Betting on the Masters is a little bit different this year than it has been in the recent past.The 2017 Masters features Dustin Johnson, who sits atop the World Golf Ranking and the Fed Ex Cup points list. He comes to Augusta having won three tournaments in a row, and there is an unbeatable quality to his persona as he gets set to tee off Thursday afternoon.Johnson has long been known for his prodigious talent and ability to blast the ball a long way, but he was also known for choking in big events. That changed when he won the U.S. Open last year.Anyone considering a wager on the Masters has to consider Johnson.Prior to this year, golf fans had to think of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day among their top choices. Handicappers could pick out one of those three to win the event and make a great case. That's not the case this time around.While those three are still in the picture, it seems like Johnson is head-and-shoulders the best golfer in the world. He simply cannot be ignored.There are no guarantees in this sport and Johnson's favorite status makes him a less attractive betting option, but his game is so powerful that it seems foolish to bet against him.Johnson is plus-550 to win the tournament, according to OddsShark. A $100 bet on Johnson will return a profit of $550 if he ends up wearing the green jacket Sunday.That does not mean handicappers should not find a backup plan. One of the avenues to consider is combining a wager on Johnson with one or more underdogs who could provide a huge payoff.Wind is likely to impact the first two rounds of the Masters, according to Weather.com, and that is something that could impact scoring and driving distance. Big hitters like Johnson and Rory McIlroy (plus-700) will be able to hit the ball further than the rest of the field.Golfers with precise swings are more likely to keep the ball straighter and on course. That's one of the reasons we like veteran South African golfer Louis Oosthuizen here.Oosthuizen has a picture-perfect and repeatable swing, and he knows where his ball is going. Oosthuizen is a long shot at plus-5,000, but he may be worthy of a play because he has had some success at Augusta in the past (runner-up in 2012) and because of his beautiful swing.Jon Rahm is one of the young lions on the tour, and he has been excellent in his coming-out party this year. Rahm is fourth in FedEx Cup points and 12th in the world rankings, and he has one tour victory to his credit this year.More than his numbers, Rahm has the swagger of a champion. Rahm engaged Johnson in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship last month in the final of that event, and he fell behind early before mounting a serious comeback.While Johnson ended up holding on for the victory, Rahm was not intimidated, and he looked like he belonged in a championship final with the best golfer in the world.Rahm comes into the Masters with odds of plus 2,500, and he may be a very solid play for those who are wagering on the event.Bubba Watson is a two-time Masters champion (2012 and 2014), and he can never be counted out at Augusta. His game and his eye suit this course, and no matter how he is playing, he must be considered a factor in this tournament.Watson is not playing well to this point in the season, as he ranks 123 in FedEx Cup points. He has one top-10 finish in the eight events he has played and has failed to make the cut three times.Watson has odds of plus-4,500, and that's simply too high a number to ignore.All rankings and statistics courtesy of PGATour.com.
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