If you want to learn how to bet on golf, you need to know some basics about the sport. The good news is that this guide will bring you up to speed with everything you need to know.
We’ll throw more light on every detail about the sport, including some of the most popular golf betting markets, useful tips and strategies, and major events worth following throughout the season. If you read to the end, you’ll understand what golf betting is all about, how to place your first golf bet, and what it takes to place smarter bets.
Here Are Some Popular Golf-related Terms You Should Know
It’s very hard to be successful at golf betting, no matter the golf betting strategy you adopt, if you’re not familiar with some of its jargon. This also applies to bettors looking forward to learning
how to bet on basketball. That said, here is a table with some popular terms you should know about golf before placing your first bet:
Terms
Meaning
Par
The number of shots a good player is expected to take to finish a hole.
Birdie
When a player finishes a hole in one shot less than par.
Bogey
When a player takes one shot more than par to finish a hole.
Eagle
When a player finishes a hole in two shots less than par.
Fairway
The short grass area between the start (tee) and the hole.
Cut
A score line is used halfway through a tournament to remove the lowest-performing players.
Most Popular Golf Betting Markets
Just as those learning
how to bet on tennis
must familiarise themselves with the popular betting markets, golf betting also comes with its own set of common and beginner-friendly betting options. Understanding these betting markets will not only help you know how to bet on golf, but also what you’re betting on. Without further ado, let’s explore some of these popular betting markets below:
1. Tournament Winner (Outright Winner)
This is the simplest and most common betting market on golf betting, and it’s available on all the golf betting sites. Betting on this option means that you’re backing a specific player to win the entire tournament. For instance, if you bet on Rory to win The Masters and he finishes first at the end of the tournament, you win the bet. If he finishes second or lower, you lose the bet.
2. Each Way Bet
An each-way bet is great if bettors want to back a golfer to do well but aren’t fully sure they’ll win. It’s like placing two bets on the player. One bet for the player to win, another for the player to “place” (top 2, 3, or 4, depending on the sportsbook). For instance, let’s say you placed a £10 each-way bet on Jon Rahm to win the US. Open at 20/1 odds. This means you’re betting £10 on him to win and another £10 for him to “place” at 1/4 odds.
If Rahm wins the tournament, the bet wins and the bettor will cash out a total of £270, £210 from the “win” ticket and £60 from the “place” bet. However, if Rahm didn’t win the event and still fell short of the set place by the bookmaker, the bettor will lose both bets.
3. Top 5/ Top 10/ Top 20 Finish
This market allows bettors to wager on a player to finish within a certain range on the leaderboard. For instance, placing a bet on a player to finish in the tournament as top 5, means, irrespective of whether they win the tournament or not, they win the bet so long as the player finishes in the top 5 on the leaderboard. The same goes for top 10 and top 20 finish bets. However, note that as usual, the odds for top 5 bets will usually be higher than top 10 and top 20 finish bets.
4. First Round Leader
Golf tournaments are usually divided into rounds, and bettors can place bets on which of the players will win the first round. For instance, if there’s a bet on Jon Rahm to be the first-round leader of the US Open, and he finishes the day with the lowest score among players, the bet wins. It’s a great betting market for bettors who don’t want to wait till the end of the tournament to see if they win or not.
Improve Your Golf Betting with These Strategies and Tips
As a beginner, it’s quite natural to wonder how to bet on golf and win. But the truth is, irrespective of a bettor’s experience, there’s no guarantee that they’ll always win their bets. This is because there’s always a chance for unpredictable outcomes. However, some tips and strategies can help bettors place smarter bets. That said, here are some tips and strategies that golf bettors can adopt:
📊 Study Player Form
As always, more research leads to more informed decisions. This is also applicable while betting on golf. Before placing any bet, research how well a golfer has been playing recently. A player coming into a tournament with strong recent performances is likely to continue that momentum.
🏌️ Check Course History
While it’s relatively easy to bet on golf, every golf course is different, and some players naturally perform better on certain ones. This is because factors like course design, green speed, and weather patterns can suit one golfer’s style more than another’s. So, before betting on any player, you can check how well they performed on that particular golf course in the past.
🏆 Understand the Tournament Format
All golf tournaments are not the same. Some have cuts after two rounds, while others don’t. Also, match-play events are different from stroke-play tour tournaments. Understanding these formats helps you place smarter bets. For instance, betting on a consistent player in a stroke-play event might offer more value than in a knockout-style match play. Always place your bets according to the structure of the event.
🎯 Don’t Ignore Long Shots in Each-Way Bets
Golf is a game where underdogs should not be overlooked because they can also shine. The field is large and there’s only a small difference between favourites and underdogs. Each-way bets on high-odds players can offer great value, especially in tournaments with large purses or tricky courses where tables can always turn.
Place Bets on Your Favourite Golf Events Using Our Top-rated Betting Sites
We’ve seen questions from beginners like: How do you bet on golf? Well, after learning everything you need to know about betting on golf, including betting markets as well as the strategies to adopt, the next step is to create an account on a reputable online betting site.
Thankfully, all the betting sites we recommend on the banner of this page offer generous bonuses and a wide variety of golf betting markets that you’ll like to bet on. If you’re ready to create an account on any of these sites, follow the simple steps below:
Click on our banners to sign up for your preferred betting site
Complete your account registration by providing all the required personal details
Verify your email address when you’re done
Verify your identity and make an initial deposit
Go to the sports betting area and select “golf” from the list of sports
Make your selections
Enter the amount you wish to stake
Confirm and place your bet
Golf Betting Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons
So many tournaments to bet on
Offers deep betting options
Availability of each way bets reduces risks
Tournaments are mostly unpredictable
Now You Know How to Bet on Golf – Put It Into Action!
After exploring the ins and outs of golf betting, we can confidently state that while it’s not the easiest market to master, it can be quite rewarding if you put in the work. However, that doesn’t mean there’s any strategy that bettors can adopt to constantly win their bets. But then, making use of all the tips we discussed earlier can bring bettors closer to winning their bets.
Above all, ensure to always bet logically rather than being emotional about it. Don’t let the love you have for a golfer cloud your betting decisions, even though they haven’t been in the best form. Furthermore, don’t forget to always bet with a budget and avoid going beyond that budget, no matter the outcomes of your bets so far. Having said that, if you’re ready to start your golf betting journey, all you have to do is create an account on any of the sites we recommend on the banner of this page.
Golf Sports Betting – FAQ
Yes, bettors can place live bets on ongoing golf matches. Some golf live betting options you can explore include hole-by-hole performances, updated outright winners, or round results as they unfold.
There’s nothing like the safest golf betting market because there’s no assurance on any sports bet. However, betting options like outright winner and round winner are some beginner-friendly options you can start with.
There’s a wide range of betting sites you can use for golf betting. But the banner on this page contains links to some of the best sites you can explore. The good thing is that their registration process is very straightforward.
