US Masters 2024 betting preview, top picks & value bets

The first major golf tournament of the year is here as we head to Augusta National Golf Club for the 2024 US Masters, which kicks off this Thursday.

There are plenty of storylines with 18 past champions in the field, including Tiger Woods, while it is the first time LIV Golf members are playing alongside PGA Tour stars for the year.

Below we look at some of the candidates for the weekend, with betting odds provided by Bovada.

Masters 2024 favourites

Scottie Scheffler

Entering as the strongest Masters betting favourite since Tiger Woods in his prime, Scottie Scheffler has now spent 46 weeks as world number one. Winner of The Players Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year, he has made considerable improvements in his short game. Scheffler has seven top-10 finishes from his eight events in 2024 and will take some beating as he looks for his second green jacket.

Jon Rahm

Defending champion Jon Rahm shocked many last year when he made the switch to LIV Golf. Facing lesser competition and playing only 54 holes each event, the Spaniard has finished top 10 in all five LIV tournaments he has played. More of an unknown than some of the top PGA Tour players, Rahm has all the skills to compete, but his recent lack of four-round tournament play is a concern.

Rory McIlroy

World number two Rory McIlroy continues his pursuit of the career grand slam, 10 years since his last major win. He has finished within the top 10 in seven of the past nine Masters, including a second-place result in 2022. Recent form favours the Northern Irishman after finishing third in the Texas Valero Open last weekend, but if he is going to challenge, he will need to show even further improvement with his irons.

Hideki Matsuyama

Another former winner, Hideki Matsuyama enters the week in excellent form with a win at the Genesis Open in February and consecutive top-10 finishes in his past two events. He has not missed a cut this year, while at the Augusta course he has finished top 20 in eight of his past 10 appearances. At these odds, he offers great value on form.

Masters 2024 value picks

Joaquin Niemann

The current leader of the LIV Golf standings, Joaquin Niemann is in very good form with three wins and four top-five finishes since November. However, his best finish at Augusta National was a tie for 16th last year, so a top-10 finish is a safer bet at +250 with the top golf betting sites.

Will Zalatoris

No matter his form across the rest of the season, Will Zalatoris has always performed at majors. He has six top-10 finishes in his past seven majors, including three runner-up efforts. He missed the majority of the 2023 season with a back problem but has returned strongly this year with consecutive top-five finishes in The Genesis Invitational and Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Shane Lowry

Winner of the 2019 British Open, Shane Lowry has found form across the last month with with a tie for fourth at the Cognizant Classic and a solo third the next week at the Arnold Palmer. The Irishman has finished inside the top 25 in each of the past four Masters, so a top-10 (+800) or top-20 (+333) finish is the play.

Sahith Theegala

After a ninth-place finish in his Masters debut last year, 26-year-old Sahith Theegala should have aspirations of doing even better after his first run at the course. With three top-10 finishes over his past five events, the world number 15 may just be peaking at the right time. While an outright win offers exceptional value with online bookmakers, a top-five (+900) or top-10 (+400) finish are both solid bets.

Sports betting picks