Golf’s most popular betting event returns, marking the start of the majors season. The Masters tends to be Entain’s fourth biggest sporting betting event of the year globally.

Only the Grand National, the Super Bowl and the Champions League final see more individual bets. It accounts for 40% of bets on golf’s four majors, which collectively account for a third of all golf bets in a calendar year.

Greg Ferris, Managing Director for Sports at Entain said: “The Masters is more than just a golf tournament – it’s a springtime tradition that brings out the fan in all of us. Whether you’re a die-hard golf bettor or someone who only bets once a year, the Masters has a way of capturing imaginations. The combination of iconic players, a legendary course, and unique betting opportunities makes it the perfect stage for patriotic punting and exciting new markets. This year, with stars like DeChambeau lighting up social media and fresh in-play options like ‘nearest the pin’ bets, we’re expecting record engagement across both sides of the Atlantic.”

What is behind the popularity of the Masters as a betting event?

The Masters is an eagerly anticipated event that falls eight months after the last major; it manages to blend tradition, history, and captivating stories in huge global TV audiences. It features some unique elements that make it appealing to betting enthusiasts.

Unlike all the other majors, it is played on the same course each year. This enables customers to analyse betting opportunities and examine trends more thoroughly before placing their bets. It is commonly known that short hitters and poor putters will struggle on this course, and it presents unique quirks, such as left-handed players performing better than expected. Therefore, it is no surprise that the starting price of winners at the Masters for the last ten years, at 24/1, is lower than those of the other three majors and there has not been a winner in the last ten years priced higher than 50/1.

Similar to the Grand National or the Super Bowl, these reasons are why the Masters has such a unique appeal to more recreational bettors, who might not usually bet on Golf, but return every year to enjoy the Masters.

Patriotic punting a huge factor in golf betting

Patriotic punting dominates both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, with regard to which players are popular picks among customers. In America, Bryson DeChambeau is by far and away the most popular pick. The winner of two of the last three Masters, Scottie Scheffler, is not a popular pick, perhaps due to his short price. When he won last year, he was the shortest-priced favourite since Tiger Woods was in his prime, but still some way off the 4/5 Tiger teed off in 2007. Friends and Netflix’s Full Swing stars Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth both receive more bets than Scheffler. In the UK and Ireland, home-grown favourites of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton and Shane Lowry dominate betting slips. McIlroy is the second favourite in the betting as he attempts to complete his Career Grand Slam.

Bryson DeChambeau confirms his reputation as a fan favourite

DeChambeau’s popularity and reach are starting to transcend golf. He has amassed a following of over 5.5 million across his social channels, producing engaging video content. These include his attempt to hit a hole-in-one over his house, challenging famous friends to rounds of golf, and he recently appeared in MrBeast’s sporting video alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady, Noah Lyles, and IShowSpeed, which has amassed over 250 million views.

Traditions proving hard to break as Liv fails to make an impact

A number of headlines surrounding golf in recent years have focused on the power struggle within the game between the existing tours and the new entrant, LIV Golf. With the Netflix cameras following the sport for the last three years, there has been a surge in interest in the game. However, betting on LIV Golf events has generated little to no interest. The PGA Tour remains 100 times larger than LIV in terms of bets and stakes. The only demand customers have for LIV bets is at the majors, where new markets, such as the top LIV player in the field or whether a LIV player will win the major, have been created.

Differences between betting in the UK and the US

Customers in the UK and the US not only bet on different players but also in different ways. In the US, there is no each way betting but instead win and separate place markets. The top 10 in last year’s tournament comprised five of the world’s top ten. Outright markets dominate the UK betting market, accounting for 95% of bets. In the US they make up around 40%, as in play and special markets tend to be more popular.

Products like hole by hole betting, where you can bet on who in each playing group will win the hole, have captured the imagination. A new in play market for the Masters is nearest the pin betting for all the par three holes on the course. Other growing markets include player specials, such as a player to birdie or better all of the par 5s or to go bogey free in the round, a feat Scottie Scheffler managed in three out of four rounds in the recent Houston Open.

Entain’s UK brands Ladbrokes and Coral are both playing 10 places on each way bets at the 2025 Masters.