Best Golf Betting Sites – How to Bet on Golf

Golf is a great game for the betting community for a number of reasons. Firstly, this is a sport which will take place for much of the calendar year across the two main professional tours – European and US PGA.

Then, there is a huge choice in terms of betting markets. Aside from the regular result betting, punters can speculate on a host of side bets which we will cover at length in this article. So, let’s get straight on and see just how to bet on golf.

Top Golf Betting Sites

How the Sport of Golf Works – Scoring in Golf

There are two distinct types of golf events – those that rely on tournament play and those that rely on matchplay. The majority of these are tournament-play competitions where all of the individual golfers in the field are battling against each other.

All 18 holes on a golf course have a par score – i.e., the number of shots that a player is expected to take in order to complete the hole. The par scores range between three and five and the total par for those 18 holes will generally range between 70 and 72.

Tournament play takes place over four rounds of 18 holes, played over four consecutive days. At the end of those four days, the player with the lowest score to par wins the tournament.

Matchplay is the alternative to tournament play and while these golf events are rarer, they can provide greater excitement. Matchplay golf involves a straight shoot out between two players and the one with the lowest score after 18 holes will win the contest and progress to the next round.

On occasions, teams will contest matchplay golf events and the Ryder Cup is the best example of this. However, no matter what the occasion might be, there are plenty of opportunities for the golf betting community.

Golf Betting Markets

Outright Result Betting

This is the simplest bet of all, no matter which sport you’re looking to get involved in. All we are doing here is looking to pick the winner of the tournament in question so the bookmakers will list a host of names and the job of the punter is to pick the golf players who they think is going to win the upcoming competition.

It’s a simple concept but golf is one of the hardest sports to call from a betting point of view. Winners can come through from very high betting odds and prices of 100/1 and above are not uncommon. That’s great news if you pick the winner but it’s also tough, so with that in mind, many golf bettors are drawn to alternative markets.

Win, Place and Each Way Betting – How does Each Way Betting Work in Golf?

We’ve covered win betting but the nature of golf means that Place betting and Each Way punts are very popular. Place betting generally works in a simplified way here as most sportsbooks provide options for Top 5 Finishes at reduced odds.

As far as each way golf bets are concerned, these will work in a similar way to any sport in the sense that the punter is taking two bets – one for the win and one for a place. The winning stake is settled at the price published in the result betting while the place option is paid out at reduced odds.

The main thing to watch for in terms of Each Way betting in golf is the number of places that a sportsbook will pay down to. Most will set this as places one to four but some will extend this to a fifth placed finish. For the four Major Golf Tournaments – US Masters, US Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship – this will usually go further and come sometimes pay out if your chosen golfer finishes inside the Top Ten.

Dead Heat Rule

As with many sports, we need to be certain about the dead heat rules if we’re taking a bet in the result markets. In the majority of events, there will be a clear winner after 72 holes but in some cases, scores can be tied between two or more golfers after four rounds,

The golfers in question will then enter a playoff to determine an overall winner but how does this affect your bet? In most cases, the win odds in question will be divided by the number of golfers who have tied for the lead at the end of those four rounds. So, for example, if you have backed a player at 10/1 in the result betting and he or she ties with one other golfer at the top of the final leaderboard, those golf odds will be halved and you will be paid out at 5/1.

We suggest you check the dead heat rules of the bookmaker that you are using but those are likely to be their terms if we do have a tie after four rounds.

Hole, Round and Match Betting

As we mentioned earlier in this round up, regular golf tournaments will be played over four rounds of 18 holes each and this gives us more opportunities for betting. Many sportsbooks will provide a market for which golfer you think will be ahead after the first round of 18 holes and that’s ideal if you think you’ve found a player who is a fast starter but tends to fall away as the tournament progresses.

Options for leaders after the second, third and fourth rounds can also be provided but these will tend to get busier in the live golf markets.

