Scottie Scheffler won the Masters in 2022, giving him his first-ever major championship and punctuating an elite start to his PGA Tour season.
Now, Scheffler will head back to Augusta National Golf Club to defend that title. He will do so against a field that may be smaller than most but contains a lot of star power.
Scheffler will be squaring off against many of the world's best golfers as he looks to become the first repeat champion of the Masters since Tiger Woods. Included in the 88-man field will be Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa, to name just a few.
MORE: Ranking the top 30 golfers in the 2023 Masters field, from Rory McIlroy to Tiger Woods
The Masters will be of particular interest to golf fans, as members of the PGA Tour will compete against several players from the Saudi-backed start-up LIV Golf. That means Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, among others, will be able to compete for the major title.
Bettors will be licking their chops staring at this stacked field, as it will create many value opportunities to bet. Per usual, there will be some under-the-radar sleepers who deserve consideration as well.
But who should you bet to win the Masters in 2023? Sporting News breaks down the latest tournament odds, best bets and sleepers to trust in this year's event.
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Masters Tournament odds 2023
Scottie Scheffler (+700) and Rory McIlroy (+700) enter the Masters as the co-favorites to win the event, according to odds from BetMGM Sportsbook. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as Scheffler is the reigning Masters champion and is ranked No. 1 in the world while McIlroy earned a career-best second-place finish in 2022 as well.
World No. 3 Jon Rahm (+900) is the only other golfer with better than 10-1 odds to win the event. He has already won three events and earned seven top-10 finishes during the 2022-23 PGA Tour season while playing in nine events.
Jordan Spieth (+1800), Cameron Smith (+2000), Justin Thomas (+2000), and Patrick Cantlay (+2000) are among the other favorites to win the event. Smith has the best chance among the LIV Golfers in the field, possessing odds slightly shorter than those of Dustin Johnson (+2500).
Below are the odds for the top golfers in this year's Masters tournament. Only competitors with odds of 100-1 or better odds are listed.
| Golfer | Odds |
| Rory McIlroy | +700 |
| Scottie Scheffler | +700 |
| Jon Rahm | +900 |
| Jordan Spieth | +1800 |
| Cameron Smith | +2000 |
| Justin Thomas | +2000 |
| Patrick Cantlay | +2000 |
| Collin Morikawa | +2200 |
| Xander Schauffele | +2200 |
| Dustin Johnson | +2500 |
| Jason Day | +2500 |
| Max Homa | +2500 |
| Tony Finau | +2500 |
| Cameron Young | +3000 |
| Brooks Koepka | +3300 |
| Sam Burns | +3300 |
| Sungjae Im | +3300 |
| Viktor Hovland | +3300 |
| Will Zalatoris | +3300 |
| Corey Conners | +4000 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +4000 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | +4000 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | +4000 |
| Shane Lowry | +5000 |
| Joaquin Niemann | +6600 |
| Min Woo Lee | +6600 |
| Patrick Reed | +6600 |
| Tiger Woods | +6600 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | +6600 |
| Justin Rose | +6600 |
| Tom Kim | +8000 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | +9000 |
| Abraham Ancer | +10000 |
| Adam Scott | +10000 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | +10000 |
| Keegan Bradley | +10000 |
| Keith Mitchell | +10000 |
| Mito Pereira | +10000 |
| Sahith Theegala | +10000 |
| Si Woo Kim | +10000 |
| Tom Hoge | +10000 |
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Masters course breakdown: Augusta National Golf Club
As always, the Masters will be played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The course — a par-72 layout that is 7,510 yards in length — is one of the longest on the PGA Tour; it contains four par-5 holes and three par-4 holes that are at least 495 yards in length.
Because of this, the bigger hitters will find the most success at Augusta. That will make it important for bettors to trust those that produce the most strokes gained off the tee (SG:OTT), as those golfers will often set themselves up for shorter and easier approach shots.
Strokes gained approaching the green (SG:APR) will also carry significant importance for the Masters. Why? Because it is fairly easy to putt at Augusta, so long as you can remain inside 10 feet, per Mark Broadie of Golf.com. Augusta is known for having the highest three-putt rate of any PGA Tour course, so it will be important for golfers to minimize the distance of putts they have to make during the event.
Given the higher rate of three-putts at Augusta National, bettors will also want to pay attention to which players can avoid three-putts most easily. It also will be important to track which players have the highest success rate converting putts within 10 feet of the hole.
Finally, it will also pay to know which golfers have the highest greens in regulation (GIR) percentage. Those who hit the green at a high rate will avoid scrambling and having to take tough chip shots onto Augusta's unforgiving greens. That will make it easier to convert pars and birdies, especially if the player grades well as a putter.
