Masters 2018: Latest Betting Odds and Tips for Major Golf Tournament

Interest in the Masters appears to be at an all-time high because the field looks as strong as it has ever been.

Rory McIlroy is in form after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Jordan Spieth made a solid run at the Houston Open, Phil Mickelson found the winner's circle earlier this year, and Dustin Johnson may be the most physically impressive player on the tour.

In addition to those players, Bubba Watson is a two-time Masters winner who appears to have regained his top form, Justin Rose has been the runner-up in two of the last three years, and Justin Thomas is on top of the FedEx Cup rankings.

Oh, yes, there's one other factor that make this year's Masters so alluring besides the dogwood trees and the azaleas: the return of Tiger Woods to apparent good health.

The 42-year-old has not played at the famed course in Augusta, Georgia, since 2015, and there were quite a few doubts the four-time Masters winner would ever return to compete.

Woods has played in six events in the 2017-18 season, and his play has been more than respectable. He has made the cut in five of the six tournaments; he finished 12th at the Honda Classic, tied for second in the Valspar Championship and tied for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The oddsmakers have taken notice of his return and solid—albeit non-winning—performances.

Woods and McIlroy are the co-favorites in the event at plus-900, according to OddsShark. A bettor who places a $100 wager on the American, for example, would earn a profit of $900 if he is successful and earns his fifth green jacket.

Thomas is the third choice at plus-1000, while Johnson and Spieth are both plus-1200.

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Here's a look at the top 20 betting choices, ties included (per OddsShark):

Rory McIlroy +900
Tiger Woods +900
Justin Thomas +1000
Dustin Johnson +1200
Jordan Spieth +1200
Justin Rose +1400
Bubba Watson +1600
Phil Mickelson +1600
Jason Day +1800
Jon Rahm +2000
Rickie Fowler +2000
Paul Casey +2200
Sergio Garcia +2500
Hideki Matsuyama +3500
Tommy Fleetwood +4000
Henrik Stenson +4000
Alexander Noren +4000
Patrick Reed +4500
Matt Kuchar +5000
Marc Leishman +5500
Louis Oosthuizen +5500
Adam Scott +5500
Tyrrell Hatton +5500

Nearly all the golfers on this list have established themselves on the PGA or European Tour, and all those in the field have earned their way into what is often considered the most glamorous tournament in the world.

While one would expect the favorites to dominate, long shots are capable of stringing four excellent rounds together.

Here are five players to consider and some tips about their respective games before making a wager on the Masters.

Make sure you give Australian golfer Jason Day (+1800) strong consideration as he already has a victory and a second-place finish on his resume this year. He has finished in the top 10 at Augusta three times, and a disappointing 2017 seems to be in the past.

Bryson DeChambeau (+6600) has been climbing the FedEx Cup rankings this year and is now up to 23rd. He finished second at the Palmer Invitational and tied for fifth in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He has an average of 4.23 birdies per round and has already won more than $1.7 million.

Louis Oosthuizen (+5500) has played in just five PGA tournaments this year, and he has made the cut in four of them, with three top-25 finishes. The South African finished second in the 2012 Masters and has been in the top 25 on three other occasions at Augusta National.

Henrik Stenson (+4000) is one of the more powerful players on the tour, and he can be tough to beat when he gets a lead. He has six career PGA tour wins and 13 international wins.

After failing to make the cut at the Valspar Championship, the Swede finished fourth in the Palmer Invitational and tied for sixth in the Houston Open.

Patton Kizzire (+16000) may be the best play on the board, because of his No. 2 spot in the FedEx Cup rankings.

The 32-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has won two tournaments this season and already earned more than $3.1 million.

While Kizzire is not a well-known player, he has proved himself with multiple victories, and the odds are just too attractive to pass up. He proved he can go low with his 17-under performance at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.