Golf Betting Guide - How To Bet On Golf
Table of contents
- Top Golf Competitions
- Golf Betting Markets
- Pre-match vs Live Betting On Golf
- How Golf Betting Odds Work
- Do Your Research Before Betting
- How To Bet On Golf At LeoVegas
Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world. There are several high-profile golf tours where professionals compete for trophies and economic rewards. The most notable tournaments include the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Sunshine Tour (Southern and East Africa).
This golf betting guide will provide you with everything you need to know about golf betting, from the types of markets available to things to look out for in your research before placing a bet on golfing events.
In our golf betting guide, we will also talk you through how to bet on golf on our sportsbook, whether you are a new or existing customer.
Top Golf Competitions
At LeoVegas, we offer golf betting on all the major tournaments which take place in the sport’s calendar. Here you will find a summary of some of those big competitions, including the four Major Championships.
The Majors
There are four major championships in golf: Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open Championship. These are the most prestigious tournaments in the sport. At the end of a golf player’s career, they will be judged based on how many of these events they won. Betting on these tournaments is available all year round in the LeoVegas betting section.
Masters
The first of the four major championships in the calendar year is The Masters. It takes place annually in April. It is the only one of the four majors, which are played at the same golf course every year. Augusta National Golf Club is the home of this tournament, and it is considered one of the best golf courses in the world. The winner of this event is handed a Green Jacket at the end of it and success ensures they are invited back to the tournament every year for the rest of their career.
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is the second major championship of the year. It is played in May, only open to professional golf players. The PGA of America decides which venue this tournament is played at, with some of the best golf courses in the United States being used on a rotational basis.
US Open
One of the most challenging majors in golf is the US Open. It traditionally takes place in June. What makes this such a difficult tournament to win is that the organizers, the USGA, choose courses where conditions are tough. Unlike many golf tournaments on the PGA Tour and European Tour, scoring tends to be quite low in this event, in some cases with the winning scoring being over par.
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, also known as the Open and British Open, is the final major championship of the year, as it is held in July. This tournament takes place in the United Kingdom, with the winner collecting the famous Claret Jug, and being named Champion Golfer of the Year. This event is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and many golfers consider this competition as the one they want to win more than any other one in the sport.
European Tour
The biggest event on the European Tour calendar outside of the major championships is the DP World Tour Championship. This is the final event of the season, and it brings an end to the Tour Championship Series. It takes place at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai in November. Another highlight of the European Tour is the BMW PGA Championship. This event features in September at Wentworth Golf Course in Surrey, England. It is one of the most valuable prizes on the European Tour and the winner gains automatic qualification into the US Open and Open Championship the following season. The European Tour, in association with the PGA Tour, commissions the Ryder Cup. This is a bi-annual team competition between Europe and the United States. Each team features 12 players, and they play in singles and doubles across a match play format over three days until there is a winner. Players qualify for both teams based on their performances on the PGA Tour and European Tour. Each of those two sides also has a captain, often a former Ryder Cup player.
Golf Betting Markets
There are lots of ways to bet on golf here at LeoVegas. Here are some of the featured markets in our golf betting and an explanation of what they involve.
Tournament Winner
The most popular market in our golf betting is the tournament winner. In this market, you are betting on the player you think will lift the trophy at the end of the competition, based on the official rules of that tournament. They may do so at the end of the regulation or following a playoff.
Top 5/10/20 Betting
Before a tournament begins, markets are available to bet for a player to finish in the top five, top 10, and top 20. For each of these respective markets, the player you bet on needs to end the tournament within one of those ranks. If there is more than one player in the fifth, tenth, or twentieth position, dead-heat rules apply to this market.
First Round Leader
If you prefer a bet on golf that is settled faster than at the end of the tournament, the first-round leader market may interest you. This is a bet on the player who ends the first round at the top of the leadership in the event. If there are multiple players in this position, the market will be settled with dead-heat rules.
Ante Post Betting Markets
If the golf event takes place before the day you are betting on, it is considered an ante-post golf betting market. Inside this section of our website, you will find all four major championship events, and some of the other upcoming big tournaments in the sport.