Masters expert picks
Below is a breakdown of the best candidates to consider betting in this year's Masters field. You can feel free to bet them all as winners, but some are better options on betting cards as top-10 finishers, sleepers, or DFS value picks.
To get more expert analysis, picks, and predictions, check out BetQL's Masters betting preview
Masters best bets to win tournament
World No. 3 golfer Jon Rahm (+900) is probably the best bet among the favorites to win the tournament. He has put together a terrific season on the PGA Tour to date, and his approach game is among the best on tour.
Rahm ranks top five in both SG:APR and GIR percentage, so he should be able to hit the second shots necessary to put himself in advantageous positions on the green. Add in that he is an above average putter and ranks 28th in SG:OTT and he looks like a safe bet to compete for the title.
Rory McIlroy (+700) isn't a bad bet either. He ranks top-10 in both SG:OTT and SG:APR, so he should be one of the best tee-to-green players in the field this week. He can be erratic at times, which is why his GIR percentage ranks at a below-average 140th on tour, but his ability to crush first and second shots should be more of a help than a hindrance this week, so long as he isn't too inaccurate.
As for the other co-favorite, Scottie Scheffler (+700), he also qualifies as a decent bet. He ranks No. 1 on tour in SG:OTT and GIR percentage, so he should have a good chance to land balls close to the hole, just as he did en route to a Masters win in 2022.
That said, Scheffler has two things working against him in this tournament. First, he ranks just 136th on tour in putting inside of 10 feet, so his short stick could cause him some trouble this week.
Second, no player has won back-to-back Masters tournaments since Tiger Woods in the 2000 and 2001 iterations of the event. Scheffler has the talent needed to do that, but certainly, betting on him doesn't look as appetizing as betting on Rahm or McIlroy.
Masters value picks for top-10 finish, DFS lineups
You'll be hard-pressed to find better value picks than Patrick Cantlay (+2000) and Max Homa (+2500) as the Masters winners. Both carry better than 20-1 odds to take home the green jacket, but each has been among the best golfers in the world in 2023.
Cantlay looks like a particularly solid play, as he is second-best in SG:OTT behind only Scheffler and also ranks top-five in GIR percentage. As such, he should be one of the best tee-to-green players this week.
Additionally, Cantlay ranks 20th in putting from inside of 10 feet and 41st in SG:APR. The latter mark may not be as strong as some of the other contenders on tour, but it is still well above average. As such, there is no real weakness in his game — save for his spotty performance in previous major championships.
As for Homa, he can be a bit lacking off the tee at times — he ranks just 54th in SG:OTT — but in all of the other major statistical categories we are watching, he ranks at least 37th or better. That includes a high-water mark of third-best in SG:APR, which should help him set up easy putting opportunities on Augusta's tricky greens.
Cantlay and Homa certainly have the skills needed to win the Masters, so they can be trusted as value plays for adventurous bettors. At the very least, others can look to them as top-10 finish bets and solid DFS lineup anchors.
Masters sleeper picks
It's hard to find a more intriguing sleeper pick than Tom Kim (+8000). The South Korean golfer, who affectionately goes by "Tom" as an homage to Thomas the Tank Engine, is playing in his first Masters, but his game profiles well for the Augusta National course. He ranks top-20 in both SG:APR and GIR percentage, so he should be able to hit the all-important second shot well.
Kim is also solid off the tee — he ranks 58th in SG:OTT — and has consistently fared well since joining the PGA Tour in 2022. His rank of 77th in putting inside of 10 feet leaves a bit to be desired, but that shouldn't prevent him from potentially competing for a top-10 spot at Augusta.
If you're not a fan of trusting a first-time Masters performer, Tom Hoge (+10000) is a good alternative. The veteran Hoge ranks No. 1 in SG:APR so far this season and has a top-50 mark in three-putt avoidance. He is merely average off the tee (119th in SG:OTT) but Hoge's T-39 at last year's Masters and top-10 finishes at the PGA Championship and The Players' Championship over the last year are reason enough to back him.
Finally, if you're looking for a deep, value sleeper, look no further than Sepp Straka (+25000). Straka is a below-average hitter off the tee, but his approach game and putting are both strong. He ranks 18th in both SG:APR and GIR percentage and is the 11th-best player at putting inside of 10 feet on the PGA Tour this season.
Straka may have to hit a bit better off the tee than usual to win the Masters, but don't be surprised to see him post a top-20 finish. Either way, at 250-1 odds, he could be worth a flier; and at the very least, a top-10 bet on him could prove to be a lucrative investment for those that believe in work approaching and on the green.
