Masters Odds 2015: Betting Advice for Latest Vegas Lines on Top Players
There's nothing quite like the 2015 Masters—whether you're watching, playing or just betting on it.
Any golf major hits the Las Vegas sports books as wide-open, with few true favorites in the mix and dozens of names capable of winning it all. Even if you keep it relatively safe by betting on one of the biggest favorites, there are massive potential winnings.
But unlike the other three majors, the Masters offers valuable familiarity for some golfers who have played there over and over throughout their careers. There's a reason there are three-time and four-time green jacket winners heading to Augusta for a shot at another, and it would be foolish to write them all off.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Here's a look at odds for the favorites at the Masters and a closer glance at a few of those golfers.
| Rory McIlroy | 6-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 8-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 11-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 14-1 |
| Jason Day | 14-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 20-1 |
| Adam Scott | 22-1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 22-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 22-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 28-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 28-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 28-1 |
| J.B. Holmes | 33-1 |
| Justin Rose | 33-1 |
| Matt Kuchar | 33-1 |
| Brandt Snedeker | 40-1 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 40-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 40-1 |
| Billy Horschel | 50-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 50-1 |
Note: Odds according to Odds Shark, last updated April 7
Best Bets
Rory McIlroy: 6-1
Whether you're going off historical context, recent play or the world of golf at the moment, the buck stops with Rory McIlroy at the 2015 Masters.
Spectacularly, the Northern Irish star won the last two majors in 2014. If he dons the green jacket this weekend, he'll become just the third player to ever rattle off three straight major wins along with completing the career Grand Slam.
The importance of this weekend isn't lost on him, per PGA.com:
The 25-year-old hasn't won an event—other than, you know, the Ryder Cup—since his last major, but, quite frankly, he hasn't needed to. After top-15 finishes at both the WGC-Cadillac Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, there's no question he's preparing to peak at the right time.
McIlroy knows there is nobody on the course capable of beating him if he puts his best foot forward for all four rounds, and you can hear it in the way he talks about his game. Unless he gets in his own way like he did in 2011, McIlroy will more than likely slip on the green jacket for the first—and probably not the last—time.
Bubba Watson: 11-1
Some golfers are built for the Masters, and one of them has emerged over the last three tournaments.
Bubba Watson dazzled in 2012 with a couple of jaw-dropping shots and his signature power drive to win his first major. While that one came in the most dramatic of fashions, he proved he can win easy in 2014 by coming out three strokes ahead of the opposition in a back-nine snoozer.
You know you have a chance when the unquestioned favorite is picking you, per Shane Bacon:
Of course, there's the obvious worry that history may repeat itself. Not only did Watson go winless in 2013 after breaking through at Augusta the year before, but he also finished in 50th—his worst performance in six career visits.
That's not too surprising considering his pre-tourney obligations as defending champion, but he's admittedly in a better place in 2015, per Sky Sports: "This time I know what to expect. Doesn't mean I'm going to play better, just I know what to expect, I know how to save some energy."
If he keeps his energy on the course and in his powerful swing, Watson will be around Sunday trying to defend his jacket.
Brandt Snedeker: 40-1
Could this be the year Brandt Snedeker finally puts it together for all four rounds?
In 2013, Snedeker threatened the leaderboard on the final day before finishing in sixth place with a round of 75. That was one of his four career top-20 finishes at Augusta, including a third-place finish in 2008, when a ghastly round of 77 doomed his chances of his first career major.
With top-15 finishes at all four majors, the 34-year-old could be destined for a big weekend if his early round with Dustin Johnson is any indication, per ESPN's Jason Sobel:
Snedeker comes in with low 40-1 odds, which give some respect to his regular contention in majors but not enough. Going without a major for so long invigorates golfers like Snedeker, which he's shown by remaining in the mix for majors until the final day.
In his eighth Masters appearance, Snedeker could put it all together and win his first major.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