Golf also gives us the opportunity to match players against each other and we’ve seen this type of bet in other sports such as Formula One. For example, a bookie may take the favourite and second favourite at the start of the tournament and give you the opportunity to bet on which one will finish higher. You can do this across the entire tournament, for a specified round or, you can even take part in hole betting where you bet on one golfer to score lower at a single hole than their opponent.

Top Finish Bets

We’ve mentioned the opportunity to bet on a Top 5 finish and this is the most common form of Place Betting in Golf. It’s a popular option but it can be extended much further.

At the start of any tournament, you can also look to stake in Top Ten and Top Twenty markets. These can be ideal options for a sport such as golf where picking a winner tends to be trickier than it is in other sports.

2 and 3 Ball Golf Betting

Before a golf tournament starts, there is a draw to decide who will be playing with each other for the first two rounds. For those first 36 holes, there will generally be three golfers playing the same hole at a given time but for the final two rounds, this will be slimmed down to two.

As soon as the draw is known, bettors will get the opportunity to bet on who they think will be the best golfer between that three-ball or two-ball. Punters can stake based on round or hole betting.

Golf Bet Types

Accumulator

Like all sports, there is the option to place accumulator bets in golf. From doubles upwards, you can take a number of tournaments and / or a number of markets and compile an accumulator bet of your own.

There really is no limit here and golf is similar to every other sport in respect of its potential for acca betting.

Prop Bets

Prop bets – or side bets as they are called in some parts of the world – are widely available for all of the golf tournaments that are played on the two main professional tours. Here are some examples of what you can expect:

Top Country / Region

The big pro tournaments will draw in players from all over the world and some punters like to speculate on winning nationalities. For example, any of those professional competitions would see certain sportsbooks listing bets for Top American, Top South African, Top Spanish Golfer, Top British Golfer and many more.

As long as there is at least one player from a specific country taking part, there will be at least one bookie publishing a relevant market.

Region Bets are less common but it may be possible to find markets for top European, Top Asian, Top North American and so on.

Specials

There are many ‘specials’ attached to golf and most of these are long-term bets. For example, you could look up the markets on January 1st in any year, look at a number of named golfers and decide on whether they will win a Major tournament or not.

It’s also possible to bet on the player who you think will earn the most money on the two main Tours. These are just two examples of a busy set of side markets for longer term, ante post golf bets.

Live In Play Betting – In Play and Pre-Event

Like most sports, there is an active set of live golf betting markets attached to golf and these will open as soon as the first ball is struck. Across four days of action, these will remain open until the final putt is sunk.

All of the main options will be open during those four days including result, top 5 and top ten finishes, 2 ball and 3 ball betting and many more. Because these are long tournaments – much longer than most sports, the live golf betting markets are very active indeed and this is often where the best value can be found.

Golfing Events

We’ve briefly touched on the type of events that golf punters can bet on but now it’s time to look at this in greater detail.

Golf Tours, Tournaments, Championships

pga tour

In professional golf there are two main Tours. The European Tour is largely self-explanatory and while the majority of these events do, indeed, take place in Europe, they can also extend into Asia and beyond.

Then we have the PGA Tour which largely takes place in the United States of America. This option tends to draw the best players in the world but both Tours provide lots for the golf betting community to enjoy.

There are other options – in South Africa we have the Sunshine Tour while there is a thriving ladies golf scene but in the main, punters will be focussing on those two main tours.

As for individual tournaments, there are four ‘Majors’ which are co-sanctioned by both the European and PGA Tours. This system is similar to the Grand Slam in tennis and these four are the tournaments that everyone wants to win.

In date order, these are the US Masters, the US Open, the PGA Championship and the Open Championship. Whenever any of these four tournaments comes along, the golf betting markets will be particularly busy but remember that there are events being played for most of the calendar year.

That’s about it in regards to tournament play but, as far as matchplay golf is concerned, there is one very special event.

