Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world, for players, spectators and bettors alike. With plenty of top events taking place throughout the year, there’s no end to the betting possibilities. Of course, you’ll need to pick out a top sports betting site before you start betting on the green. That’s where we come in.
We’ve rounded up the very best betting sites around, along with the top bonuses on offer. Whether you want to bet on golf in-play or wager on a future major, our recommended sportsbooks offer a whole range of markets and the most competitive golf odds. To help you get started, let’s tee-off and delve deeper into what to look out for when you bet on golf online.
Golf Betting Basics
Thanks to golf’s global popularity, you can bet on it all year round. The most prestigious events are the four majors: the Masters, the US Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship. There are also international contests, such as the four World Golf Championship (WGC) events and the Ryder Cup. This famous tournament takes place every two years and sees the best from the US face off against Europe’s finest, making for some thrilling matchups.
The fun definitely doesn’t stop there, though. With over 20 professional tours, there are loads of tournaments to try your luck on. The PGA tour is the biggest, featuring the top players like Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson. The European tour is also right up there, while the LPGA, PGA Tour Champions and the Asian Tour are part of a growing list of other circuits providing punters with additional action at the bookies. Here’s a rundown of the main events you can take a punt on at the best golf betting sites:
| January: | Dubai Desert Classic Tournament of Champions |
| February: | WGC Mexico Championship Phoenix Open AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am |
| March: | Arnold Palmer Invitational The Players’ Championship WGC Match Play |
| April: | The Masters |
| May: | AT&T Byron Nelson PGA Championship |
| June: | US Open BMW International Open |
| July: | Scottish Open The Open Championship |
| August: | BMW Championship Tour Championship WGC Invitational |
| September: | Alfred Dunhill Links Championship |
| October: | World Golf Championships HSBC Champions CIMB Classic |
| November: | World Tour Championship, Dubai WGC HSBC Champions |
| December: | South African Open |
Golf Betting Options
Golf events often feature a large number of players—over 100 at some tournaments—so it’s fair to say that picking a winner isn’t always easy. The world rankings and golf betting odds can be a good place to start, but these are far from the be-all and end-all. For example, Dustin Johnson was the world number one for most of 2018, but only won three of the 20 tournaments he entered that year.
When it comes to sports like football and rugby, bettors must weigh up factors like recent form and player statistics to get the best chance of landing some returns. With golf, you’ll also have to account for other factors, such as weather conditions and the course. Certain players loathe playing links golf, whereas others detest Augusta, where you need to be accurate off the tee. In short, the ‘horses for courses’ cliché often applies more to golf than many other sports and knowing your stuff can help you make smart golf bets.
You should also pay close attention to the players’ schedules. As you can imagine, it’s major tournaments like the US Open and the Masters that typically attract the most bettors at online golf betting sites, but these aren’t necessarily your best bets. However, in recent years, several of Europe’s leading stars have started playing more events in Asia. You may well find better value away from the biggest competitions, so keep your eyes open for who is playing where and when.
Golf Betting Markets
Golf bettors certainly aren’t short of choice when it comes to betting markets at the best online sportsbooks. Here’s a look at some of the most popular:
Outright – An outright bet is simply a punt on which player you think will win a tournament.
Each way – Best-known in horse racing, an each-way wager is made up of two bets: to win and to place. This gives you a chance of getting some returns on your wager, even if the golfer you back doesn’t win- providing they finish in one of the stated places. Of course, in such instances, you’ll only earn a fraction of the payout for a winning bet.
To place – Here you’re just betting on a golfer to place within a certain ranking, such as top 10 or top 20, making it a safer bet. Just don’t expect to find particularly generous odds on this market.
Round betting – This is a bet on which player you think will top the leaderboard after a certain round.
To make/miss the cut – In golf, the “cut” is the number of points that splits the players that progress from those that exit a tournament after a certain round, so you can bet on who’s going to make it through or head home early.
Head to head – A head to head bet is where you wager on which player will achieve the best score on a particular hole.
Top points scorer – For some tournaments, such as the Ryder Cup, you can take a punt on which player will score the highest total number of points.
Live golf betting – You can also bet on golf as the action’s underway, thanks to in-play betting sites. As golf isn’t as fast-paced as other sports like basketball, you’ll have plenty of time to assess the in-play action and plan your next move.
Futures – As the name suggests, here you’re betting on a future event. For example, you can bet on the winner of next year’s Open Championship, which is basically an outright bet but you’ll have higher odds as there’s greater risk involved.
Player specials – These are bets on the performance of a specific player. Examples of player special bets include Rory McIlroy not to win a tour event in 2019, or Tiger Woods to win three majors this year.
Golf Betting Bonuses
As a new customer, you can get your online golf betting into full swing by claiming a welcome bonus from your online bookmaker. Free bets are the deal you’re most likely to come across- these are bonus bets you’ll receive after making a qualifying wager. A number of golf betting sites also offer deposit bonus deals, where you can bag a bonus worth a percentage of your first deposit.
The fun doesn’t stop once you’ve signed up, though. Lots of sportsbooks offer regular promotions like reload bonuses and money-back bets, so you’ll never be short of a freebie. Some sportsbooks also offer special golf bonuses for big events, such as extended placing on each-way bets. Enhanced golf odds are another popular promotion, where you can get price boosts on certain markets and potentially get some extra winnings.
Mobile Golf Betting
Gone are the days when online golf betting was restricted to desktop computers. Now you can bet on golf whenever you want, wherever you want, thanks to mobile golf betting. You’ll have access to the same golf odds, markets, banking options and bonuses when you bet on your mobile, so you definitely won’t be missing out on anything.
The best betting sites also have mobile betting apps, which can make sports betting faster and easier- perfect for wagering when you’re on the go. On top of that, golf betting apps have handy benefits like push notifications so you’re kept in the know on the latest bonuses and live golf betting markets. Some sportsbooks even offer exclusive mobile-only promotions, which are definitely worth keeping an eye out for.
Ready to Bet on Golf?
Now you’re all up to scratch on the basics, it’s time to get out there and see whether your golf betting is par for the course. Whether you’re looking for the best bonuses, most competitive golf odds or in-play betting markets, our list of the top golf betting sites has got you covered. Simply compare, sign up and start betting on golf today!