Round totals
If you want to bet on the performance of a player in a particular round, you can do so in a round market. A line will be set on a player’s score to par in the round, and you can bet on over or under that line.
Golf Prop Bets
Golf prop bets are selections that are not related to the outcome of the event. They are often referred to as specials. An example of a golf prop bet is for a hole-in-one to occur during the tournament. They may also be more specific to an individual player, such as for them to hit over 400 yards from the tee on one of the holes.
Golf Futures
Events that take place outside of the day you are placing a bet are considered golf future bets. These allow you to place a bet well in advance of a tournament, particularly the four majors which are popular throughout the year.
Pre-match vs Live Betting On Golf
Here at LeoVegas, you can bet on golf pre-match, which is a bet on the tournament before a tee shot has been made. You can also place a bet on the action live (in-play), which is after the event has begun.
The main advantage of pre-match golf betting is that there are likely to be many more markets available outside of the main offering. Placing a bet pre-match also ensures you lock in the odds for a player. If you wait for the tournament to begin, and they get off to a fast start, their odds are likely to shorten.
There will be some instances where you cannot place a bet pre-match, so golf betting live means you need to show an interest in the tournament. Some golf bettors like to watch the early stages of the opening round to get an idea of how the course is playing.
Live golf betting tends to be very popular on the final day of a golf tournament, as it is clear at that stage who is in contention for the trophy. It is worth noting that the golf betting odds will fluctuate depending on how well each player is performing.
How Golf Betting Odds Work
Each player’s odds in golf betting will be based on their probability of having success. For example, in the outright market for the tournament, those with the shortest golf betting odds are considered the favorites for the trophy. As you go further down the list, you will come across the outsiders. Their odds tend to be much bigger, as it would be a surprise if they were to finish the tournament at the top of the leaderboard.
Do Your Research Before Betting
If you are looking to place a bet on golf, there's luckily a lot of data and information to look at. Here are some helpful tips you should consider before placing your bet.
Check The Current Form Of The Player
Look at how well the player you are interested in backing has been performing recently. You can check the results of their most recent tournament. If they have been missing the cut frequently, that should be a concern, as it suggests they are out of form and they may not be swinging their clubs well. On the flip side, if they are consistently finishing in the top 10, it indicates they are full of confidence.
Check The Course Fit
Some courses will suit certain players better than others. Before placing your bet, have a quick look at the course layout. Check how many yards the course consists of, how many par-fives there are, and how the greens normally run. Having all this information will help you assess which players are likely to perform well at the venue.
Check The Course History
Looking at previous winners of the course will give you an idea about what type of player to look out for. For example, if big hitters from the tee tend to prevail, it indicates you are looking for players who can hit the ball long from the tee. However, if it is players who are known for their putting who have had the most success, find players that are good on the greens.
Consider The Weather
The weather conditions at a tournament can have a big impact on the result at the end of the four days. Some players handle strong wind and rain better than others. When the sun is out and conditions are easy, the best players tend to prevail, as they often outscore their rivals.
How To Bet On Golf At LeoVegas
If you are wondering how to bet on golf here at LeoVegas, here are the simple steps you need to take. The first is to open an account. You can do this by filling in a quick registration form on our home page. If you are a customer already, just log in with your details to access your account.
Once you are logged in, you can make a deposit using a range of different methods under ‘my account’. After this has been successful, you will see your balance in the top right corner of the page update.
You can find all our golf markets under the golf betting page. Click on 'browse sports' and golf will be clearly situated among the comprehensive A-Z list of sports we offer betting on. When you are on the golf page, you will come across all of our golf markets and golf odds, whether they are to take place that day or they are future events. When you have found the selection you want to bet on, click on their golf betting odds and they will be added to your bet slip. At this stage, consider whether you are placing a single bet or want to add more selections to create a parlay. When you are happy with what is on your bet slip, add your stake and we will calculate your potential return. Click ‘place bet’ and we will send a confirmation message when the bet has been accepted.
Check out the latest odds available at LeoVegas!