The Masters Betting Tips 2026: Don't Ignore My Best Bet (He Outranks Scottie Scheffler)

This is the greatest week of the year, bar none, and I can hardly contain my excitement as we rapidly approach the start of the Masters.

The majesty of Augusta National is unrivalled, but before we can enjoy everything this special tournament has to offer - we need to get down and dirty with the data in order to find the best bets for the Masters 2026.

I've spent weeks trawling through recent form, course history, correlation, trends and everything in between - which has allowed me to emerge with a set of Masters betting tips that I believe have the perfect balance of value and true winning upside.

Interestingly, in my deep dive into the field, I emerged with the name of player in red hot form who actually outranks Scottie Scheffler in a few key measures.

Last year, I successfully tipped Rory McIlroy to win the Green Jacket and secure the Career Grand Slam, so I am bidding to go back-to-back with my best bet at the Masters 2026...

The Masters Betting Tips 2026

Tips by...

Tips by...

Baz Plummer

For any first time readers of my betting tips, I'm Baz. I have years of experience writing golf betting content across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and LIV Golf - plus all the men's and women's Majors. I have successfully picked three of the last five men's Major winners, utilising a heavily-researched and data-driven formula which centres around a clear mantra... follow the trends! You can find my best bets in my weekly column, 'Bazza's Best Bets' via the Golf Monthly betting hub.

The Masters Long List

For anyone who tuned into the Kick Point Tour Issue Masters 2026 preview this week, which you can also watch above, you will already know that I have been drawing up a Masters long list for a while now.

This process has essentially seen me whittle the Masters field down to just 10 players, one of which I believe will walk away with the Green Jacket this week.

Now, further condensing that list is going to be tricky. They all have genuine chances to take this esteemed Major Championship title, but how did I draw up the list in the first place?

First and foremost, we need to focus on elite ball strikers. Strokes Gained: Approach is a key measure that links to success at Augusta National, but pairing that with a sharp short game is also essential.

Everyone tends to find putting difficult at the Masters, so I am inclined to rely less on that to steer me, but as one of the most predictive prior form events we have on the calendar it's definitely worth looking at previous Masters performances.

In terms of course correlation, I'd be focusing on players who have previously played well at tournaments like the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, The Players at TPC Sawgrass and The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village.

Par-5 scoring is also a super important stat at the Masters, especially considering only one winner since 1974 has won the event without scoring under-par on the par-5s.

So, now that I've explained my rationale and given an insight into how I built my model, here is my long list for The Masters 2026...

• Jon Rahm
• Xander Schauffele
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Patrick Reed
• Tommy Fleetwood
• Matt Fitzpatrick
• Viktor Hovland
• Ludvig Aberg
• Hideki Matsuyama
• Collin Morikawa - demoted due to injury

The Masters Betting Tips: Best Bets

Top Tip: Jon Rahm (+1200) To Win @ BetMGM

This was a close call between Jon Rahm and one other player, but I had to side with the Spaniard after being incredibly impressed by his performances in 2026.

Rahm has been on fire at the start of the LIV Golf season, with one win, three runner-up finishes and a 5th place finish in his five starts this year.

He is also a former champion at the Masters, winning his Green Jacket in 2023, and his wider form in this event puts a big tick in his box.

He was 5th in 2021 and 14th last year at Augusta National, but he also ranks statistically as the best golfer in the planet in 2026.

Across 20 rounds of golf, spanning five events, he has gained strokes throughout the bag and has a true Strokes Gained: Total of +2.69, which is +0.01 better than World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.

He also outranks Scheffler by 58 places in Strokes Gained: Approach (12th vs 70th) since the turn of the year, Strokes Gained: Tee To Green (4th vs 6th) and driving distance (27th vs 30th) - all of which tend to play a significant part in determining the winner at Augusta National.

His approach play is the strongest area of his game this year, gaining almost a stroke on the field, so I am expecting a strong charge from Rahm at the Masters this year.

Next Best: Xander Schauffele (+1400) To Win @ BetMGM

Xander Schauffele was the closest pursuer to Jon Rahm in my estimations this year, but, while I leant more towards the Spaniard in the end, I still love Xander in this event at his current price.

Schauffele has been going about his business in style this season without really catching the eye of many, so I believe he is a dangerous option who is arriving slightly under the radar.

