While the 2020 Masters may still feel fresh in the minds of many, no golf fans or bettors will complain that we’re already gearing up for the 2021 version. The 85th tournament gets underway at Augusta National later this week and there has never been a better time to bet real money on the Masters.
While Tiger Woods will unfortunately miss the event due to the injuries he suffered in his car accident back in February, we still have a star-studded field on hand at Augusta. Things should feel a bit more normal than they did back in November, thanks in large part to the increased attendance numbers we’ll see this week.
Dustin Johnson will look to become the first back-to-back winner at a Masters since Tiger accomplished the rare feat in 2001 and 2002. Johnson set a record in November by finishing -20, which was the lowest winning score in the illustrious history of the tournament. As you may expect, DJ is the favorite:
- Dustin Johnson – +900
- Bryson Dechambeau – +1000
- Jordan Spieth – +1000
- Justin Thomas – +1100
- Jon Rahm – +1200
- Rory McIlroy – +1800
- Patrick Cantlay – +2000
- Xander Schauffele – +2200
- Brooks Koepka – +2200
- Collin Morikawa – +2700
Can DJ Repeat?
We haven’t seen players run away and hide at The Masters all that often over the years. Tiger has done the deed a time or two, but we’re used to enjoying a nail-biting final round on Masters Sunday. Back in November, that wasn’t the case. Johnson lapped the field from the jump, finishing five shots better than any other player on his way to his record-setting showing.
While Johnson is a deserving favorite, things could be a little bit different this time around. Georgia has been in the midst of a bit of a drought lately, which means the course should play a bit faster than it did back in November.
In his last five Masters, Dustin Johnson has lost to just 18 of 447 competitors. He’s beaten or tied 96% of the field across those five Masters. Insane (and underrated) run.
— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) March 22, 2021
It’s also worth noting that Johnson hasn’t played particularly well since winning The Masters. In four starts since taking home the green jacket, Johnson has finished 11th, eighth, 54th, and 48th. He still finished at -1 at TPC Sawgrass last month, but he didn’t shoot better than 70 in any single round.
On the flip side, Johnson has always played incredibly well at Augusta. While he has only one actual win under his belt thus far, his performance relative to the rest of the field is absolutely staggering:
Is Spieth Back?
It’s easy to forget that Jordan Spieth is still only 27 years old. Back in 2015, he looked like the heir apparent to Tiger. Spieth won three of the four majors that year, including The Masters, in one of the most dominant single seasons we’ve seen in decades. However, he has spent most of the past six years trying to rediscover his old form.
So far this year, he finally looks like his old self. Spieth dominated the field (-18) at the Valero Texas Open last week, which marked his third top-five finish across his last five starts. He finished fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month alongside a third-place finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
The numbers back it up. Spieth is third on the tour in strokes gained on approach shots behind Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa. Spieth has finished 15th or better in six of his last seven starts on tour, as well. In addition to his win here in 2015, Spieth also has a second-place finish (2016) and a third-place finish (2018) on his ledger.
The Texas native opened at +6000 to win The Masters this year, but his odds have improved all the way to +1000 heading into Thursday.
What’s the Best Bet?
Woods’ absence will be noteworthy, but we still have no shortage of quality betting options when it comes to winning the 2021 Masters. Given Johnson’s all-around dominance over the years, DJ is literally never a bad bet. You can do a lot worse than taking a flier on the reigning champion at +900, especially given the short layoff between events this year.
Spieth at +1000 is awfully tempting, as well. He would have been a phenomenal value before the odds shifted, but there is still plenty of upside at those new odds, too. We know he has a strong history at Augusta in his own right, and the fact that he’s once again playing with confidence bodes well for his chances.
Jon Rahm (+1100) is one of the most consistent players on tour. While a major title has continued to elude him to this point, it’s really just a matter of time until the Spaniard gets across the finish line in first place. Xander Schauffele is another player that checks most of the boxes when it comes to a quality pick (+2500). There are no true weaknesses in his game, and it’s easy to see him donning a green jacket at some point.
$100 Could Win You…$1,100
In the end, I keep coming back to Spieth. While he has generated plenty of buzz coming into the week, it just feels like the right play. Given his momentum, experience, and knowledge of Augusta, you’re still getting excellent bang for your buck here at +1000. This is the week Spieth puts himself firmly back on the radar.
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu …
