The Masters Betting And DFS Preview: A Tradition Unlike Any Other

In this special Masters edition of the Betting Life Newsletter:

Well, well, well, March Madness is over … so now what? If you were betting chalk all tourney you cashed in nicely; so where should you deploy those winnings?

This is the one week a year Augusta, GA, becomes the center of the sports world and golf—yes GOLF—becomes your salvation …

I’m George Savaricas, TV Host for Golf Channel working LIVE From The Masters this week. I’m also hosting on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio for their Masters coverage. And this, right here and right now, is …

Your Official Masters Betting (and some DFS!) Guide

Augusta National is this magical place where the birds are always chirping, the fairways and greens are so perfectly manicured you could basically eat off them, the pimento & cheese sandwiches are still $1.50 (but good luck finding a Masters badge under $1K), every hole yardage ends in 5 or 0, and the two nines are called the 1st and 2nd nine because co-founder Bobby Jones feared if they were called “front & back nines” there was the possibility of the last 9 being referred to as “back side,” which Jones viewed as too “vulgar” (alluding to “rear end”) ... Gasp!

The big question everyone should be pondering coming into the 89th edition of the Masters is this: are you taking Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy 1-2 in the world, or are you taking the other 94 players in the field?

Tournament Favorites

In three of the last five years, the No. 1 ranked player coming into The Masters has gone on to win (Dustin Johnson 2020, Scottie Scheffler 2022, 2024). The other two years, Jon Rahm was No. 3 (2023) and Hideki Matsuyama was 25th (2021)—the outlier in our recent history.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (+400 at DraftKings), the favorite, has the shortest odds of anyone in the field. I know you’re thinking, “But George, he won nine times (?!?) worldwide last year and has 0 wins this season, shouldn’t we be worried?”

NO!

The only thing stopping Scheffler from being a factor is another ravioli incident Masters week … Quick sidebar: Only in golf could the No. 1 player in the world injure his hand making homemade ravioli during the holidays and miss the first month of the season.

Last year, it took Scheffler until his sixth start to get his first win of the season. This year, with the month delay because of “RavioliGate,” Scheffler has made six starts without a win (while snagging three Top 10s) and just like last year finished T2 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open in his last start before the Masters. So he’s not too far off last year’s pace heading into the season's first major.

Check out his Strokes Gained data against his peers on the PGA Tour:

Scheffler SG Ranks (2024): Off The Tee (1), Approach (1), Around The Green (17), Putting (72)

Scheffler SG Ranks (2025): Off The Tee (6), Approach (7), Around The Green (53), Putting (42)

Still an elite ball striker, short game around the greens solid and the putter early this year is better than last year … pretty, pretty, pretty good.

But Scheffler will be flying a little under the radar compared to world No. 2 Rory McIlroy (+650 at DK), who’s playing some of the best golf of his career right now. McIlroy is trying to complete the career Grand Slam at the one place that’s caused him the most heartache—Augusta National.

McIlroy has two PGA Tour wins this season heading into the Masters, the first time in his career he’s gotten off to this hot of a start.

His game is as well-rounded as we’ve seen, statistically speaking:

McIlroy SG Ranks 2025: Off The Tee (1), Approach (19), Around The Green (31), Putting (10)

… Rory McIlroy 10th in putting is a scary proposition.

His last 11 starts at The Masters? Nine out of 11 cuts made, seven Top 10s, five Top 5s …if this is EVER going to be the year, it’s gotta happen NOW.

HOW ABOUT SOME UNDERDOGS?

Historically, there are four variables I weigh above all else when trying to pick a Masters Champion:

How are they playing the three months leading into Augusta?
Have they played well previously in majors or specifically at The Masters?
Are they a good iron player?
Are they a good putter?

Sounds like a simple formula, but you want guys playing well who aren’t afraid of the big stage, who may have some good mojo at Augusta, and who can hit greens and make putts. Generous fairways—with little to no rough—means you can be a little wayward off the tee, but you have no chance to contend if you're missing greens.

