Golf Betting – How to Bet on Golf

Betting on golf doesn’t have to be a winner take all proposition. There are many different angles to attack an event from, and each week presents a new approach to take advantage of. Below is a simple explanation of these different types of bets and a quick overview of how to bet on golf.

Golf Odds

Before diving into the many different wager types, let’s take a look at how the majority of golf odds work. Most markets will have odds posted as +/- numbers like +900 (or 9-to-1). This simply means for every $1 wagered, you can win $9. These odds differ within each different market and indicate the likelihood of a particular bet winning. The smaller the number, the more likely it is to happen and vice versa.

The Bet Types

Outright Winners

As we alluded to, there are many different types of wagers you can place but none are as enticing as outright winners. Here, you’re betting the player you think will win the current tournament. As most events include 100 or more participants, the odds on outrights are by far the best offered each week. Favorites can range between 4/1 to 10/1, with the longest of shots offering potential payouts of 500/1 and sometimes more.

Finishing Position/Place – Top 5, Top 10, Top 20, Top 40

These markets are some of the most popular amongst avid bettors. Here, you’re betting on whether players finish the tournament inside the top 5, 10, 20, and sometimes 40. These offer lower odds than outrights but are also much more likely to cash. Instead of needing your golfer to defeat everyone, they just need to be better than a percentage of the field. Winning tournaments with large entry lists also almost always require some luck. Placing finishing position/place bets removes most of this luck factor and allows bettors to benefit from their golfer just being in contention.

Matchups – Player vs. Player, 3-Balls, Groups

This is exactly what you think and is simply betting one golfer versus one or a small group of opponents. Here you’re just selecting the player you think will finish the current round or tournament better than their listed opponent/opponents. Although 1v1 matchups are a 50/50 proposition, odds here are unfortunately around -110 because the sportsbooks want a piece of the pie too. 3-Balls add one more golfer to the matchup and offer better potential payouts than 1v1’s. Group matchups are just that and include four or more players. Here you’re just betting which golfer will finish the best among that group. These are a great way to exploit recent form and identify players who have performed historically well at that course.

Props

These are all the other offerings for that week’s tournament. This market includes everything from players to make or miss the cut, top player of a certain nationality, if there will be a hole in one, etc. These are fun and can offer a decent amount of value.

With this basic understanding of the different golf betting markets, the next step is to determine your bankroll and start researching the upcoming tournament. It’s time to begin your journey in the golf betting market.

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