Golf is fast becoming one of the most popular sports to bet upon in the UK, with bookmakers seeing a marked increase in numbers overall. Around 10% of 2023 UK sports bettors had also bet on Golf that year, with the number expected to rise in 2024. Figures exceeding £500 million are expected to be gambled on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf this year alone.
But What Makes A Good Golf Betting Site?
Well, a few factors can help decide where you go, if you fancy having a bet on Rory to win a major or a player to finish in the top 10 in a Korn Ferry event.
Firstly, you need to find the best betting sites. Numerous bookmakers try to entice new customers with promotional offers and bonuses, so it’s worth filtering them out via comparison sites such as BookiesBonuses.com, which only provides reviews and information on legally licensed sports betting operators in the UK.
Set Yourself A Limit.
Once you have found and joined a bookmaker, it’s a good idea to plan out your betting strategy for the tournament you are betting on, so set a general amount you want to bet and think about how you want to use it.
If you say to yourself, I’m going to limit myself to £10, do you want to use it all as one stake on a single bet or split it into 5 x £2 bets, to potentially maximise your chance? There is of course no right or wrong way of doing things, but it is always good to think about your approach.
Don’t Just Bet On The Winner!
As tempting as it is to back outright winners, with the hope of bagging a 30/1+ winner very appealing, a more pragmatic approach can for the most part reap better rewards.
Each-way betting is arguably the way to go, with many bookmakers offering 7 places at 1/5 odds for instance. Firstly, it saves you putting all your eggs in one basket, while secondly offering some sort of payout, even if you boy/girl bogeys the eighteenth when in the lead. A 10/1 payout at 1/5 odds (thus 2/1) is better than no payout at all!
Another useful market to bet upon is the “top” market, with the player selecting a player to finish in the Top 5, Top 10 or even Top 20. This market by default brings less fancied players into the fold at good odds and is a useful market for backing course specialists, who tend to struggle elsewhere.
Outside of those markets, there are lots of options, including “player to make cut” betting and my favourite, head-to-head betting, which offers a three-way market among players who are grouped in the early rounds.
And if you are feeling super confident, you can even bet on a hole-in-one to be made!
Due Diligence Is Key!
Some Golf tournaments can feature up to 156 players at the start, so picking out even a couple of selections can be a little daunting, but there are a few things you can do to help make your picks.
The first one is to limit the expectations. Now there is no physical reason a player ranked 80/1 or higher cannot win a tournament, but odds compilers spend hours making sure these are as correct as possible, meaning that they are priced at those odds for a reason. So don’t just go all-in on an outright winner bet, looking for a moonshot win!
Check out their stats. The various tours have dedicated websites which offer breakdowns of statistics, recent rounds and even player records at courses, so have a look and see if you can spot a trend. Maybe a player enjoys Links courses? or another plays well at Harbour Town as it’s his local course? Whatever the reasoning, if it makes logical sense, go with it.
Read and listen to tipsters. Now not all betting experts are equal, but it is worth checking out what a handful are saying pre-tournament. If there is a consensus that “X player” is going to play well, it’s worth taking note. Even if you don’t agree with the recommended outcome, it’s still worth keeping that player in the back of your mind.
Overview
As Golf betting becomes increasingly popular, players looking to back their favourite players have ample options when it comes to available markets and ways to bet, with many bookmakers looking to grab your attention with specific tournament promotions and offers.
Remember, a little research goes a long way, choose your strategy carefully, stick to it and most importantly make a fun accompaniment to your tournament viewing experience!