Masters 2026 odds: History says long shots don’t win, but is this the year?
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Ten years ago, Danny Willett won the Masters at 50-to-1 odds, marking one of the longest-priced winners in recent major championship history.
- Recent Masters champions have typically been among the favorites, with six of the last seven winners having odds of 15-1 or shorter, highlighting the tournament’s trend toward favorites prevailing.
- Compared to other majors, the Masters tends to favor top players more consistently, with an average winning pre-tournament odds of about 13-1, versus much higher odds for winners at the Open, PGA Championship, and U.S. Open.
- This year, top contenders Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler face uncertainties due to recent injuries and form, potentially opening opportunities for longer-shot players like Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, and others.
- Despite the dominance of favorites, history shows that a long shot can still win, though it requires overcoming a strong field including multiple top-ranked players, making a surprise victory both rare and remarkable.
 { path { fill: %23EEEFE9 } })
