Betting on the Masters golf in 2025 might be a little different from the past few years if the sport can settle its differences and finally, finally get on with it. LIV and the PGA Tour have been in talks about agreeing a new, collaborative golf schedule that could result in an amicable truce by the time Augusta comes along.
For golf betting fans, this is good news as the animosity that has bubbled under the surface for the past few years will, hopefully, subside.
It’s time to focus on the first major of the season and all eyes are on Augusta National, where the three big betting names of the past few years – Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm – once again lead the odds.
One of the favourites has won the Masters in each of the past three years and punters are wondering if Scheffler in particular could make it a hat trick of Green Jackets this spring.
So, where to start when betting on the Masters? Read on for Paddy Power’s ultimate guide to golf’s most prestigious major.
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Paddy Power’s Masters betting tips include how to bet on McIlroy
2025 Masters Dates
If you’re wondering when the Masters gets underway then you’re in luck – here are the dates you need to know:
The 2025 Masters golf starts on Thursday 10 April and runs through to the afternoon of Sunday 13 April.
The cut will take place after Friday’s second round – make note of this if you’re betting on a player to make the cut!
Because the action unfolds in the USA, golf betting fans in the UK and Ireland will have to stay up late on Sunday to see if their selections come good.
Masters 2025 Favourites
Golf may have endured a shake-up over the past few years with the emergence of LIV, but the golf odds remain fairly constant when it comes to picking favourites for the majors.
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm perpetually top the list of frontrunners in the Masters betting odds – and for good reason. Scheffler has won it twice in the past two years and Rahm in 2023. McIlroy came second in 2022… behind Scheffler!
Here are the big pre-tournament favourites to win the Masters and their latest golf odds from Paddy Power:
Scottie Scheffler – Scheffler has the measure of Augusta National like very few other golfers on the PGA and LIV tours these days. He won his first Green Jacket in 2022 with a -10 finish, three strokes ahead of McIlroy. Last year he went a stroke better to leave closest challenger Aberg in the dust.
The American looked off the boil in his first three tournaments of 2025 but is nevertheless the 5.00 favourite to win a third Green Jacket. Those odds are exceptionally slim, even if Scheffler is unbeatable on his day.
Rory McIlroy – It’s now 11 years since McIlroy last won a major and, while he’s in good form right now, plenty of punters will wonder if it’ll ever come good for the Northern Irishman. McIlroy’s Augusta form runs hot and cold. He finished second in 2022 but missed the cut the following year. In 2024 he finished well out of the running, tied 22nd.
This year could be different. It honestly could. McIlroy won the DP World Tour Championship back in November and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this February. Three tournaments into 2025 and he’s playing well. Can he hold his nerve at Augusta? He crumbled from a winning position at the US Open last year. His odds of 8.50 suggest he won’t if he has a similar lead this April.
Jon Rahm – Rahm has started 2025 in fairly middling form, having finished 2024 with two LIV tournament wins from his last three events. The Spaniard blew hot and cold at the majors last season but does have form at Augusta, having won the Green Jacket in 2023.
Rahm recently slipped outside the world’s top 50 ranked golfers due to his LIV contract. While he remains one of the betting favourites for the Masters, there’s not a huge amount of interest in him this year. His odds have already floated and – two months out from the first tee – he’s 13.00 to win.
Ludvig Aberg – Runner-up at the Masters last year, Ludvig Aberg was the man to bet on in 2024. The Swede had his breakout season and is now challenging for trophies. Aberg won the Genesis Open in February and finished an impressive eighth at last year’s Players Championship. At 25 he’s only experienced Augusta once before – but perhaps that will help him.
Aberg thrives on long courses and Augusta, with its twisty, tricky holes, is a challenge for even the best golfers. If the Swede can refine his approach play and stay out of trouble then his cool head could take him a long way. At 13.00 he’s certainly in the running.
Xander Schauffele – Xander Schauffele had the sort of season in 2024 the few golfers can even dream of. He didn’t win a single tournament apart from the PGA Championship and the Open. He proved to be the perfect clutch golfer when fending off Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke at Valhalla.
A rib injury hampered his start to 2025 but Schauffele is expected to be fully fit for Augusta. He’ll need to be – this is a complex course that tests players’ physicality as well as their mentality. Schauffele’s best finish at the Masters is tied second in 2019. He’s 15.00 to win it this time.
