2024 Masters: Odds, Picks & Predictions
If only every week was like this last one. I risked ten units at the Valero Texas Open and virtually swept the board with nearly 100 units won. It wasn’t just our baby angel, Akshay Bhatia, either. Yes, Akshay’s 55-1 outright victory and 5.5-1 top-10 payouts were the driving force in my most successful event thus far in 2024. I was also pleased to cash a +240 win on Hideki Matsuyama’s top-10 finish, along with a top-20 hit on Peter Kuest and a top-40 stab on Chan Kim. Phew! It was the quintessential tune-up for the year’s first major championship.
Masters week is underway, ushering in the dopamine rush unrivaled in professional golf. The Georgia hills are abloom and Augusta National Golf Club sells springtime in an ethereal bouquet of southern charm. It is a celebration of sport and remarkably remains humble in its exclusivity. The Masters is just special. It is objectively something good for the human spirit shared by millions of golf fans.
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- 2024 Masters Betting Guide
2024 Masters: Odds, Picks & Predictions
(Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Augusta National is a truly unique gem of a golf course. It is equally burdensome on the body and mind; a complete test of one’s golfing form and mettle. Its length is burly at 7,555 yards, but the treachery is planted in the course’s severe undulations through the hills and holler. Towering Georgia pines cast ominous shadows and swaths of straw. Swirling breezes whisper their riddles and the greens roll with quicksilver ease. Tee-to-green stats are paramount, with great emphasis also laid upon course history and scoring on the gettable par-5 holes. Fortune favors the bold in Masters lore.
My betting card is a diverse mix of favorites and long shots. Read my long shots column here. This is perennially the strongest field in professional golf, meaning the stats will only tell you so much. Good vibes and gut instincts matter this week. I’m betting on guys I want to win. It’s important for the golf fan in me to cheer on my favorites who I also have skin on. With a pimento cheese and sweet tea, let’s tee off.
Jon Rahm
Without a hint of surprise, Scottie Scheffler is a massive favorite and is sporting prohibitively short odds. While not opposed to live betting Scottie should his number slip early on, I’d much rather take the discount on the defending Masters champion from Spain. Jon Rahm is a near auto-bet at more than 10-1, especially on a course where he has a recent impact performance.
Picks: Outright +1100 [1u]; Top-5 +250 [1u]
Brooks Koepka
The vibes around Rory McIlroy this week are that he is primed to finally shed the albatross and complete the career grand slam with a victory this week. “Nobody is hungrier,†they say. I believe Brooks Koepka can also stake his claim on who is hungriest. Twice the bridesmaid himself, Koepka is a major championship mercenary. His ball striking prowess has faded from the mainstream attention since defecting to the LIV Tour, but isn’t lost on me. Last year was a shot over the bow. No matter what, Brooksy will be a problem when the lights are brightest. I am laying the most confidence at his feet.
Picks Outright +1800 [2u]; Top-5 +400 [1u]; Top-10 +190 [1u]
Cameron Smith
The mullet is gone. Cameron Smith was not defined by his hairstyle as much as his Ballasteros-esque short game. The Australian has finished in the top-10 four times here, three of which were top five. His creativity and feel-based style fit the property well. Stellar putting is universally effective, so it’s no wonder Cam has had so many close shaves with a green jacket.
Picks: Outright +5000 [0.5u]; Top-10 +400 [0.5u]
Justin Rose
“Twice a bridesmaid†is the recurring theme here. Justin Rose famously succumbed to Sergio Garcia in a playoff in 2017. He also placed second by four strokes to young Jordan Spieth two years prior. The wily Englishman is as steady as they come on difficult tracks and never shies from elite competition. He also ranked fifth overall in my weighted statistical model. I’ll gladly take a chance at his continued success at Augusta National.
Picks: Outright +13000 [0.25u]; Top-20 +300 [0.5u]
Deep Shots: Matthieu Pavon & Jake Knapp
Each of these gentlemen earned his way into the Masters’ field with a victory earlier in 2024. Matthieu Pavon took down the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, while Jake Knapp was on our winning tickets at the Mexico Open and tied for third at the Farmers. They do it in contrasting ways. Pavon is a consistent grinder who limits mistakes and wins with accuracy. Knapp has immense power off the tee, but has a stellar short game and has been better on approach. Throw a few bucks on their outright figures of 200-1 and 250-1, respectively, but the real cheese is in the top-20 market.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday: