistent and strong performance throughout the tournament has heightened his probability of winning. As he climbs the leaderboard, sportsbooks adjust the odds to reflect his improved position.
- Leaderboard changes. As other players’ performances make them move up and down the leaderboard, McIlroy’s position becomes more crucial. If his rivals fail, his odds of winning improve.
- Course conditions. Depending on changing weather conditions, the Augusta National course difficulty may vary, potentially favoring certain players’ playing styles. McIlroy’s adaptability to certain conditions affects his odds.
- Momentum. McIlroy’s momentum during the final round sees him playing well, which suggests he will likely go on and shoot a low round.
- Market demand. Live betting odds are influenced by the betting patterns of other gamblers. If a significant number of bets are placed on McIlroy during the final round, odds might shift accordingly.
In this live betting example, you can capitalize on McIlroy’s favorable odds to win the Masters. It can also go the other way, where you end up losing more on a bet if a favorite becomes less likely to win during live betting adjustments.
Remember that odds can change rapidly, so quick decision-making is critical.
Betting Strategies for the Masters
The Masters is unique as it’s the only of golf major tournaments played on the same course every year. This creates quite a different dynamic compared with other tournaments, as it allows bettors to dive deep into stats linked with the course, and with previous Masters tournaments at Augusta National.
In this section of our guide on how to bet on the Masters, we’ve added some ideas for a betting strategy that will help you to quickly find winners, year after year.
Greens in Regulation
Greens in regulation is a stat that has moved down the pecking order thanks to the emergence of ‘strokes gained’. It’s quite an easy statistic to measure, but it’s key at the Masters.
Augusta averages around 60% for GIR for the field, but over the last 15 years, the winners have been north of 70%. Your goal in this betting strategy is to look at players who have either:
- Great GIR statistics leading up to the tournament
- A strong record for this metric in previous Masters appearances
Look Out for Longer Hitters
Phil Mickelson said the key to winning the Masters is “hitting bombs” and he was right. Length off the tee is important in any tournament, but at Augusta it’s a significant advantage. The course measures around 7,500 yards, the 7th longest on the PGA Tour. But the undulation across the course can make some holes feel much longer than they are.
Don’t worry too much about accuracy, as there is little to no rough. The penalties are bunkers, giant pine trees, and a little water. The PGA Tour released stats in 2022, based on if the player was in the fairway or not, that stated a difference of less than 10% in birdie or better rates.
Choose the Best Approach Players
‘Strokes Gained Approach’ is one of the biggest metrics that you need to consider. Wide fairways and little to no rough means that the course is very much a second-shot shootout for lots of players. Those who can control their approaches to the green will fare the best.
To put this into context, since 2017, five of the last six winners have all featured in the top five for Strokes Gained Approach. Most notably, Jordan Spieth leads all players in these statistics from 2015, gaining 1.17 strokes per round with approach play alone.
Par 5 Scoring is Key
The par 5s at Augusta are key to low scoring. The par 3s and 4s are generally long, fraught with danger, and can be card wreckers. This makes it imperative to make scores on the easier par 5s on the course.
Most players will do the majority of their scoring on the par 5s, so your goal in this strategy is to find players with a low-scoring average on these holes. Longer players will always have an advantage here, but don’t discount wedge players who can hit it close in three and remove any risk of going in two.
Players like Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Danny Willett, Sergio García, and Hideki Matsuyama are far from ‘long’ hitters. Still, they have incredible iron/short games, the platform for all their successes.
Players Who Know the Augusta National Course
The Masters has only ever had three debut winners: Horton Smith in 1934; Gene Sarazen in 1935; and Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. Players don’t simply show up and win for the first time as they might at other majors or even PGA Tour events.
For the US Masters, golfers need to know the course well before they can break out. From a betting perspective, stay away from rookies or players who are still new to the course. A great strategy is to target ‘each way’ or ‘place’ wagers on golf betting sites for past winners. You will be surprised to see how many knock on the door as they come down the stretch on a Sunday afternoon.
