Golf Betting: How Does it Work?

Golf Betting: How Does it Work?

Golf Bet Types

The amazing aspect of golf betting is that there are many types to choose from based on what suits you. Popular types include:

  • Tournament Winner Betting

As the name suggests, this type is the most straightforward and simply involves betting on the winner of a particular tournament. Star golfers tend to have very high odds and if your choice wins the event, that’s tons of coin on your Venmo.

  • Each-Way Golf Betting

This involves trying to mitigate risk by betting for a golfer to either win or finish high like in the top 5, making it a double-down wager of sorts. It’s basically like two separate bets combined into one, improving your chances of hitting the jackpot.

  • First-Round Leader Betting

Instead of betting on the entire tournament, you can choose to make some quick bucks by betting on which golfer will have the lead after day one. Odds are usually posted before each round and if you hit the nail on the head, cash for you!

  • Top Nationality Betting

In this category, you choose between specific golfers from a specific region, such as the top USA, top Spanish, top British player, etc. The odds depend on how many players from that region are competing and if one is a heavy favorite over the others.

  • Match Play Betting

Matchplay betting doesn’t apply to major tournaments but is restricted to three events: the Ryder Cup, the Dell Technologies Match Play, and the Presidents Cup. You get many options to choose from like which golfers will win specific matches, which team will carry the cup, etc.

  • Head-to-Head Betting

In this category, you can bet on one golfer defeating another during the tournament, like Brooks Koepka finishing ahead of Dustin Johnson. You can even break it down to which golfer will win certain holes during a round.

  • Top 5/10/20 Betting

Also known as finishing position betting, this type features reduced odds but allows you to bet whether a certain golfer will finish in the top 5, top 10, or top 20. Naturally, the lower the finishing position, the lower the potential payout.

  • Hole-in-One Betting

If you have a dream that your favorite golfer will score a hole-in-one in The Open, place this type of bet, and if they do, congratulations on your newfound wealth.

Top Betting Strategies in Golf

You should however take caution and not place bets blindly. Analyzing the following statistics might prove helpful:

Analyzing how a golfer has been performing in recent weeks can help you predict how they will perform in an event.

  • Weather forecast

A round of golf gets significantly affected by weather changes, and certain golfers have a reputation for maintaining their form even under harsh climatic conditions. 

  • Golf course familiarity

It’s important to know how familiar your chosen golfer is with the tournament course. The more familiar they are, the better they will perform. This might explain why Canadian star Nick Taylor stunned heavyweights to scoop the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.

Parting Shot

Golf betting has boomed lately among punters, being one of the hidden pots of gold where a small wager can multiply substantially if you pick the right ‘horse’ for the course. Like with any other form of gambling, risks are involved and so you should never wager with what you can’t afford to lose.