MORE: Why LIV Golf players might surround the 18th hole at the 2023 Masters
Masters Tournament winners by year
Scottie Scheffler is the reigning Masters champion, having won the event by three strokes over Rory McIlroy in 2022. It was Scheffler's first and only major win to date, and he will seek to become the first back-to-back winner of the event since Tiger Woods in 2000 and 2001.
Jack Nicklaus is the all-time leader in Masters wins, as the Golden Bear won the event six times during his illustrious career. His first win came in 1963 and his last was in 1986.
That said, Woods isn't far behind him, as he has won the major five times. His first came during the 1997 Masters, his third appearance at the event, and his most recent win was his shocking 2019 victory at Augusta.
Below is a look at every Masters winner since the event began in 1934.
| Year | Winner | Score |
| 2022 | Scottie Scheffler | -10 |
| 2021 | Hideki Matsuyama | -10 |
| 2020 | Dustin Johnson | -20 |
| 2019 | Tiger Woods | -13 |
| 2018 | Patrick Reed | -15 |
| 2017 | Sergio Garcia | -9 |
| 2016 | Danny Willett | -5 |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth | -18 |
| 2014 | Bubba Watson | -8 |
| 2013 | Adam Scott | -9 |
| 2012 | Bubba Watson | -10 |
| 2011 | Charl Schwartzel | -14 |
| 2010 | Phil Mickelson | -16 |
| 2009 | Angel Cabrera | -12 |
| 2008 | Trevor Immelman | -8 |
| 2007 | Zach Johnson | +1 |
| 2006 | Phil Mickelson | -7 |
| 2005 | Tiger Woods | -12 |
| 2004 | Phil Mickelson | -9 |
| 2003 | Mike Weir | -7 |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods | -12 |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods | -16 |
| 2000 | Vijay Singh | -10 |
| 1999 | José María Olazábal | -8 |
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara | -9 |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | -18 |
| 1996 | Nick Faldo | -12 |
| 1995 | Ben Crenshaw | -14 |
| 1994 | José María Olazábal | -9 |
| 1993 | Bernhard Langer | -11 |
| 1992 | Fred Couples | -13 |
| 1991 | Ian Woosnam | -11 |
| 1990 | Nick Faldo | -10 |
| 1989 | Nick Faldo | -5 |
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle | -7 |
| 1987 | Larry Mize | -3 |
| 1986 | Jack Nicklaus | -9 |
| 1985 | Bernhard Langer | -6 |
| 1984 | Ben Crenshaw | -11 |
| 1983 | Seve Ballesteros | -8 |
| 1982 | Craig Stadler | -4 |
| 1981 | Tom Watson | -8 |
| 1980 | Seve Ballesteros | -13 |
| 1979 | Fuzzy Zoeller | -8 |
| 1978 | Gary Player | -11 |
| 1977 | Tom Watson | -12 |
| 1976 | Raymond Floyd | -17 |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus | -12 |
| 1974 | Gary Player | -10 |
| 1973 | Tommy Aaron | -5 |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus | -2 |
| 1971 | Charles Coody | -9 |
| 1970 | Billy Casper | -9 |
| 1969 | George Archer | -7 |
| 1968 | Bob Goalby | -11 |
| 1967 | Gay Brewer | -8 |
| 1966 | Jack Nicklaus | E |
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus | -17 |
| 1964 | Arnold Palmer | -12 |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | -2 |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer | -8 |
| 1961 | Gary Player | -8 |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer | -6 |
| 1959 | Art Wall Jr. | -4 |
| 1958 | Arnold Palmer | -4 |
| 1957 | Doug Ford | -5 |
| 1956 | Jack Burke Jr. | +1 |
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff | -9 |
| 1954 | Sam Snead | +1 |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan | -14 |
| 1952 | Sam Snead | -2 |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan | -8 |
| 1950 | Jimmy Demaret | -5 |
| 1949 | Sam Snead | -6 |
| 1948 | Claude Harmon | -9 |
| 1947 | Jimmy Demaret | -7 |
| 1946 | Herman Keiser | -6 |
| 1942 | Byron Nelson | -8 |
| 1941 | Craig Wood | -8 |
| 1940 | Jimmy Demaret | -8 |
| 1939 | Ralph Guldahl | -9 |
| 1938 | Henry Picard | -3 |
| 1937 | Byron Nelson | -5 |
| 1936 | Horton Smith | -3 |
| 1935 | Gene Sarazen | -6 |
| 1934 | Horton Smith | -4 |
