The Masters is always a popular week for golf punters, with many of us scrambling to find the best betting picks and value tips.
Plenty have a defined, well-rehearsed strategy, scouring through hours of data before settling on their selections. Others prefer to take a leap of faith on true desires of the heart... like firing a series of the best Tiger Woods bets in the hope of a sixth Green Jacket.
However you prepare for Augusta National, most of us would feel pretty confident in naming some of the most popular picks for the week... but this year might shock you!
Below, thanks to the latest data from Oddschecker, we share the list of the most popular bets for The Masters 2024 and outline a couple of very interesting absences!
Who Are The Most Popular Players In The Betting For The Masters?
The Masters betting odds are a constantly changing phenomena, with some fans taking prices months before the event starts in the hope of banking some value. One thing that often remains pretty stable is the betting favourites, which are always littered with the sort of names you could envisage collecting a Green Jacket on Masters Sunday.
Unsurprisingly, Scottie Scheffler leads the way as the most backed player for The Masters this year, with Oddschecker reporting that 8% of all bets taken go to the World No.1.
Hideki Matsuyama (6.3%) and Rory McIlroy (4.9%) follow next, but bizarrely there is no place in the top-10 for current Masters Champion, Jon Rahm.
Rahm actually features 11th in this list, with just 2.7% of bets for the Spaniard, and I can't help but feel he is being overlooked. This could be due to the fact he is the defending champion, or a result of his move to LIV golf earlier in the year, but those ruling him out do so at their peril.
Above Rahm in the list are the likes of debutants Wyndham Clark (3.3%) and Ludvig Aberg (2.9%) in 8th and 9th place respectively, despite a first-timer not winning the event since 1979.
While they are great players in their own right, Augusta form carries a lot of weight and Rahm could just pop up on Sunday to reward the apparent minority of backers.
There is also no place in the popularity standings for 2015 Masters Champion, Jordan Spieth. Much like Rahm, he just missed out on the top-10, as the 12th most backed player to win the Green Jacket (2.7%).
A T10 finish last week in Texas will give encouragement to many of Spieth's loyal supporters, but two missed cuts and a sloppy DQ in his last five starts has perhaps tempered enthusiasm around his chances on this occasion.
You can't mention popularity and The Masters in the same sentence without giving a cursory nod tot the one and only, Tiger Woods. The five-time Masters Champion has been a common name on Masters bet slips throughout the years, but it appears the excitement around a sixth Green Jacket is somewhat dampened this year.
Tiger is currently the 35th most popular player in the betting, at 150/1, with just 1.2% of the total bets being placed on him. While it would be arguably the most impressive win of his career, there might be more value in some of the side markets this time around.
The Top-10 Most Backed Players At The Masters 2024...
1. Scottie Scheffler - 8%
2. Hideki Matsuyama - 6.3%
3. Rory McIlroy - 4.9%
4. Will Zalatoris - 4%
5. Xander Schauffele - 3.8%
6. Joaquin Niemann - 3.5%
7. Brooks Koepka - 3.5%
8. Wyndham Clark - 3.3%
9. Ludvig Aberg - 2.9%
10. Shane Lowry - 2.8%
-
The Three Most Confusing Rules In Golf And How To Interpret ThemAt times, golf’s rules can be complex and confusing. Here we look at three of the most confusing rules in golf and give you the info you need to understand them.
-
There's A Growing Divide Between Club Members And Nomadic Golfers When It Comes To Handicapping... And I'm Concerned About ItSome golfers believe competition play should be a pre-requisite to achieving a ‘valid’ handicap, while others feel you should be able to submit a card whenever you want
-
The Alternate Masters Playoff Format We'd Love To See...With the last playoff at The Masters contested in 2017, surely we are due some late drama... but how cool would this alternate format be?
-
Could These 6 Holes Pose The Biggest Threat To Scheffler's Bid For A Second Green Jacket At The Masters?Scottie Scheffler has been phenomenal at The Masters this week, but could these six holes halt his momentum towards a second Green Jacket?
-
Rory McIlroy Ranks In The Top-3 For Two Of The Most Important Stats At The Masters... How Is He Not Completing The Grand Slam This Week?Rory McIlroy's has some of the most conflicting stats at The Masters this week, and I can't help but feel he might look back at this one as a missed opportunity...
-
Everything I Learned From Two Hours Sat Behind The 12th Tee At Augusta NationalSpending two hours watching the leading groups come through the heart of Amen Corner, here's everything I learned about the championship defining stretch of golf
-
Did You Know Augusta National Gives Out Crystal For Eagles At The Masters?For those who make an eagle at the iconic event, you can expect some crystal to arrive on your doorstep...
-
The Masters Purse Just Reached $20 Million - Here’s How It’s Grown Through The YearsThe winner of the 2024 Masters will pick up a record paycheck at Augusta National, as the tournament purse increases for yet another year
-
Okay, I’m Going To Say It… The Last Three Holes At The Masters Need A RethinkAugusta National is rightly considered one of the best golf courses in the world, but I find the last three holes at the Masters host venue slightly underwhelming...
-
I Followed Scheffler And McIlroy On Masters Friday, The Gulf In Class Couldn't Have Been ClearerWhile the ten shot difference tells one story, watching them side by side gave me a deeper insight into why Rory is so far off it
