Masters Best Bets, Expert Tips & Complete 2021 Betting Guide

Quick Tips

• Bet Justin Thomas to Win at +1250 with DraftKings
• Bet Dustin Johnson Each-Way at +950/+200 with FanDuel
• Bet Jon Rahm Each-Way at +1300/+265 with PointsBet
• Bet Cameron Smith Top 10 at +350 with FOX Bet
• Bet Lee Westwood Top 10 at +400 with Unibet

Fewer than five months have elapsed since Dustin Johnson slipped on his green jacket among the autumn leaves of Augusta National. That 2020 Masters was strange for several reasons, most notable its pandemic-related calendar shift to November and the absence of patrons at golf’s premier event.

But it was different for another reason, too: A convincing victory by the No. 1 player in the world. DJ’s five-shot triumph was the largest since Tiger Woods won by 12 in 1997 and Johnson was the first world No. 1 to prevail at Augusta since Woods in 2002. Johnson’s victory was historic in almost every way, down to his record low score of 20-under 268. Golf bettors should be aware of the fact that we don’t get a performance like that very often.

Entering this week’s Masters betting, with the tournament back in its traditional springtime spot, Johnson is No. 1 again. Last year, he did something we hadn’t seen in 18 years. This week, he’s vying to become the first golfer other than Woods to win back-to-back at Augusta National since Nick Faldo in 1989-90. DJ is also the odds favorite, and … well, those guys haven’t fared well recently, either.

5 Best Bets For The Masters

Justin Thomas to Win (+1250, DraftKings)

From DJ to JT? Why not, given that Thomas’ results at Augusta are only getting better, capped by a fourth-place finish last year. Four of his last seven rounds at The Masters have been in the 60s and Thomas plays the type of calculated game that can take full advantage of Augusta’s risk-reward setup. His victory at The Players in March, where he shot 64-68 over the weekend, showed what the 27-year-old world No. 2 is capable of on a course that demands strong decision-making and pinpoint accuracy. Ride with Thomas at DraftKings.

Dustin Johnson Each-Way (+950/+200, FanDuel)

Johnson won’t repeat his 20-under score from 2020, given that the course won’t be nearly as forgiving as it was last fall. But he’s also too good to overlook, given how well his game fits Augusta. He isn’t playing as well as he was entering Augusta last year — he has finished T28, T48 and T54 in his past three starts — but Johnson has recorded top-10s in each of his past five Masters starts. Bet on the defending champ at FanDuel.

Jon Rahm Each-Way (+1300/+265, PointsBet)

You want a guy showing the right signs? Rahm has finished T5 and T9 in his past two starts on tour and has been on a tear since last year’s Masters. In seven starts since, he has been ninth or better five times. The world No. 3 has been fourth, T9 and T7 in his past three Masters appearances, and Augusta shapes up as the best place for Rahm to claim that elusive first major. Plus his wife gave birth on Saturday, so the possibility of Rahm withdrawing from the Masters to be there for that event won’t happen now. Wager on Rahm at PointsBet.

Cameron Smith Top 10 (+350, FOX Bet)

At No. 30 in the world (more on that later) and as an overlooked international player (more on that, too), the Australian is the type who can make a name for himself at Augusta, as he nearly did by finishing tied for second in 2020. That result was no fluke; Smith became the only player ever to shoot four rounds in the 60s and backed up a T5 that included a closing 66 in 2018. He’s not a familiar name, but he has a tremendous short game and a very promising Masters history. Bet on Smith at FOX Bet.

Lee Westwood Top 10 (+400, Unibet)

OK, so maybe players over 40 not named Woods don’t win The Masters anymore. But they can certainly finish in the top 10, as Westwood has done six times including two runner-up results. The Englishman also enters on the heels of a tremendous hot streak that saw him finish second at both The Players and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, elevating him to No. 20 in the world in the process. Westwood’s worth a wager at Unibet.

5 Betting Tips For The Masters

Beware The Odds Favorite

Last year’s top odds choice, Bryson DeChambeau, finished in a tie for 34th, 18 shots behind Johnson. The odds favorite the previous season, Rory McIlroy, finished in a tie for 21st, eight shots behind the winner Woods. No odds favorite has won The Masters since Woods in 2005, when he was in the midst of the greatest eight-year run the game has ever seen.

But Look Out For No. 2

The tournament’s No. 2 odds choice has enjoyed better fortune: Phil Mickelson won from that spot in 2010, Justin Spieth did the same in 2015 and Johnson followed suit last year. The consensus No. 2 odds choice this time around is DeChambeau — who, it should be noted, has never finished better than T21 at Augusta — at +900.

Stick With The Young Guys

Johnson was 36 when he claimed his green jacket, continuing a trend of golfers under 40 winning the Masters. Since 41-year-old Mark O’Meara claimed the title in 1998, just one player over 40 has prevailed at Augusta: Woods, who was 43 in his echoes-shaking performance in 2019. Given that Tiger is always in a category by himself, it might be wise to steer clear of the likes of Westwood and Sergio Garcia to win, no matter their Augusta history.

Check Out The Top 30

Want an easy way to cut down the list of true contenders in The Masters field? Every winner over the past decade has been ranked in the top 30 in the world. Now you’re not evaluating 88 players, but 30, a list that includes the likes of Ryan Palmer and Scottie Scheffler, but not Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose or Jason Day.

Don’t Be Afraid To Take A Chance

There are some excellent international players capable of winning, even if they’re not household names. In the past, those golfers have paid off very well: Trevor Immelman at +15000 in 2008, Angel Cabrera at +12500 in 2009, Charl Schwartzel at +10000 in 2011 and Danny Willett at +5000 in 2016. This week, watch out for the likes of Viktor Hovland (+3300), Sungae Im (+4000), Tyrell Hatton (+4500) — all in the world top 30, by the way — who are good enough to win and provide bettors with tons of value in the process.