My underdog Picks, and these are guys at 50:1 or longer:

Russell Henley 55:1
Min Woo Lee 60:1
Robert MacIntyre 60:1
Sepp Straka 75:1

Give me all the Russell Henley you CAN. He’s Top 25 this season in SG: Putting, Around-The-Green and Approach, plus he already won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and is up to 7th in the WORLD. A former standout at Georgia who finished T4 in the Masters back in 2023, YES PLEASE!

Henley, Lee, and Straka were all winners early this season on the PGA Tour. Min Woo Lee just got the W at the Houston Open, a course the Tour set up with little to no rough to mimic Augusta National. The Chef is one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour, to go with being a Top-5 putter.

Sepp Straka won the American Express in January. In his last eight starts, he’s had six Top-20 finishes and last year was T16 at the Masters. He’s Top 5 in iron play and a fringe Top-50 putter … and another former Georgia Bulldog (seeing a theme here?).

As for Robert MacIntyre, the 28-year old Scot had two wins on the PGA Tour last season and is up to 17th in the world. Leftys have historically done pretty well at Augusta, with six wins since 2003. His last 5 starts worldwide: T9, 9, T11, MC, T6. MacIntyre is a Top 20 iron player, the putter is a concern (ranking 137th) so he’d need a scorching hot putting week to seriously contend.

MY DFS LINEUP

On DraftKings, we’re assuming a $50,000 budget:

Anchor: Rory Mcilroy $11,400: it’s gotta happen … right?

Mid-Range: Min Woo Lee $8,500, Russell Henley $8,400, Robert MacIntyre $8,000: All on my underdogs list above for good reason.

Sleepers: Maverick McNealy $7,100, Billy Horschel $6,900.

Explaining My Sleepers

Maverick McNealy coming off a T3 last week at Valero Texas Open has been feast or famine his last six starts: T3, T32, MC, MC, 2nd, T9. He’s making his Masters debut and statistically is right around Top 30 SG: App, Putting on PGA Tour.

Billy Horschel has been inconsistent to start the year, but a T4 his last start at the Valspar Championship shows him trending in the right direction. He was also T2 at the Open Championship last summer, and has made 5 straight cuts at The Masters.

☁️ A Word About the Weather ☀️

Rain was the big factor on Monday to start the week, but thankfully we’ll have sunny skies Tues-Thurs with spotty showers on Friday—and a clear weekend. The course should be in good condition Thursday and will be the typical firm and fast Augusta we’re used to seeing.

Fun Facts!

Historically, the winner of the Masters hits around 50 greens for the week and finishes Top 15 in putting. Not exactly earth-shattering, hit the ball well and putt good, and you’ll contend at Augusta National.

Since 2021, Augusta National has had the winning score dialed in at between -10 to -12:

2024: -11

2023: -12

2022: -10

2021: -10

… and this year should be in the same general range.

Your 2025 Masters winner …

I heard a great story years ago and I have no idea if this is true but we’ll go with it. Billy Payne was the Chairman of Augusta National and also the Founder of Centennial Holding Company, a real estate firm in Atlanta.

A young associate at Centennial named John (made up name) was charged with spearheading the annual Masters pool for the company—he fires off a companywide email seeing if people wanted to enter for $10.

Five minutes later, he receives an email, directly from Billy Payne, whom he forgot to take off the email list … Gulp!

I’m paraphrasing here:

Dear John,
Thank you for spearheading the annual Masters pool as has been tradition in this office for many years.
I will not be participating this year, as I already know the outcome.
All the best,

Billy Payne, Chairman, Augusta National Golf Club

I already know the outcome of the 89th playing of the Masters

The last two years I’ve picked Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, and now …

🏆 Scottie Scheffler, 2025 Masters Champion 🏆

(Seriously man? You’re picking the No. 1 player in the world?!)

Scheffler is inevitable, I saw enough from his T2 performance at the Houston Open to know he’s going to win his 3rd Masters in 4 years … the last player to do this, Jack Nicklaus 1963, 1965-66.

Scheffler’s a generational talent and after this week he’ll be driving down Magnolia Lane with his third Green Jacket.