Betting on golf

Golf has enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last two decades and most of that can be pinned down to one man, Tiger Woods. Tiger dominated the game over the course of several years and single-handedly raised golf up onto a global level. Woods inspired a new generation of talented golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Jason Day who have already burst onto the scene with major wins under their belt. The sport is now a multi-billion pound industry with golfing holidays, clothing brands, golfing gadgets, online lessons, and golfing video games all raking in huge amounts of money thanks to the public’s new found love of the sport.

What does all of this mean for golf and betting? Well, the exclusive TV coverage of golf across the globe brings with it plenty of betting opportunities. Golf is mainly an individual sport and that means player form and past experience can be taken advantage of with a little research and golfing knowledge. Our aim here is to look deeper into the golf betting markets and offer you some of our top golf betting tips, helping you to become more profitable when betting on golf in the future.

Golf Betting On The Majors

The golf calendar is full of tournaments and competitions and players travel around the world playing at some of the finest courses that golf has to offer. It’s got to be one of the best ‘jobs’ going! However, every year there are four special weekends that everyone looks forward to the most – the Majors. The four ‘big ones’ is where the best players come together to win one of golf’s biggest prizes. Each major offers a huge range of betting opportunities and if you’ve done your research then you can turn the major weekends into profitable weekends!

The Masters

The Masters is the most iconic of the four majors and it’s the only one with a repeat venue every year. The home of the Masters is Augusta National, and although the infamous course holds no mercy for the players, it does give the punter plenty of statistics and historical data to get stuck into. Many of the players come to the Masters having played the tournament several times already and experience is everything here. Augusta National needs to be played with respect and newcomers often fall into many of the traps hidden around the course. The winner receives the green jacket and it’s more often than not someone who has experienced the highs and lows of the course before.

US Open

The US Open tends to be played on some of the toughest courses. You’ll often see dense rough surrounding the fairways and this spells disaster for those who are not driving accurately off the tee. Shooting par is seen as the average so any bets on low-scoring rounds are not likely to be profitable. To prove this point, Englishman Justin Rose won the US Open a few years back with a final score of 1+ overall. Finding useful betting tips for the US Open golf tournament can be tricky. However, the difficult courses do mean that the Open golf betting odds are slightly higher than in the other majors. Your best bet is to study player form and pick out those who are hitting fairways consistently off the tee. Staying on the fairways and accurate iron play into the greens will give players a big advantage. Any wayward shots in the other majors can often be saved but the US Open holds no mercy for wild shots.

The Open Championship

The Open, commonly known as the British Open, is the only major to be played outside of the US. British golf has a unique characteristic and the links-style courses are a different test for the players. The level of scoring is almost always dependant on the British weather and how strong the coastal winds are coming in over the course. Players have won the trophy with scores below and over par so it really does depend on the day. British Open golf betting is hugely popular in the UK and we think that in-play betting is your wisest option here. Placing your bets in reaction to what the weather is doing will give you a better chance of finding a winner over the weekend. Also, backing the local Brits who know the courses inside-out is a top tip worth remembering!

USPGA Championship

The USPGA Championship often plays with many low-scoring rounds and this leaves your outright winner predictions wide open. The number of possible winners on a ‘playable’ major course comes in quite high with all the top players and in-form players all fancying their chances. Confidence is everything in golf and anyone coming into a major off the back of a recent win is going to be highly tipped. One of our top US PGA golf betting tips would be to keep an eye on the results leading up to the tournament, make a note of any winners and consistent top 5 finishers from the last couple of months.

Golf Tour Betting Opportunities

Majors aside, the European and PGA Tours provide most of the golfing action throughout the year. A full season can include over 50 events and most of these are broadcast on TV. This means you can make the most of live golf betting odds and watch some of the up and coming players make a name for themselves on both sides of the pond.

European Tour (ET)

It is played mainly across Europe, with some events played in Asia and South Africa as well. The ET provides a stage for a lot of international talent and each event gives players the chance to earn points. Top earners over the season are invited to play in the ‘Race to Dubai’ finals. With millions of pounds up for grabs, you can guarantee that the top players will be at their best when coming into these events so favourites should be watched closely.

PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is the American equivalent of the European Tour only with bigger prize money on offer. This attracts some of the very best players from around the world and also offers the best chances to climb up the world rankings. The Fed-Ex Cup is the end of season series where the top earners play through four events. The final event sees the top 30 earners battle it out to become the overall champion. Again, favourites should not be overlooked here as season form plays a big part in coming out as the eventual winner.

LPGA Tour

Outrights, each-way, and in-play betting markets are all available on the LPGA. The popularity of ladies golf is soaring and we are witnessing new young stars entering the game each year, and so there is value to be found when backing newcomers over an experienced field. The LPGA is getting more popular across the betting industry but it doesn’t come too high up on the priority list. This means that the odds might not be as sharp as they should be and you might find some value bets if you know where to look and who to back.

