Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world, and the PGA Tour has become a prime target for sports bettors across the globe.
Betting on individual sports like golf might seem a bit overwhelming since there are dozens of options to choose from on a tournament-by-tournament basis. Major tournaments bring out even more options, and perusing and finding what you like can get even more tricky.
If you’re among those who feel that way, don’t worry. We’re here to help.
Golf Odds Explained
There are no shortage of markets for golf bettors every week.
Obviously, you can wager on a player to win each tournament. You can bet on players to win major championships or on teams at events like the Ryder Cup. But there are other betting odds for players to finish in the top-5, top-10, top-20 or even top-40 at each event each week.
The more likely the outcome, the shorter the odds. The longest odds are typically for a player to have a hole-in-one because there is typically one or fewer holes-in-one each week. Betting on an individual player to win also has long odds since it is tough to predict which player will play well enough over four days to finish atop the leaderboard.
There are other props to wager on, like which player will finish as the lowest-scoring player from each country or which player will be the leader after each round as the tournament is going on.
Most golf-betting odds are plus-money, meaning your profit will be more than the stake you put out, because predicting golf events is hard. Plus-money (+100 or higher) means you if you place a $10 bet at +200 odds, you will get your initial stake back plus $20 for a payout of $30.
If you bet in a two-player matchup, like betting on which player will finish with the best score in the final pairing, the odds might be -110 for each player. That means if you put $10 on one player with -110 odds, you’ll get $9.09 in profit plus your initial $10 stake.
Finding the Best Golf Betting Lines
What to Look for in Golf Odds
As mentioned above there are long odds to bet on any player to win, since picking one player to emerge from a field of 70 or more players can be hard. But there are shorter-odds outcomes to bet if you don’t trust putting out your money on a bet that could be dead by Thursday night.
For instance there are head-to-head wagers where bettors can choose which player in a two- or three-player group will finish with the lowest score in an individual round. With a little luck, your bet could hit even if your preferred player shoots Even or worse as long as the players in his group are also struggling.
Live Betting on Golf
Live betting is one of the most popular ways for sports gamblers to wager these days. Live betting, or wagering on sporting events that are ongoing, is terrific for golf too since bettors can wager on a player to produce a certain score on his current hole or to defeat his groupmates on the next hole on the course.
Live bettors can also wager on players to lead the tournament as it is going, with odds constantly evolving. They can also bet on players to rally and win the tournament, or they can bet on the current leader to maintain that advantage and be victorious.
What Other Golf Odds are Available?
There are a lot of props and futures for golf bettors. Sportsbook offer year-round odds for each upcoming major tournament and even for bettors to wager on either the U.S. or Europe in the Ryder Cup in a year or more ahead of time.
Bettors who want to wager on props like whether there will be an albatross, hole-in-one or what the winning score will be in relation to par can do so ahead of the tournament. However, prop betting is a little bit harder to come by for gamblers who want to live bet on them.
Finding the Best Golf Lines at US Online Sportsbooks
Betting on golf in online sportsbooks is the best way to wager on golf. It is extremely convenient — you can place your bet from anywhere if you live in a state where online sports betting is legal — and online sportsbooks give new users bonuses that boost playable funds. Plus, online sportsbooks give bettors odds boosts for each round of each golf tournament each day.
Figuring out which sportsbook is the best for your playing style is a matter of personal preference, and there are some online sportsbooks that are better for gambling on golf. The best tip is to play with each, and take advantage of each’s welcome bonus, while determining which is the best fit for you.
Best Sportsbooks with Golf Odds
How to Sign Up to an Online Sportsbook
Signing up for an online sportsbook is easy. Here’s a quick list of the steps:
- Click Our Custom Link: Read our intuitive review on each online sportsbook then click through the link to take advantage of the best welcome offer that will max your playable funds
- Register: Enter your information, keeping in mind that any sensitive info is secure and also needed just to affirm your identity.
- Deposit: Insert the funds you are interested in wagering. You can usually deposit with credit and debit cards, eChecks, PayPal and many other methods. Usually your first deposit will also unlock the sportsbook’s first deposit bonus or new-signup offer.
- Start Playing: Check the odds and markets for golf and find the wagers you want to make. Place them and root for your bets to win.
New User Bonuses
There are a variety of offers that sportsbooks give new users. Here’s a look at a few.
Risk-Free Bet
A risk-free bet is when a sportsbook reimburses your first bet if it fails. For instance, if a sportsbook is giving users a $500 risk-free bet, and a bettor places that on Justin Thomas to win the upcoming PGA event at +750, that bet will be paid back if Thomas does not finish atop the leaderboard.
There are two types of risk-free bets, those that reimburse in site credit and those that reimburse with a second bet of equal value. The best risk-free bets are those that reimburse in site credit, thus softening the blow if your first bet doesn’t hit.
First-Deposit Match
A first-deposit match is my preferred new signup offer since it enables me to double my funds without breaking the bank. I like to put my money in and play with it until it is gone, which is why the first-deposit match is conducive to my betting style.
The only caveat with first-deposit matches is users will need to play through the bonus a certain number of times before the funds can be withdrawn. Still, if you like to put your money in and play with it, this is your best bet.
Bet & Get
Bet and gets are great for users who want to play but don’t have much money to deposit. A bet and get is typically when a sportsbook gives users a certain amount of money, about $200, in site credit or free bets for depositing a minimum amount, typically $10, and placing a very small wager, between $1-$5, on any market.
The best part about bet and gets are you don’t need to part with much money to get in the game, and they enable users a substantial amount of funds to test out the apps and sites before needing to deposit a second time.
Sign Up for More Than One Sportsbook
Signing up for more than one sportsbook is essential because then you can odds shop and peruse boosts that each online sportsbook curates for your area. Plus, taking advantage of new-user bonuses is the best way to determine your preferred sportsbook and also a great way of maxing out playable funds without needing to constantly deposit.
New-signup bonuses are typically a sportsbook’s best offer, and once they’re gone they’re expired, never to be cashed in on again.
