Key points:
- McIlroy’s Masters win resulted in one of the most notable golf-related payouts in William Hill’s history
- A money-back offer tied to McIlroy’s performance contributed to a seven-figure return to customers
Rory McIlroy’s performance at The Masters has resulted in a huge payout from William Hill, following a closely contested play-off at Augusta National.
The operator confirmed that the combination of the outcome and an offer introduced before the tournament resulted in a seven-figure payout to customers.
McIlroy secured tens of thousands of individual bets and the offer extended to customers who backed other players, allowing bettors to receive their stake back as a free bet if McIlroy won.
This means McIlroy has now completed the career Grand Slam, which has only been done by a select number of golfers.
Lee Phelps, Spokesperson for William Hill, stated: “Masters Sunday 2025 will go down as one of the most dramatic we’ve ever seen, but also as one of the most significant in the history of betting on golf for William Hill.
Good to know: Following the tournament, McIlroy's odds to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award shortened to 8/11 with William Hill, down from 2/1 before the tournament at Augusta
“Rory McIlroy was always the biggest liability in our book before a ball was hit, and the stakes were raised when we announced Money Back as a Free Bet if McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam. In total, we’re now looking at a seven-figure payout.
“We laid tens of thousands of individual bets on McIlroy to win The Masters alone, while there was a good spread of business across the competitors this year with punters safe in the knowledge they had some Rory insurance."
These developments reflect ongoing shifts both in the betting industry and the golf sector. They follow William Hill’s expansion in the UK with Octoplay in 2024, as well as VMS Group’s increased stake in Hoiana Resort & Golf in January 2025.