The Ryder Cup

ryder cup

Held every two years, the event is a highly anticipated battle between Europe and the United States of America. The best golfers from each side qualify through a points system and there are captain’s picks available with which to complete the two squads.

The event takes place over three days of competition and there are 28 matches in total. Days one and two comprise of matches that involve two players from each side and then, on the final day, there are 14 ‘singles’ games.

In total, there are 28 points on offer across three days and the team who reaches 14.5 points will win the Ryder Cup. This is a spectacular and dramatic event and one which lends itself to a host of golf betting opportunities.

Naturally, punters can bet on the team who they think will win but there are other golf betting options too. Correct score, biggest individual points scorer and winning margin are just three of the many side bets that come along.

There are other matchplay events on the calendar – including the Solheim Cup for ladies – but the Ryder Cup really is the pinnacle.

Golf Bets FAQ:

What is a Dual Forecast in Golf Betting?

As the name suggests, a dual forecast in golf requires the punter to pick two players ahead of a golf tournament. They will then need to finish in the top two places for the bet to pay out.

Note that they do not need to finish in a certain order: As long as they finish inside the top two then the customer will receive a return on their stake.

How does Golf Spread Betting Work?

Answering this question assumes that the reader has some understanding of how spread betting works. It should also be understood that this can be a volatile practise and while profits can be high, losses can be increased for those who make incorrect calls.

Spread betting can apply to a number of markets in golf and perhaps the most obvious of these relates to a total, four-round score for a certain player. The operator may set the spread at, for example, 280 and the bettors stake in increments above or below that line.

Golf spread betting can also apply to the position in the field where you think a certain player will finish.

What is Six Shooter Betting in Golf?

Six shooter betting is a fairly new concept and it’s given golf punters a popular addition to the set of existing golf betting markets. Here, you would pick six golf players from a field and decide on who will finish with the lowest score.

Obviously, if you were to pick the favourite plus five rank outsiders you will get very low golf odds but a better balanced six shooter bet can be very good value indeed.

What are the Important Aspects of a Golf Betting Site?

Easy Navigation

Golf betting is taken seriously by a big chunk of the community and we want to start on a positive note. The best online bookmakers will always make it easy to find the golf markets and not hide them away in a remote corner of their roster.

That’s the first point to note and, when we’ve located the golf section, we want to find the individual tournaments and all of the market options – winner, top ten finish, first round leader and so on.

The best operators have golf listed early on in their list of most popular sports. If it’s not near the top, it should be easy to locate on an A to Z listing so that we don’t waste too much time trying to track it down.

Good Prices and Markets

It should go without saying that golf bettors need competitive odds on all markets but some bookmakers need reminding of this at times. It’s a very popular sport for the community and the bookies need to be as sharp as possible with their odds or, they will lose business to their competition.

Along with those strong prices, golf punters will also be looking for a choice of markets. It can be tough to pick a winner in this sport so many bettors will look for value in the side bets. Top 5 Finishes, Top 10 Finishes, First Round Leader, Top European, Top American, Will there be a Hole in One? These are just some of the many side markets attached to golf. When it comes to picking the right bookmaker, it’s a case of ‘more is more’ and we want as many options as possible.

Trust and Safety

Trust can be an element that needs to be built up between customer and bookmaker over a period of time but there are ways in which you can judge a sportsbook’s credentials before you sign up. By scrolling to the bottom of the homepage, we can easily check details of the current license along with confirmation that they are regulated and therefore allowed to provide sports betting services in the country in question.

This information can also help us ensure that our details will be safe and secure when we’re playing online here. The bookie may also have an About Us page where they talk about encryption and how they use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, to keep you protected online. If there is any doubt regarding this, we suggest firing over a letter to customer services.

Mobile Compatibility

Being able to bet on mobile helps to give us flexibility and this is particularly important in the live golf betting markets. We all need that service at times so it’s important that the sportsbook in question has good mobile compatibility.

