Betting on Golf
Similar to soccer, golf is enjoyed by fans across the entire world — anywhere you see grass, you'll find a golfer not far behind. As competitions like the PGA Tour ramped up the public's awareness of the sport, golf became a favorite for sports bettors thanks to its easy pace and unpredictable storylines.
If you've ever hit the links, you might have already made a friendly (or not-so-friendly) wager on a few holes with your partners — they go hand in hand! Due to its popularity and year-round schedule, you can almost always find odds for a tournament whether it's in North America or overseas.
Learn to Bet on Golf
It doesn't matter if you're regularly slicing your shot into the woods on the course — anyone can be a golf pro when it comes to betting! Because of the sport's unique odds, even regular sports bettors may have minimal exposure to the game of golf. Don't worry, we'll walk you through how to bet on golf, explain the different lines and ultimately give you the tools to wager on the next Majors tournament with the confidence of Tiger's walk-in putts.
Types of Golf Bets
Although betting on the outright winner of a tournament is the most popular option, you don't have to select the #1 pick to make some coin. Below, we've outlined a few of the mainstay options for golf bettors.
- Outright Bet: The most common option for any tournament, if the golfer you pick wins the event, your bet cashes. It's comparable to a moneyline in other sports — it's a great option for anyone bettors that favor underdogs. You get some great valued odds and get to watch your pick rise and fall with each day of the competition, making for a heart-pounding saga.
- Match Betting: In certain competitions, golfers are paired in groups of two toward the end of the tournament. When this occurs, you can pick which of those two golfers will earn the best score within those rounds.
- Three-Ball Wagers: In this format, golfers play in groups of three during the opening rounds of a tournament due to the high volume of competitors. It's very similar to match betting, where you pick the golfer who will come out on top from their respective group.
- Group & Country Betting: Golfers are assigned larger groups at the beginning of each tournament, typically five in each. Like the last two markets, you're selecting the athlete who you think will end up winning their respective group after 72 holes. The same concept is available country-by-country, where you predict which golfer will have the best score among their countrymen at the end of the competition.
Golf Futures
Golf futures bets usually offer bigger payouts just like they do in other major-league sports like the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. Bettors make their futures picks before a major tournament begins, usually at a better value than placing wagers on the opening day. Popular options for golf futures include Majors events like the U.S. Open and The Masters.
If Rory McIlroy has futures odds of +1000 to win a particular event, but the tournament doesn’t take place for another couple of months, betting on McIlroy ahead of time gives bettors an edge by receiving early odds that could potentially lower as we get closer to the start date.
Where Can I Find More Golf Betting Guides?
Now that you know what golf betting options are available, you’ll likely want to the full scoop on the largest upcoming tournaments — rest assured, we've got loads of resources for you to take advantage of. Review a few links below for our expert picks on future Majors winners, odds analysis and handicapping stats to hit a hole-in-one bet.