Masters Bet Types
Betting on the Masters isn’t all about the winner. There are plenty of different US Masters 2025 odds to look over at Paddy Power, and you can always ask us for special markets with the #WhatOddsPaddy service!
Below are our core bet types for the Masters 2025:
Tournament Winner – This is the simple one, where you bet on who wins the Masters. Scheffler, McIlroy and Rahm lead the betting right now. See the latest Masters winners odds here!
3 Balls – Players go round in groups of three at the Masters and you can bet on who will shoot the lowest score from any particular group. This is a great way to follow the tournament live and bet on players who you know won’t win the Green Jacket but who are entertaining to watch.
Overnight Leader – Bet on who will top the leaderboard at the end of any day’s play. These odds can vary wildly over the course of a match and often favour a player who hits the birdies early.
Hole Betting – Paddy offers special odds on selected holes, such as “Round 1 Hole 2 – McIlroy to hit the Green with 2nd Shot”.
Make The Cut – Back a player to make the cut or miss the cut before the end of Round 2. This is an ideal option for betting against players you think will play worse than their standard game.
Top 10 Finish – Bet on a player to finish in the top 10 positions. Rory McIlroy is usually a good bet here. You can also bet on a Top 5 finish and Top 20 finish.
Live Betting – Follow players hole by hole with Paddy’s live golf betting coverage and make every shot count during the Masters. Time your bets to perfection and make the right calls at a time that suits you.
Masters golf betting is hotting up as we approach the first major of the year
2025 Masters Tips
Now we know who the favourites for the Masters are, and what bets are available to us, it’s time to check out some golf tips. You can, of course, get updated Masters tips from Paddy Power throughout the tournament and follow our expert advice!
If you’re new to the game or just want a general steer on where to begin looking, here are tips to get you started:
Go early on McIlroy – McIlroy was 9.00 to win the 2024 US Masters and is 8.50 in the pre-tournament betting this year. He isn’t a player who particularly thrives in the chase – he’s better at snatching a lead and keeping it. So, it’s likely that McIlroy’s odds will fall rapidly, if he starts well at Augusta. 8.50 might be the best price you get on him all tournament. If you’re thinking of backing McIlroy then the earlier the better.
Consider a hole in one – Stewart Cink nailed the last Masters hole-in-one back in 2022 at Hole 16. To date there have been 34 holes-in-one from 87 editions of the Masters. That means there’s a 39% chance of another hole-in-one this spring. Keep an eye on the odds. Anything wider than 2.50 for a tournament hole in one means there’s value to be had here. Oh, and Hole 16 is by far the best place for holes-in-one, with 24 sunk here. Other holes to keep an eye on are the 4th, 6th and 12th.
Steer clear of Woods – Betting on Tiger Woods at the Masters is always tempting but it’s hard to see the five-time champion winning again here. Woods just doesn’t have the physical or mental agility to keep up with the younger, sharper field. Last year he made the cut, which was impressive in itself. His 2019 miracle was just that: a miracle. The Woods Masters odds for 2025 will suggest he’ll be lucky to again make the cut.
Matsuyama Top 5 – Hideki Matsuyama has played a lot of golf already in 2025 and looks well placed to challenge for the top spots at Augusta. The 2021 Masters champion won The Sentry in January, endured a dip in form, and is now coming out of it. He could peak in April and is due a good round at the Masters following a couple of fallow years. Keep an eye on his Top 5 price.
Where the Masters will be won and lost
The US Masters is unlike other tournaments in golf. Augusta National is such a tricky course that players who are flying through the rounds can suddenly come undone in one nasty hole. Only a handful of third-round leaders have gone on to win the Masters across the past two decades – shooting consistently when under career-defining pressure isn’t easy.
The 2025 Masters will probably be decided in the first nine of Sunday’s round. If the overnight leader from Saturday can keep their head then they stand the best chance of winning the title. However, two or three challengers usually appear from the chasing pack on Sunday, making for a great back nine and finale.
If you’re betting on the Masters then you can use the first two rounds to bet on the cut and whether players will finish in the top spots. From Saturday, the focus may swing to who will win the Masters. From here, Scheffler is the big favourite but Aberg and Matsuyama are great outside shots.
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