Ideally, they will have an app for both iOS and Android devices. It should be free, easy to install and fast to download when we need it. Failing that, a dedicated mobile website is a minimum requirement but the best golf betting sites will always provide their customers with an app.

Customer Service

Most of us need a little assistance at times and effective customer services will help to differentiate between the great bookmakers and the ‘also rans’. What we would like to see here is a live chat operator and, ideally, this should be available on a 24/7 basis. This service offers the fastest way to deal with queries and most online bookmakers now have it in place.

If there is no live chat, responses via a webform or an email will need to be very fast and effective. A set of Frequently Asked Questions is acceptable: Nobody uses them much these days but if they are comprehensive and easy to follow then this is OK.

Good Withdrawal Speeds

It’s a fact of bookmaking life that it’s rare to see withdrawals processed instantly. Deposits can hit your account immediately but operators like to run checks in regards to verification before they send money back.

Having said that, we should be waiting no longer than 48 hours for withdrawals to land in our accounts. Ideally, this should be sooner and the best golf betting sites will attempt a quicker payout but in all cases, 48 hours is the desired maximum.

Banking Options

To back up those deposits and withdrawals we would like to see a wide set of funding options being listed. The basic requirements for banking are debit cards plus bank transfers but in these modern times, we would like to have a whole lot more.

Having a wide set of eWallet providers offers flexibility to customers and the best golf betting sites will have plenty on their list. PayPal is the biggest of the eWallets but they don’t work with all betting sites, so having them on the roster is something of an endorsement in itself.

The more regular providers are Skrill and Neteller but you may also see many other eWallets including PaySafeCard, Entropay, QIWI, Trustly and more. Choice is important in many areas of online sports betting and it’s certainly desirable as far as banking is concerned.

Reputation

Trust and reputation are two different things and shouldn’t be confused. You can’t build trust without playing at an operator’s site but you can assess their reputation before you sign up. Some sportsbooks have been around for years and they have long histories that predate the internet in some cases.

This isn’t a guarantee that you’ll personally have a great time here but that sort of longevity certainly helps to build up a strong reputation for the bookmaker in question. To develop that even further, it’s a good idea to look at independent reviews which will underline how an operator treats its customers. We all want golf betting sites with a good reputation and these are good tips for anyone looking to establish this point.

Golf Betting Sites FAQs

Can Bitcoin be Used when betting on Golf Online?

The answer to this question depends on which bookmaker you happen to be using. It’s fair to say that the gambling industry as a whole was a little slow to embrace the rise in cryptocurrency but there have been more positive moves in recent times.

Crypto is being welcomed and Bitcoin is the most popular currency so this is the one that will appear if an innovative and new bookmaker is forward thinking enough to look beyond FIAT money. To answer the question definitely, customers will need to head to the poker page to see whether Bitcoin is included. If the information is difficult to follow then you can simply check with customer service.

How long will it take for Golf Betting Winnings to Appear?

Golf betting sites should be looking to place winnings into your account ‘upon settlement’. That means that the money should appear as soon as the tournament has been decided. If you’ve backed the outright winner, the event comes to an end as soon as the final putt has been sunk. In other markets such as first round leader, ‘settlement’ comes much quicker.

Keep in mind that you will still have the possibility of having to wait for your withdrawals to hit your account, but as far as winnings are concerned, these should show up instantly on your account page.

Is it Possible Betting Online on Golf for Customers in Different Countries of the World on these sites?

It is perfectly possible to bet while located in different countries but you need to make sure that your chosen online golf betting sites are available to you. Because of certain legislation and strict rules on sports betting in certain countries such as the USA, Australia, Canada and even Great Britain, you may not be able to access a specific bookie.

This should be obvious: If a sportsbook isn’t available in your country then you may not be able to even access the site. Even if the website does load onto your computer, you will not be allowed to register. In summary, the short answer to the question is ‘yes’ you can bet from different countries as long as the bookmaker is open to your location.