Xander was 3rd at The Players Championship, which is a great sign for a strong Masters effort, but he was also 4th on the start following that at the Valspar.

A 7th place finish at the Genesis Invitational adds weight to his claim via the correlating course form trend and statistically he suits this test perfectly.

In the 12 month period since the last Masters Tournament, Schauffele ranks 11th for SG: Approach and 7th for SG: Tee To Green, but he has impressed throughout the bag this season so far.

His Masters record is also exemplary. Schauffele has finished in the top-10 in his last three appearances at Augusta National, and was 3rd in 2021, so considering how important prior performances at this event are in determining success... that's a great sign.

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Masters Betting Tips: Value Bets

The Value Bet: Min Woo Lee (+4500) To Win @ BetMGM

It's time to let him cook at Augusta National, as Min Woo Lee is arriving in fantastic form.

In his last five starts, the Australian has finished runner-up, 6th, 12th and 3rd most recently at the Houston Open.

That 12th place finish came at Riviera Country Club, a strongly correlating course, where he shot an impressive pair of 65s.

Min Woo Lee also has a 6th place finish at TPC Sawgrass and has a couple of decent efforts at Augusta National.

His best effort was a 14th place finish at the Masters, but after four attempts at playing the tournament I now believe he is ready to step up and contend.

In 2026, he ranks 9th for SG: Tee To Green and has an incredible short game, ranking 19th for SG: Around The Green and 26th for SG: Putting. His distance and relative accuracy can set him apart from the field off the tee, so watch this space at a big price!

The 'Heart Over Head' Bet: Tommy Fleetwood (+2200) To Win @ BetMGM

I would love to see Tommy Fleetwood win the Masters. He might just be the coolest man on the planet, and I bet he'd look dashing in a little green number to go with his new sponsor on the hat.

Tommy has already banked a 7th place finish at the Genesis Invitational and an 8th place finish at the Players Championship this season, in addition to a 4th place finish at Pebble Beach.

He is now a PGA Tour winner, having broken his duck at the 2025 Tour Championship no less - so has now proven he can get it done on the biggest stage against strong opposition.

The next big hurdle is winning a Major, and I truly believe that comes this year for Fleetwood.

He has a great blend of distance and accuracy off the tee, meaning he'll find plenty of fairways (which is essential here), plus he is an absolute flusher with a great short game (ranks 2nd in 2026 for SG: Around The Green).

If he can have a week with the putter, which has always been his achilles heel, I can see him contending again and improving on a best Masters finish of 3rd in 2024.

Masters Betting Tips: Special Bets

The Win Or Top-5 Finish Bet: Bryson DeChambeau To Finish Top-5 (+225) @ BetMGM

I'm almost certain Bryson DeChambeau wins the Masters at some point in his career. That could well be this year, which wouldn't surprise me, but I am instead going to take him in an alternate market this time around.

Bryson has been steadily improving his performances at The Masters, recording a 6th place finish in 2024 and a 5th place finish when in the final group in 2025.

He is truly elite off the tee, ranking 1st for distance and strokes gained in this area over the last 12 months. His approach play and short game can sometimes let him down, which is why I went for Rahm over him, but I do see him challenging again.

DeChambeau has a brilliant mind, which is something a tour coach said amateurs could learn from him, so when it appears like he is working Augusta National out I only expect his efforts to get stronger over time.

Top-5 for DeChambeau behind a victorious Jon Rahm and a placed Min Woo Lee - yes, please!

The Top Debutant Bet: Jacob Bridgeman (+450) @ BetMGM

I've been on Jacob Bridgeman a few times this year already and he has continued to put up strong efforts.

Bridgeman was superb when winning the Genesis Invitational this season, but the American has also posted two further top-5 finishes, a top-10 finish and four top-20 finishes.

That's eight consecutive top-20 finishes including a win in 2026, so I would argue you can't find a man in better form (other than Rahm, of course) heading into this event.

The tradition tells us that debutants don't tend to win the Masters. Nobody has done it since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, so backing him to win might be a stretch.

I do, however, like him in the top debutant market. He is statistically the best putter in the world this season, he ranks in the top-25 for SG: Approach and has a decent blend of distance and accuracy off the tee.

If he can continue anything like his fine form at the start of 2026, he will be well in with a shout in this market.

Golf Monthly Betting Tips Record