Few sporting events can match the majesty of The Masters. The first of four PGA Major Championships, Augusta captivates as the top golfers descend on one of the most prestigious courses in the world.
This year’s tournament will be no different. Rory McIlroy captured the elusive title last year, and will be looking to defend his crown. Still, there will be no shortage of contenders looking to dethrone the Northern Irishman.
Let’s dig through the BetMGM betting data to see where the sharp money is flowing ahead of the 2026 Masters.
The Usual Suspects
As is the case ahead of any major tournament, you’ll find the usual suspects atop the betting board.
Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler’s dominance is assumed at the start of every golf tournament. The American already has 20 PGA Tour wins, becoming the fastest to do so since Tiger Woods. With two Masters wins over the past four years, the betting market is taking a firm position on Scheffler ahead of this weekend’s action.
As it stands, Scheffler leads in ticket and handle. That inflection point represents a culmination of sharp and public money, potentially exposing BetMGM if he pulls off the hat trick. While a 9.8% ticket count is a hefty number for any golf tournament, Scheffler’s 17.7% handle is the more noteworthy benchmark.
At +550, bettors aren’t scared away from Scheffler’s short price. In fact, it has come up marginally over the past few weeks, making him a more attractive wager for bettors of any ilk. Assuredly, Scheffler will be in contention again this year, but there could be more lucrative betting options behind him.
Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau is another heavily-backed golfer ahead of this year’s rendition. The LIV golfer finished T5 last season, marking his best performance ever in a Masters. Public bettors are expecting him to build off that result in 2026.
Known for his long drives, DeChambeau showed that he’s capable of taming Augusta with his performance last year; however, bettors should be apprehensive about the amount of public money flowing in his direction. He’s earned the second-highest handle (10.6%) of any golfer, albeit with a notable 9.1% ticket count.
It’s possible that DeChambeau lives up to expectations and cashes as a +1100 frontrunner, but we have a more guarded outlook in this year’s field.
Rory McIlroy
Not surprisingly, Rory McIlroy is tied with DeChambeau for the second-shortest odds. The defending champ got over the hump in 2025, but bettors aren’t expecting a repeat performance this year.
Currently, McIlroy has an abysmal market share. He’s accounted for a paltry 3.1% of tickets, while commanding just 2.6% of the handle. We can only assume most of that money is coming from the public domain, with sharp bettors seeking refuge on longer odds.
Not since 2002 has there been a back-to-back winner at The Masters. We’re taking a firm stance against McIlroy accomplishing the feat in 2026.
Sharp-Backed Golfers
The balance that sportsbooks crave is a proportional amount of money split amongst the field. Assuredly, there are a number of sharp-backed candidates that BetMGM could be rooting against this weekend.
Jon Rahm
Chief among those stands Jon Rahm. The 2023 Masters winner, Rahm is off to a sensational start to the LIV Tour this season. The Spaniard has finished no lower than fifth in any tournament, accumulating one win and three runner-ups. Most notably, he shot a -26 in the LIV South Africa tournament, losing in a playoff to Bryson DeChambeau.
It’s not surprising then to learn of the sharp money flowing in. So far, Rahm has accounted for 8.5% of the betting handle despite being written on just 4.1% of the tickets. With that, BetMGM has adjusted his odds to +1100, putting him in line with McIlroy and DeChambeau.
Cameron Young
BetMGM will be paying close attention to Cameron Young. The Australian currently sits third in the PGA Tour World Ranking, and has been playing the best golf of his career in 2026.
Young is coming off a win at the Players Championship, while finishing third at the Arnold Palmer and seventh at the Genesis Invitational. Altogether, bettors have immense faith in his ability to compete at August, which is reflected in the betting data.
Less pronounced than Rahm, but Young’s betting splits also point toward heavy sharp involvement. His 4.5% ticket count is the fourth-highest mark in the tournament, exceeded by his 6.5% ticket count.
Naturally, Young has gone from +10000 to +3300 to +2000 as we approach tee times on Thursday.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Masters features 91 golfers vying for the coveted Green Jacket. While only one person will walk away with the distinction, betting action is pouring in on virtually every golfer in the field.
We’ll be paying close attention throughout the weekend, but expect the top contenders to feature prominently atop the leaderboard.
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