Is it legal to bet on the Masters? A guide to responsible golf betting

Editor’s note: Birches Health is a leading national provider of Responsible Gaming resources and Problem Gambling treatment, offering clinical care covered by insurance and state government funding.

Masters week has arrived, with the excitement at Augusta National Golf Club and across the country building every day. Players and patrons are already on site in anticipation of this year’s first men’s major championship, which begins Thursday morning.

The clear betting favorite this year is Scottie Scheffler, who won his second green jacket last year amid a record-breaking 2024 season. Despite falling just short of a third win in his last start two weeks ago in Houston, Scheffler’s odds to capture another Masters victory are +450 at FanDuel Sportsbook, clearly shorter than his nearest challengers – chief among them Rory McIlroy (+650), who captured THE PLAYERS last month and remains in search of the final leg of the career Grand Slam.

But is it legal for you to bet on the Masters this week? Simply put, that depends on your location and age. It is worth noting that sports betting is not legal in Georgia, but it is in 38 other states along with Washington, D.C. In terms of online sports betting, 30 states currently offer mobile options, with Missouri set to join that group later this year after passing legislation in November. However, 11 states still have not legalized sports betting at all, so let's dive into the specifics of location and age-based sports betting legality.

Who's allowed to bet on golf in the United States?

Location requirements

In the nearly seven years since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act – known colloquially as “PASPA” – was struck down, 38 states have legalized sports betting in some form (with Missouri now pending). Of those, 30 now allow online sports betting options.

Those locations offering mobile wagering on sports include: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Wyoming.

Keep in mind that in order to legally bet, you must be physically located in one of those states at the time of placing the wager. It is not enough to be a New York resident if you happen to be attending the Masters in Georgia, which has not legalized sports betting.

The states that offer only in-person (or retail) sports betting at brick-and-mortar casinos, sportsbooks or other designated betting locations are: Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin.

(NOTE: North Dakota and Wisconsin state governments have not formally passed legislation that legalizes sports betting, but some of the states’ federally recognized tribes offer in-person sports betting on their reservation lands.)

The states that have not yet legalized any type of sports gambling include: Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. Sports betting in these states is completely prohibited. And again, location considerations involve where the bettor is located at the time of the wager, not their state residence.

Age requirements

Age restrictions for sports betting also depend on the state in which the bettor is located. In a vast majority of states, a sports bettor needs to be at least 21 years old to legally place a wager. However, there are a handful of locations that require users to only be 18+ years old, including Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming. It’s worth noting that some sportsbooks have kept their standard 21+ age restrictions in place for states that legally permit it for those 18+ years old.

Potential bettors must adhere to the age restrictions of the state where they are currently located. For example, an 18-year-old Rhode Island resident cannot legally bet on sports when they travel across the border into Massachusetts or Connecticut, where the minimum age is 21.

Responsible Gaming tips for betting on the Masters

If considering placing a bet on the Masters or any other golf tournament, it’s important to first learn how to do so responsibly. There are hundreds of betting options available for just about every professional golf event, so it’s important to remain disciplined and careful when deciding what to bet on. Some helpful tips to always keep in mind when betting on sports:

• View sports betting as a form of paid entertainment. Odds are naturally skewed in the sportsbooks’ favor, so it will very likely not be a reliable profit-making venture for the large majority of bettors. In fact, one study found that 95% of bettors deposited more money into sports betting apps than they withdrew.
• Decide on and stick to a bankroll, which can be thought of as a betting budget. You must be comfortable with the potential of losing this entire amount without it impacting your overall financial wellbeing (example: ability to pay bills).
• Choose and remain consistent with a unit size, which is your standard bet amount. Being disciplined with your unit size will help allow you to maintain enough funds in your bankroll during inevitable “cold streaks.”
• Don’t ever bet using money that you don’t currently have (example: using credit or borrowing funds from someone else to gamble).
• Set limits on how much money you deposit or bet during a time frame of your choosing, along with how much time you spend on sportsbook apps.
• Never “chase” your losses, which entails betting more in hopes of winning back what was lost previously. This is incredibly risky, as it can quickly result in compounding losses reaching levels that they did not think possible and could not afford to lose. .
• Don’t bet under the influence. Decision-making skills and risk-assessment abilities are critical when betting, so it’s important to only do so with a clear mind.

Take the time to learn the rules of the sport you’re betting on, along with the “house rules” of the sportsbook that you’re using to bet. Some golf bet types (like top-five or top-10 finish markets) involve nuances like dead-heat rules that are important to fully understand before betting.

Gambling addiction help and treatment options

If you or someone you know may be struggling with a gambling problem, there are specialized support options available. Birches Health offers virtual treatment options with a nationwide team of specially trained, certified counselors who help individuals with gambling addiction and related mental health challenges. Birches Health offers a fully confidential experience with quick intake and personalized treatment plans that can be covered by insurance.

To connect with Birches, you can simply click here, call (833) 483-3838 or email help@bircheshealth.com.