The Masters In November? Colorado Bettors Say “Yes, Please”

Written By Ian St. Clair on 11/09/2020 - Last Updated on March 21, 2024

A tradition unlike any other … in November.

Welcome to 2020, when The Masters is set for two weeks before Thanksgiving.

And while that is true and reminds us all of how difficult and trying this year has been, there’s never a bad time to see Augusta National come to life on your TV. One could argue that this is exactly what the Colorado sports betting market, golf fans and those who just watch The Masters need right now.

When you see the plush green and colors of the vegetation pop on your TV, you’re able to escape. Just the thought gives one a sense of calm.

It’s also the first time for users in this market to bet on The Masters. The first round airs on ESPN from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MST on Thursday. Here’s a complete TV schedule for viewers.

What will the response look like?

Based on the revenue for the first five months of handle, look for the four-day event to be incredibly popular. Golf betting in Colorado has been in the top 10 each month since Colorado sportsbooks launched in the state.

Masters odds

The Masters odds BetMGMBetRiversDraftKingsFanDuel
Winner (top five)Bryson DeChambeau +800
Dustin Johnson +900
Jon Rahm +1,000
Justin Thomas +1,100
Rory McIlroy +1,200
Bryson DeChambeau +800
Dustin Johnson +800
Jon Rahm +1,000
Justin Thomas +1,200
Rory McIlroy +1,300
Xander Schauffele +1,400
Bryson DeChambeau +900
Dustin Johnson +900
Jon Rahm +1,100
Justin Thomas +1,300
Rory McIlroy +1,400
Xander Schauffele +1,600
Bryson DeChambeau +900
Dustin Johnson +950
Jon Rahm +1,100
Justin Thomas +1,200
Rory McIlroy +1,400
Top 5B. DeChambeau +190
D. Johnson +200
J. Rahm +225
J. Thomas +250
R. McIlroy +250
Xander Schauffele +320
B. DeChambeau +200
D. Johnson +200
J. Rahm +250
J. Thomas +335
R. McIlroy +335
X. Schauffele +350
Brooks Koepka +400
B. DeChambeau +200
D. Johnson +200
J. Rahm +250
J. Thomas +335
R. McIlroy +335
X. Schauffele +350
Brooks Koepka +400
B. DeChambeau +195
J. Rahm +220
D. Johnson +230
R. McIlroy +250
J. Thomas +280
Top 10B. DeChambeau -110
D. Johnson +100
J. Rahm +100
R. McIlroy +120
J. Thomas +130
X. Schauffele +140
B. DeChambeau +110
D. Johnson +110
J. Rahm +125
J. Thomas +150
R. McIlroy +150
X. Schauffele +164
B. Koepka +200
B. DeChambeau +110
D. Johnson +110
J. Rahm +125
J. Thomas +150
R. McIlroy +150
X. Schauffele +164
B. Koepka +200
B. DeChambeau -115
J. Rahm -105
D. Johnson +110
R. McIlroy +115
J. Thomas +125

Now comes the fun part — who will win? And who will you put money on to win?

As it stands now, the various sportsbooks have Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson as the favorites to win the Green Jacket.

If you were wondering, defending Masters champion Tiger Woods is at least a +4,000 longshot.

It was also announced on Monday that Sergio Garcia informed Augusta National that he will not participate in the 2020 Masters due a positive COVID-19 test result.

One factor to keep an eye on this week is the weather in Augusta.

The forecast calls for overcast, cloudy and/or rain all four days of The Masters.

Masters live betting

What’s fun about golf, and The Masters in particular, is the ability to do live betting.

You know all the best Colorado betting apps will go nuts with the promotions this week. It’s also a safe bet they’ll throw down a lot of live betting promos as well.

If you’re new to live betting, this is where you can potentially turn around your luck. Let’s say your pick in futures betting isn’t going so hot, live betting allows you to turn the tide so to speak.

What is live betting?

Similar to betting on games before they happen, you have moneyline, point spreads, and proposition (prop) bets. The same is true with golf.

When it comes to live betting, you bet as the round is happening. Unlike regular betting odds that don’t fluctuate, in-play odds come and go quickly.

This is where intimate knowledge of golf can play a huge benefit. Or if you just have a gut feeling on a specific hole and you want to test your luck, you notice that a trend starts to develop, or a player is hot, you can test that hunch and place a live bet.

Here are some of the live-betting offerings you might see from the various sportbooks:

  • Individual holes: Pick a golfer from a group to win, lose or tie a specific hole
  • Individual score: Predict how a golfer will do on a specific hole (birdie, par, bogey, etc.)
  • Two-ball live betting (or three-ball): Pick the winner from a group of two or three golfers who teed off together

For those who have never done live betting in Colorado before, The Masters is a wonderful opportunity to take it for a ride.

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Masters favorites

If you’re looking for a favorite, it has to be DeChambeau.

The 26-year-old just won the 2020 U.S. Open Championship. Now he has fans, media and competitors alike wondering what he could do this week at Augusta National. Actually, more like what he could to Augusta National.

As two-time U.S. Open champion and ESPN golf analyst Andy North said:

“Every golf course you ever play, length is (an) advantage, but I think what he could possibly do at Augusta National could be scary. It really could be.”

According to his profile, he has already cemented his sport legacy with his innovative approach to the game. Nicknamed the “golf scientist,” DeChambeau ensures that physics are on his side. He is the only golfer on the PGA Tour with irons and wedges that measure one length, 37.5 inches, and one of the only ones who has mastered “The Science of Swing.”

DeChambeau will need all of that and more this week because there is something about this golf course.

Bring your best

There is something about The Masters.

It finds a way to take any golfer’s best and remind them in the most cruel and harsh ways possible that they need to be even better.

So while DeChambeau is the unquestioned favorite, Johnson, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy will have a say some Sunday afternoon.

And no matter what the odds say, you can never rule out Woods until he’s out.

There’s also the chance someone comes out of nowhere.

This is 2020, after all.

It’s just exciting to talk about The Masters.

Whether it’s the second week of April or the second week of November, it really is a tradition unlike any other.

Photo by AP / Charlie Riedel
Ian St. Clair Avatar
Written by
Ian St. Clair

Ian is an award-winning sports journalist and a University of Northern Colorado graduate. He’s a Colorado native and has over a decade of experience covering college and professional athletics. He broke into the gambling industry right as Colorado launched legal sports betting in 2020. Ian now manages the sites for some of the biggest gambling markets in North America and is an analyst for PlayColorado.

View all posts by Ian St. Clair