Challenge Tour & Web.com Tour

Lastly, we have two feeder tours that the up-and-coming players sign up to in the hope of breaking into the professional European (Challenge) and PGA (Web.com) tours. Knowledge of the players who step up to the main tours can give you an edge if you think they have what it takes to make an instant impact. It’s a big challenge for most but every now and then we see players that take it all in their stride and find early success. You should find good value on these players when placing outright and each-way bets.

Match Play Golf Betting

All of the events above focus on stroke play, however, on a few occasions throughout the season we do see an exciting twist that comes in the form of match play. Individuals and teams try to outscore each other hole-by-hole rather than calculating the total shots over 18 holes. The golf calendar currently holds a total of four well-known events that embrace match play and the most famous by far is the Ryder Cup.

Ryder Cup

Every two years we get to watch the epic match play battle of Europe vs America. Lifting the Ryder Cup is each teams goal but the bragging rights for the next two years is just as important. The match play format brings out a competitive streak in some of the most mild-mannered players on the tour and it’s an experience like no other in the golfing world. The passion and unconventional atmosphere make this an exciting event to bet on. It brings the very best out of some players and backing the likes of Englishman Ian Poulter, who loves the match play format, can prove profitable over the weekend.

Other Match play Tournaments

You won’t find as much attention on these but the match play betting markets still offer value if you do your research on each of the teams and players involved:

• Solheim Cup – Ladies version of the Ryder Cup

• Presidents Cup – America vs Rest of the World

• Eur-Asia Cup – Europe vs Asia

Golf Betting Markets Explained

Outright Winner

Backing the tournament winner is the easiest and most common bet you can make in golf. The fact that there are so many competitors in each event usually means that even the favourites come with reasonably sized odds for the outright win.

Each-Way

The each-way bet is another popular choice for when you think a player will do well but you’re not sure they have enough to win outright. Bookies can offer up to 10 places in major tournaments and so it’s in these situations that backing an each-way outsider can prove profitable.

What does each way mean in golf betting?

An each-way golf bet means that you’re backing a player to win or place in a top position, so a £5 each way bet would result in a £10 total bet. One stake is the player winning and the other stake is for a top position finish.

How does each way betting work in golf?

A £10 each-way bet on Tiger Woods to win the Masters would result in a £20 total bet. £10 on Woods to win and the other £10 on Woods to finish in a top position. The second half of the bet is usually cut to ¼ odds and positions can include up to 10th in bigger tournaments. Golf betting each way rules can be different from one bookie to the next, so check odds and positions before you bet.

First Round Leader

Picking out players who are known to start strong is a bet worth looking into. Weather can be a big factor and early tee-times can also benefit players with a clear course ahead of them. Back players to start well and take the winnings early, this way you don’t have to experience the back-nine nerves on Sunday when pressure and playing conditions come into play.

Other Popular Golf Bets

• Top 10, Top 20 Finish Betting

• Golf Match Bets

• Top Nationality Betting

• Hole In One Betting

Golf Betting Strategies

Track Player Form

Following the form of players gives you invaluable insight. Studying the form of a top player can often prove that odds are not as valuable as you first thought. Maybe he did win last year but he hasn’t placed top 10 in his last four events so you’d be better off backing someone else in form.

History Repeats Itself

Many of the top courses are used more often than others and this gives you a chance to read up on statistics of the course. Which players like or dislike playing there? You’d be surprised at how many players produce repeat low-scoring performances on courses they like.

Study The Course

Take a look at the characteristics of the course and consider the conditions. Narrow courses suit consistent and accurate players, long courses suit the big-hitters, and tight and bendy courses are suited to players who can shape the ball well – we’re looking at you, Bubba Watson!

Stick To Experience In The Majors

Winning a major takes a lot of talent and concentration. Keeping the huge crowds out of your mind and focusing on that shot-by-shot winning strategy comes with experience. Not letting the moment get to you as you play through the back-nine on Sunday only favours those who have walked it before. Sticking to experienced and seasoned players in the majors will result in more winning bets.

Golf Tour Betting Tips

Rising Stars

Keep an eye on new players that breakthrough from the Challenge and Web.com tours. You should be able to find some valuable each-way odds on the rising stars before they are thrust upon the world stage. Catch them now before their reputation grows and their odds are cut.

Season End Escapes

Only the top 100 or so players in each tour will get to renew their card for the following season. Players in and around the cut mark will often raise their game as the season comes to a close, miraculous top 5 positions to ensure they stay on the tour are not unheard of!

The Putter Wins Tournaments

If you can’t putt, you won’t win anything. Some of the greatest swingers of the golf club have been let down by their putter. Take putting statistics seriously and stay clear of those who are having trouble on the greens.

Betting on golf can be profitable if you do your homework and study the course and players before each event. Current form is an important factor when it comes to backing winners and picking out each way bets, plus the in-play markets are full of chances to make quick wins as you watch the coverage unfold on TV.

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