Masters Dead Heat Betting Rules
In golf, ‘dead heat betting‘ refers to a situation where two or more players finish a tournament with the same score, resulting in a tie for a particular position. Dead heat rules come into play when multiple players in the Masters share the same finishing position, affecting the calculation of payouts.
This scenario is relevant to various betting markets, including predicting the tournament winner, top finisher, or match betting. Dead heat rules ensure fairness and accurate payouts when multiple golfers achieve the same finishing position in tournaments like the Masters.
Masters Dead Heat Betting Example
You place a bet on Golfer A to finish in the top 5 at the Masters. The sportsbook offers you odds of +300 for this outcome. A dead heat situation occurs when Golfer A finishes tied for 4th place with one or more players.
Let’s say you had wagered $50 on Golfer A at +300 odds. In this scenario, your potential profit – if they finished in the top 5 without a dead heat – would be calculated as follows:
- $50 bet × +300 odds = $150 profit ($200 total payout)
However, the dead heat rules are then applied since Golfer A shares 4th place with another player. Your payout is adjusted based on the number of players involved in the dead heat.
How do Adjusted Odds Change My Profit?
As two golfers are tied for 4th place, the adjusted stake for the dead heat would be calculated as follows:
- Adjusted stake = Original stake ÷ Number of dead heat players
- Adjusted stake = $50 ÷ 2 players
- Adjusted stake = $25
Your new profit amount, taking dead heat rules into account, would be calculated using the adjusted odds:
- Adjusted profit = Adjusted Wager × odds
- Adjusted profit = $25 bet × +300 odds
- Adjusted profit = $100 payout = $50 profit (on original $50 stake)
It’s important to be aware of these rules when placing bets, as they can impact your potential winnings based on the specific circumstances of a tied outcome.
Most Successful Masters Winners in History
The Masters has crowned some of the greatest names in golf. In this section, we’ve included the top 5 most successful players of the tournament.
1. Jack Nicklaus
Affectionately known as the ‘Golden Bear’, Jack Nicklaus is synonymous with Masters greatness. Nicklaus boasts an astonishing six Masters victories, his first triumph coming in 1963 and his last in 1986 at the age of 46, making him the oldest winner in Masters history. His strategic approach, powerful drives, and impeccable iron play contributed to his unmatched success.
2. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods’ aura at the Masters is undeniable, captivating audiences with his sheer dominance and artistry. Woods secured his first Masters victory in 1997 with a record-breaking performance, winning by 12 strokes. He clinched four more green jackets in 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2019. Woods’ dynamic play, remarkable recovery shots, and clutch putting have solidified his status as a Masters legend.
3. Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer, the charismatic ‘King’ of golf, left a real impression on the Masters. With four titles (1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964), Palmer’s swashbuckling style and go-for-broke attitude made him a fan favorite. His remarkable comeback wins and huge following helped popularize the Masters and elevate it to international prominence.
4. Phil Mickelson
A fan favorite and master of creativity, Mickelson has earned three Masters victories (2004, 2006, and 2010). Known for his daring shots, Mickelson’s short-game prowess and fearless approach have been crucial to his Masters success. His thrilling victory in 2004, highlighted by his unforgettable approach shot on the 18th hole, remains one of the tournament’s iconic moments.
5. Sam Snead
The enigmatic Sam Snead claimed three Masters titles (1949, 1952, and 1954), each showcasing his timeless elegance and smooth swing. Snead’s victories spanned different eras of golf and emphasized his remarkable adaptability. His skillful play and magnetic personality made him a beloved figure in Masters lore.
Enjoy low margin Masters betting odds at BetOnline.
Masters Golf Betting FAQs
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References
- Augusta length (The Masters)
- PGA Tour Courses (PGA Tour)
- Course layout (The Masters)
