The Masters 2023: Betting preview & best bets

The Masters is finally here. The first Major Championship if the 2023 season is upon us and all eyes once again fall on the magic of Augusta National Golf Course. The best players in the world are set to duel it out for the grandest prize in all of Golf, and it’s not just the PGA Tour players…

The Masters 2023: Field overview

Scottie Scheffler	+700
Rory McIlroy	+700
John Rahm	+900
Patrick Cantlay	+1600
Jordan Spieth	+1600
Tony Finau	+2000
Justin Thomas	+2000
Xander Schauffele	+2200
Jason Day	+2200
Dustin Johnson	+2200

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy head the odds going into this weekend. Scheffler is not only coming off of winning his Maiden Green Jacket last year, but is riding a streak of 3 consecutive top-5’s including a win at The Players Championship. The last back-to-back Masters champion was Tiger Woods back in 2002, so to say that a repeat would be a ridiculous achievement would almost be an understatement.

As for Rory, he’s still searching for that first win at Augusta. He’s had 3 top-5’s here dating back to 2018 and notably came second to Scottie last year. Could this be the year he finally gets the weight off his shoulder? Well, he currently ranks 2nd in strokes gained off the tee, and 3rd in tee-to-green. He’s playing great golf and doing so at the perfect time.

It’s also hard to ignore John Rahm. He’s tucked in behind McIlroy and Scheffler. Prior to last year’s 21st place finish, Rahm had four top-5 finishes in a row here, which at least makes him a very viable candidate for an Each Way bet (which offers 1/5 of the odds for a top-8 finish). He’s also fifth in strokes-gained putting, which on this course, could be all the difference.

If you are looking for a favorite – 9 of the last 10 winners at The Masters have finished inside the top-six in a major in one of the previous two years (Per Andy Lack of Rick Run Good). That narrows it down quite significantly and also calls into play one of the LIV Golfers, Cam Smith.

Coming in at +2200, the British Open winner is out to make a statement at Augusta this week and the extra chip on his shoulder could be a vital one. It is worth noting that his form has been anything other than convincing, with two missed cuts overseas in other PGA events and LIV hardly providing an accurate barometer for form. Still, it could be a chance to ‘buy the dip’.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a week at Augusta without Tiger Woods. The GOAT registered a 45th place finish at The Genesis Invitational and we all remember his heroic win here just a few years ago. Is there a little more gas in the tank for someone who once dominated The Masters?

Max Homa comes in at +2800 and while he’s never had a ton of success here, he’s a very different golfer in 2023. Homa has been exceptional and oh-so nearly won the Genesis Invitational. He’s one of the best all-round golfers in the field and could well be in the frame come Sunday.

As far as value plays go, Will Zalatoris is an intriguing option. He arguably hasn’t been the same since his injury, but that has pushed his price to an enticing +3500. He’s had three consecutive top-5 finishes here and always ends up in the picture at majors. He could be a valuable play as someone who almost shocked the world at The Masters just a few years ago.

Corey Conners is also worth a nod. He won last time out in a weakened field and has great course history here with 3 top-10 finishes at the Masters. At +5000 he’s certainly a deep-value play worth considering.

Betting prediction for The Masters 2023

My head says Rory McIlroy, my heart says Max Homa. Both are great bets but I feel like Homa’s narrow defeat at a tournament he really wanted to win will spur him on around Augusta to shock the world.