Golf betting generates about $5 billion in wagers in the US alone. I’ve contributed to this figure for a while now. So, I’m quite qualified to offer tips on how to bet on golf.
There are loads of golf betting options, so it's easy for newbies to be overwhelmed by it all. Thankfully, having the right golf betting strategies makes it easier. In this piece, I’ll describe how golf betting works and offer five of my tested strategies. All you’ll have to do is keep reading.
Before I discuss how to bet on golf in detail, you’d need to understand the basics first. Golf betting is a fast-rising betting market, with its biggest events being the year-long major PGA tournaments, which regularly offer golf odds. These odds are integrated into telecasts and offered at betting sites. Golf tournaments feature hundreds of golfers weekly, leading to varying odds between the favorites and the underdogs. Unlike most sports, these odds are read with a $100 baseline in mind and can have negative (-) or positive (+) values.
The negative odds are designated to the favorites in any given tournament or match. So, a golfer with -200 odds is a bigger favorite to win than a player with -50 odds. On the flip side, the positive odds are designated to the underdogs in tournaments or matches. By this logic, a golfer with +200 odds is a bigger underdog than a player with +50 odds.
Another aspect of golf betting you’d need to know is in-play golf betting. In-play betting options offer an exciting twist to golf betting as you can watch the action unfold and adjust your wagers to match the odds and lines as they change in real time. One reason I’m big on in-play betting is the ability to Cash Out when things aren’t going well. Another reason is its detailed markets. Better still, all of the leading sportsbooks with golf betting offer in-play options, so you’ll have several top-rated sites to explore. I’ve explained in-play betting and its benefits to help you get started with this wagering option.
What about the betting types available in golf betting? I’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick look at the more popular ones.
| Bet type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Tournament winner | This bet involves predicting the golfer with the lowest score at the end of the tournament |
| Top 5/10/20/30/40 | With this bet type, you’ll bet on a golfer getting enough scores to be in the top 5, top 10, top 20, top 30, or top 40 of the tournament leaderboard |
| Each-way odds | This is a two-in-one bet where you wager on a player to win the tournament and finish within a certain standing, such as Top 3 or Top 8. |
| Tournament matchups | With this bet type, you’ll bet on one player versus another (there could be up to three) to predict which player has a better tournament |
| Nationality bets | With nationality bets, you’ll bet on which golfer from a specific country has the best performance in a given tournament |
| Golf prop bets | For this bet type, bettors wager on everything from hole-to-hole results to players who make the cut |
| Golf parlay bets | Parlay bets (accumulator bets), let you combine multiple selections to create a single bet |
I often get asked, “Is it easy to bet on golf? My answer is always yes! Golf betting is fun – especially when you bet at player-friendly sportsbooks offering great bonuses and competitive odds. I’ve had a great run at golf betting, so here are a couple of reasons to try it, and to avoid making any embarrassing betting mistakes, what to note before starting your wagering activity.
Having explained accumulator bets among other bet types, let’s look at the steps you’d take to bet on golf events:
Find a reliable sportsbook with a gaming license from a reputable gaming authority. I suggest you settle for a sportsbook with great welcome bonuses and promotions. It doesn’t hurt if the platform also offers competitive odds.
After signing up on your preferred sportsbook, it's time to make a deposit. You can then claim your welcome bonus.
Find the “Golf’ section on the sportsbook, then choose the top events hosted by the site. You should also be able to see the available bet types. I always prefer placing each way bets, and since I’ve already explained each way betting, it should be easy for you to try. After selecting a bet type, add your picks to your bet slip and choose how much you want to stake. Confirm your bet, submit it, and wait for the outcome.
Here’s the juiciest part of this betting guide. I’ve included the following 5 strategies you can use to enjoy a rewarding golf betting experience:
Since I discovered how much attention oddsmakers pay to a golfer’s current form, my golf betting has improved. The truth is, all golfers have ups: hot streaks and lows: cold streaks. It's your job to research a golfer’s current form before placing bets.
Things to look out for include driving accuracy, injuries, swing mechanics, and techniques.
This is the sports betting 101 for golf that never fails. Golf courses significantly affect golfers' performance. I don't know if it's the layout or the familiarity of playing on a particular course, but I’ve noticed how golfers excel at some courses while they struggle at others.
So, pay close attention to golfers' performances across different courses. I often check the course difficulty, the golfer’s form, and the player’s prior history with other courses. It always helps me make informed bets.
Golf tournaments are open-air events, so they’ll be affected by the weather. Strong winds can force players to change their techniques, while rains often soak the fairways and greens, adversely affecting course play.
One thing I do before placing bets like head-to-head or props is to look at the weather forecast. Then, I combine the weather reports with my knowledge about the golfers before deciding how to place my bets.
Here’s the thing! Different sportsbooks offer diverse betting lines and odds. I take advantage of this by line shopping at different sportsbooks. Betting at multiple sportsbooks is my favorite strategy for betting on golf. I get to choose bookies with favorable betting lines or odds and place my bets. It’s a bit time-consuming, but worthwhile.
Another thing I do is spread my bet across multiple players at these sportsbooks. This strategy reduces betting risks and increases my profits.
I often place bets on unusual events that could happen during a golf tournament. Some folks might not get this, but betting on these occurrences has yielded some nice returns because unusual things always happen at these golf tournaments. Here’s a tip: try Top 5 or Top 10 finisher bets.
There are tons of year-round golf tournaments. When you add the different courses and golfers involved, you have loads of golf betting opportunities. I particularly love the long odds and the potential for lerger payouts. Plus, you’ll have a wealth of detailed stats to help you wager better.
However, golf betting is unpredictable and it’s easy to incur losses if you don’t know the right strategies to use. So, how do you bet on golf? It’s simple: apply my recommended strategies, and you’ll get the hang of golf betting faster than you can say, Tiger Woods!
For the most part, it is. But you’d have to check your local laws on golf betting. Additionally, you must only play at licensed sportsbooks.
The outright winner bet is the most common bet you can place in golf. It’s popular among golf bettors because it offers high odds and is much more straightforward than other bet types.
Yes, you can. Online golf betting is available at all leading sportsbooks. However, the betting markets and odds available at these sites vary significantly. Nevertheless, with the right strategy for betting on golf, you can have a great online golf betting experience.
Go to BetMGM
Go to BetMGM
