Masters odds, predictions and best bets for Tiger Woods and more

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History may repeat itself but the odds that a Masters champion will are extremely long.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is set as the +650 favorite in the Masters odds and on the surface, such a notion tends to lend itself to logic. The world's #1 player is tearing it up this season. If anyone looks prepared to turn a Masters repeat performance, he sure looks like the guy.

Except, as anyone who follows the Masters knows, back-to-backs are less frequent than compliments about Patrick Reed coming from opposing golfers. Only three Masters winners have repeated - Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2001-02). Of that group, only Faldo won his first two Masters titles in successive years, so bet Scheffler at your own peril.

Along with Scheffler, Rory McIlroy (+750) and Jon Rahm (+850) are also being given a short betting line in the Masters odds. In fact, Caesars Sportsbook is offering an odds boost to +220 on a package deal in which you get all three of these contenders and win if any of the three are also a winner at Augusta National this year.

Other recent champions such as 2021 winner Hideki Matsuyama (+4500) and 2020 champ Dustin Johnson (+2200) are not thought of nearly as highly by the oddsmakers. Five-time Masters winner Woods, seeking to tie Nicklaus with a record six Masters titles, is a distant +9000 in this betting market.

So if not Scheffler, then who? Well, recent history suggests going away from the green jacket in search of the golfer who will dominate on Augusta National's greens this week. Last year, Scheffler was the seventh first-time winner over the last eight Masters tournaments. In fact, 13 of the last 16 to earn the green jacket were doing so for the first time.

At the same time, don't get too creative when seeking out the player who will exhibit mastery of the Masters. Tremendous long shots don't win at Augusta.

Last year, Scheffler was the +1200 second betting choice. The was also true for Johnson (+900) in 2020. Matsuyama was at odds of +3500 in the 2021 Masters opening line.

Masters of a perfect 10

Canada's Corey Conners isn't going to win the Masters. However, it's a safe bet that he'll be taking home a nice check following Sunday's final round.

Over the last three Masters, Conners has managed a top-10 finish each year. He tied for sixth last year, earning $521,250. In 2021, Conners wound up tied for eighth, banking $345,000. In 2020, a tie for 10th was worth $287,500.

Collin Morikawa wound up fifth here last year and currently is at the top of his game. Statistically on the PGA Tour, he's #1 in approach shots, #4 in ball striking and tee to green and #8 overall in strokes gained.

Add to this group wager of top-10 locks Scheffler, who certainly figures to be in the hunt.

Best Bets: Corey Conners (+400), Collin Morikawa (+220), Scottie Scheffler (-150) to finish in top 10.

Should you tail Tiger?

You can't talk Masters without discussing Tiger Woods. With his health considerations, expecting Tiger to master Augusta is going to be a tough ask. Luckily, there's a litany of Tiger props to consider, so we're bound to find some value.

Tiger to play a bogey-free round is offered at +700. The over/under on Tiger birdies in Round 1 is set at 3.5. It's +105 for the over and -130 for the under.

Woods is +20000 to score an albatross and +5000 to break the Augusta course record. The safest Tiger wager, though, is the make/miss cut play. He's -165 to make the cut and +120 to miss the cut.

Like the 1979 disco hit, this time in life, Tiger is makin' it.

Best bet: Tiger Woods to make cut (-165).

Where there's a Will, there's a way

Woods says if there's one course where his competitive juices always heat up, it's Augusta. Will Zalatoris could make the same statement.

Zalatoris has played in two Masters. He was second in 2021 and tied for sixth last year. In fact, he plays some of his best golf in majors, with six top-10 finishes.

He's been tied for second (2022) and tied for sixth (2020) at the U.S. Open, as well as second place (2022) and tied for sixth (2021) showings in the PGA Championship.

This guy is going to eventually win a major, so why might it not this week? He played well recently at Riviera and obviously is a confident performer at Augusta.

Prediction: Will Zalatoris to win Masters (+4500).

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